The park covers more than 730 square kilometres — that is bigger than the whole city of London. Inside it there are peaks rising above 2,700 metres, which is high enough that snow stays on them for many months of the year. The mountains belong to the Šar mountain range, and their rocky ridges are a wonderful place for chamois (a type of mountain goat) and golden eagles to live.
Mavrovo Lake was created by building a dam across the river — the water slowly filled the valley over many years. You can see the top of an old church peeking out of the lake when the water level is low, which gives it an almost magical, mysterious look. In winter the lake sometimes freezes and the mountains around it are perfect for skiing.
The forests of Mavrovo are among the most untouched in the whole of the Balkans. Old oak, beech, and pine trees have grown here for hundreds of years with very little human disturbance. This makes the forest a safe home for some of Europe's rarest and shyest animals, including the Balkan lynx — a beautiful wild cat that is found almost nowhere else on Earth.