Peaks of the Balkans - Food

The Albanian are by nature a people who in the mountains and has perfected the cooking habits of traditional shepherd life over the course of history. This is particularly noticeable when it comes to the food on the Peaks of the Balkans Trail.

The food in the guest house

Food along the Peaks of the Balkans Trail can be purchased in the guesthouses/lodges on the route. The prices for the overnight stay usually include 2-3 hearty meals prepared from home-grown produce such as Bread, homemade cheese and yoghurt, local vegetables such as cucumbers or tomatoes and Sausages or meat consist of. Dinner usually consists of a combination of all of the above plus Soup.

Often accompanied by a generous portion of the local firewater Rakija a powerful fruit brandy made primarily from grapes, which can be found throughout the region. The Breakfast is often similar, sometimes there are also Eggs and jam. Don't expect to find breakfast cereals, pasta or desserts often. The food is generally tasty and filling, especially after a long day in the mountains, but also somewhat uniform.

 

Food & drink on the hike

As the trail often leads through almost uninhabited mountain regions and the hike from one accommodation to the next can sometimes be quite long, I strongly recommend that you always take enough water and food with you. You will always be given a packed lunch at the guesthouse in the morning, but sometimes you will have to pack your own food for the day.

Grocery shops are very rare and can only be found in larger villages or small towns such as Plav, Pejë or Theth. The best places to shop are in Plav and Theth; the former has a much larger selection at more favourable prices.

At some sections there were places where you could get drinks and the occasional snack, but in general you need to have enough food with you to get to the next inn. Compared to the Alps, there are relatively few facilities.

There is only one place with restaurants and cafés on the Peaks of the Balkans: Plav in Montenegro. In the other stage towns you will get to eat where you stay - and that is plentiful, nutritious, healthy and regional.

Water during the hike

Drinking water is always available in the villages along the route. You should filter or treat the water between the villages, as there are grazing animals along much of the route.

Tip: If you're travelling with a tent and sleeping far away from villages, it's certainly not a bad idea to have a few Staple food in Shkoder. On most stages of the Peaks of the Balkans, there is no opportunity to replenish your reserves by simply going to the nearest supermarket.