Packraft the Tara River in Montenegro

At Much Better Adventures, we work hard to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies so your trip is safe, inclusive and enjoyable. That said, options can vary by country, location and accommodation, and in some places options may be limited or unavailable. The information below has been provided by your host so you’re fully informed about what will be possible on your trip depending on your individual requirements. This information should be read carefully prior to your trip to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the situation ‘on the ground’.

Once you have booked on your trip, please fill out your passenger information form asap with any dietary requirements. Once you complete your passenger information, your dietary needs and any allergies are automatically shared with your host and, in turn, your guide. Please submit this as early as possible so they can plan accordingly and deliver the best experience. Please also remind your guide about your dietary requirements upon arrival, as mentioning these in person allows your guide to comprehend individual preferences and limitations as soon as you arrive.

BACKGROUND

Montenegro’s cuisine reflects a meeting point between the Adriatic coast and the Balkan interior, shaped by fishing and Mediterranean olive groves alongside mountain farming, Ottoman and Venetian influences, and a tradition of preserving foods for winter. Typical meals can be a satisfying mix of Adriatic freshness and hearty Balkan comfort, with grilled meats and vegetables, cheeses, stews and breads inland, and lighter seafood-based dishes nearer the coast.

SPECIAL DIETS

Vegetarian Vegetarian diets can be catered for on this trip, provided your host is aware in advance. There are plenty of appealing meat-free dishes to look forward to, from chargrilled seasonal vegetables and crisp salads to slow-cooked bean dishes like prebranac (check it’s made without meat) and warming vegetable soups and stews. You may also come across filling local staples such as savoury pies and potato-based dishes.

Vegan Vegan diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance, but you should expect fewer options and variety that you may be used to, especially in more rural areas where meals are traditionally built around meat and dairy. Vegan-friendly choices are becoming more commonplace however - look for prebranac (slow-baked beans with onions and paprika), simple vegetable stews, salads, grilled or roasted veg, tomato based pasta dishes and ajvar - a roasted red pepper spread.

Kosher Fully certified kosher options are limited in Montenegro and are mainly found in larger cities. On this trip in more rural areas, kosher-supervised kitchens and ingredients may not be available, so vegetarian or vegan meals can be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above, and plan ahead with your guide.

Halal Montenegro is not a predominantly Muslim country so fully certified halal options are limited and are mainly found in larger cities. In more rural areas, halal-certified kitchens, meat and supply chains may not be available so vegetarian or vegan meals can be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above, and plan ahead with your guide.

INTOLERANCES

Gluten Free (for Coeliac, please see Allergies section below) Gluten-Free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. However, options may be more limited compared to those without dietary requirements. While your local hosts will do their best, it’s worth knowing that gluten-free provision may vary in rural areas where it is harder to source specialist products and rural kitchens may be unable to guarantee no cross-contamination. Therefore, meals will more-often be based on naturally gluten-free dishes rather than specialist substitutes. That said, many standard meals already include several options without gluten, even without special preparation, including meats, potato dishes, rice, eggs and salads. Please do consider bringing your favourite snacks or food supplements from home to ensure that you always have enough fuel for your adventure.

Lactose Free Lactose-Free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Many traditional dishes are naturally lactose-free or can easily be prepared without dairy, such as vegetable dishes, pasta, rice and potato dishes, legumes, and salads.

ALLERGIES

Our host has confirmed that they are able to accommodate mild allergies to the 14 allergens identified by the UK Food Standards Agency, where these are disclosed in advance. However, if you have a severe or life-threatening food allergy (including Coeliac disease), please get in touch with our Customer team prior to booking to discuss whether your requirements can be accommodated safely on this trip. This will allow us to carefully consider the sensitivity and severity of your allergy, the available provision on the trip and the accessibility of medical care should a reaction occur. Your safety is always our top priority.

*Please note that when travelling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods and labelling standards may vary, particularly in remote areas. It is also worth noting that any allergies may result in more limited options and repetitive provision in some areas. Whilst your guide will help communicate dietary requirements where possible, customers remain responsible for managing their own allergies during the trip.

You will need to bring reusable water bottles and/or a water bladder to carry water with you on the expedition and other activities on this trip. There are two taps with safe drinking water on the expedition section (from Day 2 to Day 4) – so you can fill up in the morning at Camp Grab and then again at the two taps on the expedition. Your host will bring along a support raft for groups of six or more, which will carry additional water for the group. Generally speaking, the water from the streams and waterfalls that flow into the Tara River is drinkable; however, it cannot be completely guaranteed that there is no bacteria in the water, so if you wish to fill up from these sources on the expedition for some added wild factor, we advise that you bring your own water filter: have a read of our guide to the best water filters for adventurers.

You can leave excess luggage in the accompanying vehicle while you are on the mini-expedition part of the trip. Your host does not have storage options in Podgorica at the start of the trip.

Your host knows Montenegro incredibly well having guided rafting, packrafting, kayaking and SUPing trips on rivers throughout the Balkans for many years. They will monitor the conditions and make alternative plans if required, but this is a rare occurrence. In the very unlikely scenario that the Tara is not raftable, your host will pivot to another river canyon in different part of Montenegro for a very similar expedition.

There are different size packrafts available which have a passenger weight range of from 50kg to 130kg, not including luggage.

Depending on the size of the group there will be 2-4 guides on the trip. This equates to one guide per 3-4 people, depending on the water levels throughout the season.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

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All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Community Values – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Average temperatures from May to October are generally in the mid-20s (°C) but can reach into the 30s(°C) in July and August. Note that temperatures do drop in the evenings by several degrees. High up in the summits you may also encounter cooler conditions and stormy weather cannot be ruled out at any time of year. Although your host will do their very best to run the itinerary as scheduled, this will be always subject to safe weather conditions.