Duf Falls

The Duf falls lie in a narrow rocky gorge near Rostuše in the Mavrovo area of western North Macedonia, dropping around twenty-five metres in a series of steps with pools between them. A short path with handrails and bridges runs up the gorge from the village to the main fall, taking about fifteen minutes over rock that is wet throughout. The surrounding country is the Bistra massif and the Radika valley. Rostuse sits in Mijak country, the district that produced the woodcarvers whose work fills the monasteries of the region, and the village keeps that reputation.

The landscape

• The stepped fall - a drop of around twenty-five metres in stages with pools between.
• The gorge - the narrow rocky ravine the path runs up.
• The handrail path - the built route with bridges over the wet rock.
• The Radika valley - the surrounding country of the Mavrovo area.

When to go

April to June after snowmelt is strongest. Late summer reduces the flow. The rock is slippery in any season.

Things to know

The rock underfoot is wet and slippery throughout and the handrails are necessary. Flow drops in late summer. Facilities are minimal.

Nearby

Rostuse is below, and Bigorski Monastery is south.

Key facts