The mystic waterfall village of Rastoke; quite simply put, it will take your breath away. It is one of the most beautiful and tranquil places you’ll ever see. Rastoke is a hidden gem that’s not too far from the world renown Plitvice Lakes National Park. Once you visit Rastoke, you probably won’t want to leave.

If you’re looking to complete that rite of passage by backpacking Europe, you’ll still want to adhere to the tried-and-true backpacker style travel packs.

If you haven’t done this, you need to do it. Age matters not.

My companions aren’t as fond of this form of travel as I am. It can be quite difficult living out of a backpack for several weeks. You will definitely feel dirtier than your average trip, you’ll have to preplan for laundry days, and you’ll almost certainly get tired of it at some point. Fear not, there are ways to optimize any scenario. Check it out!