Makovytsia (984 m a.s.l.) is one of the highest peaks around the charming Carpathian town of Yaremche, offering sweeping mountain views and a real taste of the wild Ukrainian Gorgan range. It is the kind of summit that rewards a half-day hike with scenery you will want to linger over.

The northern and north-western slopes are steep and blanketed in dense forest, while the southern flanks ease off into gentler gradients. Near the top, the trees thin out to scattered shrubs and open glades rich with grass, giving you room to breathe and look around. From the summit you can take in the Prut river valley, the rooftops of Yaremche below, and — on a clear day — the distant ridges of Chornohora, the highest massif in the Ukrainian Carpathians. In autumn the forest blazes with colour; in summer the meadows are lush and green.

• Ivan Franko Street (Yamna suburb, Yaremche) — starting from the spring and roadside chapel, following the ridge to the top; moderate difficulty
• Dovbush Stone near the railway and railway tunnel — along the Dovbush Trail through Dovbush Rocks; moderate difficulty

• A metal cross stands on the summit, along with distance markers: to Yaremche — 3.5 km, to Dora suburb — 3.5 km, to Dovbush Rocks — 4.5 km

The name 'Makovytsia' is thought to mean 'peak' or 'crown' in Ukrainian — though some sources trace it to Sanskrit, where it allegedly referred to a place of worship. Either way, there is something quietly sacred about standing on top.