5 Benefits of Solo Travel | Why Everyone Should Do It Once

Travelling alone. Sounds kinda terrifying, doesn’t it? We don’t blame you. If the words “solo” and “travel” together leave you picturing yourself bored and lonely, getting lost somewhere with no-one to talk to, we’re here to tell you to fear no more. Travelling solo can be just as (if not more) fulfilling than heading off on adventures with your family or friends! Sure, it might be overwhelming at first, navigating the world on your own, but there are so many benefits to be gained from solo travel  – here are just five to get you started!  

1. COMPLETE FREEDOM

When you travel alone, you can plan and adjust your schedule however you want. Sometimes travelling with friends or family means you have to see and do things that don’t particularly interest you. If you’re keen to hit up all the best museums a city has to offer and avoid the beach entirely, you can plan your day to make sure you get to each one, only stopping for snack breaks. Or maybe you’ve found a city you really love, and you want to change your entire itinerary to spend more time there – not having to consider what other people want to do means you can do this without upsetting anyone else’s travel plans! 

2. MEET NEW PEOPLE

Have you ever been at a party where you only know one person, and you end up missing out on meeting other people there because you spend the whole night talking to the one person you know? Now imagine doing that abroad, and missing out on making connections with all the amazing people you could meet on your adventure! The best part about travelling alone is that it pretty much forces you to meet new people from across the world; you’ll end up with friends in every corner of the planet – and quite often you’ll meet people from back home too! On top of this, you’re more likely to meet and interact with locals who will give you the scoop on the best restaurants & help you navigate the area (and overwhelming public transport systems!).

3. BECOME A PROBLEM SOLVER

Travelling alone, you’re sure to run into a myriad of complications that you’ll have to figure out on the fly. Lost luggage? You’re gonna suddenly get real good at figuring out the local language. Ended up at the wrong station? You’ll soon find yourself traversing the trains like a local. Missed your connecting flight? You’ll be figuring out your new career as a travel agent in less than 5 minutes. The point is, without being able to rely on anyone else to get you out of a sticky situation, you have to get comfortable with coming up with solutions on your own, and that’s not always easy!

4. YOU’LL GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

Travelling alone will undoubtedly force you out of your comfort zone. Especially if this is your first time. Being put in a position where you have to figure out things in a foreign place, and make friends with strangers in a random city will be daunting at first, but you’ll soon get used to it. As the famous saying goes “life begins at the end of your comfort zone” – and we couldn’t agree more! Travelling solo will present you with opportunities to get out of your bubble that you haven’t had before. Everyone’s comfort zones are different, yours could be simply making friends with new people at the hostel you’re staying in, while someone else’s could be conquering a fear of heights. Either way, you’ll look back in years to come and be incredibly glad you took the leap.

5. IMPROVE YOUR CONFIDENCE

When you tell your friends or family that you’re planning on travelling alone, the most common response is usually “Are you sure? That sounds a little dangerous”. While these comments are coming from a place of love and concern, they can tend to instil fear and make you doubt your plans. Sure, there might be bumps along the way, and it’s important to be cautious in new cities, but when you find yourself thriving and overcoming all the obstacles you come across, you’ll look back and think “What was I even worried about?”. You’ll return home with new languages, new stories and a new outlook on your confidence and abilities. Those mountains were really just molehills, and you conquered them all!

There’s of course benefits to travelling with people too. But if you’re already planning to travel alone and you’re just nervous about the prospect – take it from us, it’ll be one of the best things you ever do. If you want the best of both worlds? Join us on one of our epic group tours, you can bring a friend or come alone, but you won’t stay that way for long!

WRITTEN BY: Holly Harverson