Travel Tip 129

How to plan solo travel

Paddington is one of the world’s most famous solo travelers and he proves you don’t have to always be alone on a solo trip.

What is solo travel? 

If you’ve followed my travel blog since 2005, you know I do a lot of solo travel. My first solo international trip was either in 1999 or 2002, depending on how you define solo travel.

 In 1999, I left Boise, Idaho, alone, to go be an exchange student in France for a year. AFS still hadn’t found me a host family, so I boarded the plane knowing that I would first go to Paris. From Paris, I might go to a temporary family near Grenoble, or they might have found me a permanent host family by then. Thankfully, my second day in Paris AFS told me they had found me a family in the Rhône Valley, the Montalons, who were wonderful.

In 2002, I flew from Denver, Colorado, alone, to visit friends in Europe. I landed in Paris and took a train to Brussels, where I visited a Belgian woman who I had met at Lewis & Clark in Portland, Oregon. From Brussels, I took another train to Rotterdam and changed to a train that would take me to the north of the Netherlands, to visit another friend from Lewis & Clark who had moved to Friesland. After a week with her, I got back on the trains, switching in Rotterdam and Paris and Lyon, to go back and visit the Montalons and my other friends from when I was an exchange student.

I wasn’t alone for all of my solo trip to Ayacucho, Peru - a friend joined me for a few days.

Solo travel comes in all shapes and sizes.

I have a broad definition of solo travel and count solo day trips to nearby cities, so I’d say my first solo trip was in 1999. Some people don’t count high school exchange programs, but it felt like solo travel to me.

That was my start, but the end is nowhere near in sight. I love solo travel for how it lets me immerse myself in a destination and gives me opportunities to spend time talking with locals.

Whether you’re considering your first solo trip, or an experienced traveler like me, these tips will help you plan your next trip!

Most tips about how to solo travel safely as a woman just perpetuate stereotypes of women as weak and vulnerable. I ignore 95% of it, but some tips are helpful, regardless of your gender.

So, you want to plan a solo trip? Here’s my top five tips for planning solo travel.

1. How to pick a destination for your solo trip.

Depending on what you like to do when you travel, any destination can be great for solo travel. However, if you’re new to solo travel, here’s three things to consider when picking a destination. First, do you speak the language, or understand it fairly well? Being able to communicate is both one of the most fun parts of solo travel and the most important for safety. Second, how far out of your comfort zone would the location be? I believe that enjoyable solo travel lives in the gray area between bring totally comfortable and totally out of your comfort zone. Third, is it in your budget? Remember, you’re not splitting the cost of taxis, hotel rooms or other expenses, unless you pick up a travel buddy along the way.

Practice flying solo somewhere familiar before you make the leap of flying alone somewhere far away or where you don’t know the language.

2. Decide how you’ll travel solo to get there.

This is about budget and comfort. Plane or train tickets cost the same with a group or alone, but keep in mind that you’re picking up the whole tab for rental cars and taxis. Consider how comfortable you are flying or driving alone to the destination. If you think you could navigate restaurants and hotels in a foreign language, also plan ahead for navigating airports and roads (if you’re renting a car) in a foreign language. It’s very important to look at layovers in foreign countries and see if there’s a way to get a direct flight. My first trip to Asia, in 2005, I flew through Taipei and was completely unprepared for the challenge of finding my connecting flight in an airport where signs are in Chinese.

On my solo trip to Cyprus in 2012, I rented a car online before arriving, not realizing that they drive on the British side of the road.

3. Plan how you’ll get around on your solo trip.

You’ll be even more on your own for getting around in your destination than you were for getting there from home. I’ve rented cars all over the world, but it’s always been in a country where I speak the language, like Mexico or Chile, or where I lived, like Türkiye or Bangladesh. I would have to do a lot of research before I’d rent a car in, say, Vietnam.

I love using public transportation (read my public transportation travel tip) but it’s very difficult in places where I don’t speak the language. I always advocate for public transportation but, for comfort and safety, use apps that give you the driver’s information and let you share your ride with somebody who can help in case of a problem. This saves you from trying to give the driver directions and from negotiating the fare.

My AirBnb in Buenos Aires came with a friendly and helpful host, and her very cute cat.

4. Research lodging for solo travelers.

There are advantages to all different kinds of lodging, so consider what’s most important to you. Hostels aren’t just for backpackers in their 20s and are a great place to meet other solo travelers at any age. A good hotel concierge can help with just about anything you need on a solo trip, but you have to be willing to pay for an expensive hotel – or use credit card points. A good Airbnb host can help with tons of insider and local information but check reviews to see how available and helpful the host really is. If you prefer all-inclusive resorts and cruises, you don’t need to worry about any details. (Check out how much I loved my Amazon River cruise with Delfín). Small, family-run hotels can have many of the same benefits of a good Airbnb host but always check the reviews first.

City tours and walking tours are a great way to meet other travelers who just arrived and might be looking for a travel buddy.

5. Pick solo travel activities.

Think about the kinds of things you like to do alone, but also the kinds of activities that are likely to introduce you to new people. I love hiking in the mountains and walking in parks alone, but it’s not for everyone. My favorite part of solo travel is meeting new people, both locals and other travelers. I think the best ways to meet other travelers are walking tours and group tours that have a lot of other solo travelers. Ask if the group has other solo travelers when booking but first read my tips for booking group tours.

Want more solo travel tips? If you haven’t seen my previous solo travel newsletters, check these out: Tips for Solo Travel at Any Age, Top 5 Safety Tips for Solo Travel, Top 3 Reasons to Travel Solo, and Resources for Solo Travelers.

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The best 3-day itinerary for the Sacred Valley

I had a wonderful three days staying at Las Qolqas, in Ollantaytambo. This itinerary is adaptable for people visiting Peru for the first time or for Peruvians who want a relaxing getaway in the valley. I went solo but this itinerary is also for groups and families.