Lake Prespa

Prespa lies at around eight hundred and fifty metres, some one hundred and fifty metres above Lake Ohrid on the other side of the Galičica ridge, and it drains into Ohrid through the limestone rather than by any surface channel. Its water level has dropped substantially in recent decades, which is a serious concern. Pelicans breed on it, the shore villages are quiet, and Golem Grad island in the middle is a reserve.

Background

Prespa is a pair of lakes divided by an isthmus. Great Prespa covers 259 km², of which 176.3 km² lies in North Macedonia, 46.3 km² in Albania and 36.4 km² in Greece. Little Prespa, to the south, covers 46.8 km², mostly in Greece. At 853 metres, the pair are the highest tectonic lakes of the Balkans, and the maximum depth is 54 metres. Lake Prespa became a Ramsar site on 4 April 1995, and in 2014 the Ohrid-Prespa Transboundary Biosphere Reserve joined UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Between 1984 and 2020 Great Prespa lost seven percent of its surface area and half its volume. Resen is the largest town in the region.

Source: Wikipedia, "Lake Prespa"

Highlights

• The underground drainage - Prespa water passing through the karst into Ohrid.
• The pelicans - the breeding colony the lake supports.
• The shore villages - quiet settlements along the Macedonian side.
• Golem Grad - the island reserve in the middle of the lake.

When to go

May to September is the season for the shore and boats. The water level varies and has fallen a great deal. Winter is cold and very quiet.

Before you go

The lake level has dropped substantially and the shoreline has retreated in places. Facilities on the Macedonian side are limited. Boat access to Golem Grad needs arranging.

Nearby

Golem Grad is in the lake, and Ohrid is northwest.

Key facts