Travel Tip 70
Tips for Solo Travel at Any Age
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Solo travel has been much improved by the invention of the selfie camera. This was my second solo trip to Argentina and my first day in the city of Salta.
My Top 5 Tips for Solo Travel at Any Age
My friend Liz Demer visited me last week on her first international solo trip. Though I spent a lot of time with her, she was on her own for the international flights, transit through Lima and a tour of Cusco. I did my first international solo trip in 2002, so it was fun for me to see the experience with fresh eyes. Technology has made some aspects of travel easier, but the rush of getting on a plane alone to go to a country you’ve never been to hasn’t changed.
Yes, I did dress up in pearls and get a table with a view for dinner alone. This was Ushuaia and I had a lovely time.
1. Eat in a restaurant alone.
When I talk with people who are scared of solo travel, the first thing they mention is eating alone in a restaurant, not getting lost in a foreign city or actually traveling alone. People who tell me that they would have no problem getting on a plane alone to another country admit that they’re terrified to have dinner alone in a restaurant. I like eating alone because my focus is on the taste and texture of every bite, rather than trying to hear what somebody is saying to me in a loud restaurant. If you’re in a foreign country and trying unfamiliar food, it’s nice to be able to focus on the culinary experience. There’s no easing into this one, just rip the bandaid off and go have dinner alone.
During my 4 week solo trip in Brazil I did several group day tours, like this hike in Chapada Diamantina.
2. Don’t do the whole trip alone.
Without even knowing it, Liz did my top thing that I always recommend for people just starting out with solo travel. She did the travel part solo, and stayed alone a night in Lima, but then spent a few days with me. She also did a group tour one day, which is a fantastic way to meet other travelers. Going on a solo trip doesn’t mean you have to spend every day alone. Mix it up.
3. Make the first trip short.
If you’ve always traveled with a group, ease into solo travel. Try a weekend away in a city you’ve always wanted to visit. That’ll give you the experience of traveling there alone, staying in a hotel alone and eating alone at a restaurant. The best baby step is a staycation. Book a nice hotel in your hometown and do whatever pops up on searches for the top things for tourists to do in town.
4. Talk with locals.
My favorite part of solo travel is that I’m free to talk with everybody. Interacting with the people who live in the places I visit enriches every trip, even if it’s just asking what their favorite restaurant is. Obviously, it helps if you speak the language where you’re going, but even if you don’t there are lots of ways around a language barrier. (Travel Tip 57 was how to overcome a language barrier).
Some of the hikes I did in Huaraz, Peru weren’t a good idea alone so I made a point to be friendly and make friends with other solo hikers like this guy from Argentina. I researched the trails and knew I should team up with somebody.
5. Research the destination.
A lot of qualms about the unknown can be remedied with a simple online search. Wonder how to navigate the Paris subway system? There are lots of YouTubers who have made videos to help English speakers with that. Worried that you might end up in a dangerous neighborhood of Bogotá? There are lots of digital nomads who blog about Colombia and have tons of recommendations for travelers.
But research carefully! Just about any fear or worry can be completely solved by experienced travelers who post blogs and vlogs about their travel or blown out of proportion by fearmongers most of whom have never even been there. Choose what you watch carefully and look for bloggers and vloggers who have actually been to the place you’re going and who have useful information. Type in “is X dangerous” with any city or country in the world and some fearmonger will tell you why nobody should ever go there and that you should lock yourself in your bedroom and never leave. Make sure you’re getting your information from people who are experienced travelers and have blogs about dozens of countries.
And as always, get travel insurance.
I have SafetyWing for all my travels around South America and it covers me for anything I could worry about. (This is one of the reasons that I don’t worry much). If you use my link to buy SafetyWing, I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Liz and I at Waqra Pukará on her last day in Peru.
Blog
8 Days in Cusco & the Sacred Valley
This is the itinerary I made for Liz’s 8-day tour of Cusco and the Sacred Valley. She got a good taste of city life in Cusco, the tourist version of rural Peru in the Sacred Valley and the unvarnished side of rural Peru in Sangarará. Click on the blog title above to read about all her experiences here in Peru.
Articles
The Best Hotels to Visit in 2025
Fodor’s Finest is my favorite list of global hotels and I always submit at least one idea from Peru. This year they included my review of Sol y Luna, in the Sacred Valley. Click on the link above to see the seven best hotels in South America. My website has more photos of Sol y Luna on this page.
The Last Dance
This week my parents got their hands on the new issue of Ori Magazine, with my article about the Saqra of Paucartambo. The story focuses on one member of the Saqra dance troupe, Kelly. Read my blog about the Saqra to get an idea of who they are. I’ll post more once I get a copy of the magazine here in Peru, but for now I’ll leave you with a couple photos my Mom took for me.
