For most people, traveling is a social venture. Some start with visiting people they know or places they are connected to. Others get away with a group of friends or family to relax and reconnect. Some of my earliest travel adventures were school trips, but others may travel with sports teams, community groups, or wider social networks. So what should you do if you are a reluctant solo traveler looking to travel but with no one to join you? Solo travel, group style!
In all of the years that I have been traveling, and especially since starting my travel business, I have met many incredible people. Some of them have become close friends and future travel companions, while some of them are stories to tell and IG profiles to follow. The vast majority of those people I have met while traveling, rather than being people I have traveled with. At times, traveling solo has felt lonely, uncomfortable, or unsafe, but I never wanted that to stop me from seeing the world.
The deepest, most rewarding connections I have made have been on travels where I haven’t already had my crew with me. Some of the people I travel with now, I actually met while traveling solo. The beauty of traveling solo is that you are free to make connections with new people in whatever ways feel good for you. You can party with people who have no preconceptions. You can push yourself outside of your usual boundaries without worrying about what others might think. You can dance like you’re the only one on the dancefloor because once you get home, that’s what it will feel like.
Traveling alone can be daunting, particularly if you are unsure about the finer details such as where to visit, what to eat and drink, or how to get from A to B. Just because you aren’t connected to anyone who wants to take on the same travel adventures you do (yet!), doesn’t mean you have to do it alone! There are thousands of people who travel, every day, to the same places you want to go, and like you, some of them will be traveling solo. If your reluctance to travel solo is the thing stopping you from seeing the world, the best thing to do is look for opportunities to travel solo, group style.
The groups of people that travel with me on planned trips are most often made up of individuals traveling solo who don’t want to travel alone. Perhaps they want to visit somewhere their friends don’t want to go, or they have time available to travel when their friends have to work. Maybe they just need some time away from their everyday lives, or perhaps they want a bit of quality time with themselves to reassess things. Whatever their reason, and whatever yours may be too, a group vacation can be a whole lot of fun for solo travelers.
Solo travel in a group setting offers so many benefits. Going out at night in unfamiliar settings can feel a lot safer with others. Eating at a restaurant or drinking at a bar can make solo travelers feel conspicuous, but groups tend to blend into the crowd. Getting lost, catching the wrong bus, or taking the wrong turn while walking in the city can all make a group giggle, but a solo traveler feels uncomfortable or anxious. Unfamiliar languages, food, transport, and cultural differences can all be easier to navigate with others around you, whether they are experienced or not, and having someone to laugh about any faux pas with can make any situation more comfortable.
Whether you want to travel across the globe and visit Africa or Asia or stay a little more local and head to the Caribbean or Central America, you don’t need to wait until someone you know wants to go with you! The group trips I organize always sell out and end up being the way friendships are formed and memories are made. If you’re a solo traveler, consider joining us on our next group adventure! Sign up to learn more and be the first to find out about new group travel opportunities.
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