23 Tips For A Beginner’s Guide to Solo Travel

I remember feeling extremely jittery and anxious yet exhilarated before setting out for my first solo trip experience. I wasn’t sure of how I’ll do it, but I was sure that this was my calling and I wanted to do it, come what may. Fast forward to 3 years later, here I am writing this beginner’s guide to solo travel, in hope that more and more people (especially womxn) will be able to take the plunge as I did all those years ago because believe me, you learn so much.

I understand there are often way too many questions around the subject and many end up never going on a solo adventure because they might not ever feel fully prepared. Well, if you’re wondering how to travel alone for the first time in India, my biggest tip to you is, no one is ever “fully prepared”. We all learn as we go and try to do better the next time around. But to help navigate through some of the most obvious (and some not so obvious) solo travelling woes, here are a bunch of travelling experts on how to make the most of your first solo trip!

Choose Someplace Familiar

This is the approach I took for my own first solo trip in India to McLeod Ganj in Himachal Pradesh. Since I had already been to the town a year ago with college mates, I was slightly familiar with its surroundings, its roads and landmarks which helped calm my nerves a little bit – I was going to a place I had already been to, after all! That sense of familiarity is often underrated when thinking of how to prepare for your first solo trip. Especially when the question comes to how to travel alone as a woman, the comfort a familiar place can bring sometimes makes all the difference.

Time and again this has been my top tip for a beginner’s guide to solo travel. Sometimes rediscovering an already visited place, without the company of known people can be quite an adventure in itself. Taking baby steps is okay, and if you’ve been wondering how to travel alone for the first time in India, these tips to travel alone would definitely be my answer to you!

Here are some McLeod Ganj and Dharamshala tours you might want to join as a solo traveller:

• 3-Hour Nature Walk in McLeod Ganj
• Heritage & Cultural Trails of McLeodGanj
• Triund Trek with Camping
• Pottery, Yoga Sessions & Waterfall Trek

Plan the Right Itinerary

By Joydeep Phukan of The Gypsy Chiring

Travelling solo is one of the best gifts one could give to oneself. It teaches us planning, adapting and experiencing a moment in its true sense. Among the things that a solo traveller should keep in mind is planning the right itinerary for the trip. A travel itinerary, in general, refers to the set of details like the names of the proposed destinations, dates of visit, transportation, and the accommodation at those places. Being aware of the details always help in saving time and money. Having the right itinerary is definitely one of the most important tips to travel alone for a beginner’s guide to solo travel.

Doing a bit of research, reading travel blogs and guide books, and consulting with individuals who have previously visited the locations is always a good idea. The next step would be to make a tentative blueprint of the trip based on it. Solo travel is synonymous with slow and genuine exploration of places and culture. During your visit, having a general itinerary will allow you to set your own pace and decide accordingly. While planning the itinerary, the budget issue is also sorted. It gives a fair idea of the travel expenses – from logistics to hotel stays. A flexible itinerary is an advantage for a solo traveller. 

Speak to the Locals

By Becki Rendell from Meet Me In Departures

If you’re new to an area, it can often feel daunting knowing where to go beyond what’s written in the guidebook, especially if you’re on your own. And quite often, the guide books overlook some absolute gems. One of the best ways to get some honest and first-hand information on a place is through the locals who live in the area.

The easiest way to meet locals is by staying in a family-run guest house or homestay, true they might not be as lavish as a high-end hotel, but they are more than comfortable and also you get a real insight into the places locals know about. Ask them about the best places for authentic food, and hidden gems that the guide books don’t tell you about. This was certainly the case while I was travelling in Jordan when I was tipped off by the owner of my accommodation on the best falafels and local cuisine in the area. I ate like a queen during that trip! Locals are also a great source of information regarding anywhere you shouldn’t go or scams to watch out for – making this beginner’s guide to solo travel tip really handy.

Another great way is to speak to local café and restaurant owners which are a little more off the beaten track. The language can be a barrier, but more often they genuinely want to help and share their country with you. You’ll be surprised how far body language, being polite and a genuine smile go.

Choose Someplace Close to Home

For some people, adventures in moderation is the key. Deciding on setting out for your first ever solo trip is exhilarating in itself. But it’s important to keep your boundaries and comfort level in check. True, travel is all about challenging yourself but when trying new things for the first time, you might want to test the waters slowly. As I said before, taking baby steps is okay and that’s why my tip for a beginner’s guide to solo travel is to choose a destination that isn’t too far from home.

For the first few solo trips of my life, I didn’t explore beyond a 500 kilometres radius of my home in New Delhi. (You’d be surprised to know how much I could cover in that seemingly small radius!) My point is – you don’t have to push yourself far and wide if you’re not comfortable with it. Great adventures can take place right around the corner of your own home. On the plus side, if something goes and wrong and you don’t feel too comfortable where you are, you can always quickly go back! If you’re looking for tips for first solo trip – this is it! This tip might also work out great for your first solo trip in India.

Prevent Getting Pickpocketted

By Venaugh

For many solo travellers, staying safe is the biggest concern. An issue that can be faced in most large cities is that of pickpocketing. A place which is very busy and there’s a lot going on around is the easiest place to be pickpocketed as you may not be fully aware of everything around you. When I travelled to Colombia, staying safe in Bogotá was a very prevalent issue especially when it came to pickpocketing. Other situations like your first solo trip in India might also require the same precautions, making it one of the best tips to travel alone.

My beginner’s guide to solo travel hack for this issue is that I usually walked around with either a backpack or a satchel bag. The satchel bag I always wore to the front and I only did this with the backpack if I went to very crowded places or I was on the bus. You may see the locals not adhere to the advice that others give you when travelling to a city, but it’s always different for a foreigner when eyes are on you. I never carried anything in my pockets, even the front ones that were safer than back pockets. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Learn Some Phrases of the Local Language

By Daniel James from Layer Culture

When travelling alone and arriving in a new country for the first time, one thing many new travellers overlook is the power of learning a few words and phrases in the local language or dialect. Not many realize it, but this beginner’s guide to solo travel tip can be very useful. When I first arrived in South America and was planning my itinerary, I had no idea how easy it would be to start picking up some Colombian Spanish because I was under the impression that each country spoke differently and therefore having a foreign accent would make it harder to understand or communicate with locals. It turned out that the people I met were very accommodating and helped me with my Spanish along the way. This was all because I had something to work with based on what I had practised before I arrived, making my first solo trip experience enjoyable. So if you want to get a head start when it comes to navigating your way through foreign lands as a solo traveller, try learning a few words or expressions in the native language before you arrive.

Consider Joining a Group Tour

I know, I know. It sounds a little counterintuitive, but hear me out – this is one of my favourite beginner’s guide to solo travel tips. Not everyone is naturally okay with being alone, with travelling solo and that’s alright. For me too, my first solo travel experience for the first few initial months was…HARD. I felt “bored” when I was alone and not surrounded by other people. And more often than not, I felt lost. But I learnt to enjoy my own company, I learned to keep myself entertained and I found my way around this whole shebang of solo travelling and you can too. But until then, maybe sign up for a group tour? Don’t take friends or known ones along. Let it be just you, putting yourself in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by unfamiliar people for a couple of days. That should give you practice enough until you feel you’re ready for the whole package – especially if it is your first solo trip in India. There are several solo travel groups in India. Many companies like Trekatribe, JustWravel, Chindi Safar etc are great for young, solo travellers wanting to try out something extraordinary!

Book Your Stay at Hostels

By Shrinidhi Hande of eNidhi

Hostels are a great stay option for solo travellers. Travelling in hostels is a lot cheaper than hotels and hence help in saving you money. Hostels also house multiple individuals from diverse backgrounds, providing you with a great opportunity to converse with fellow travellers, learn about their culture, fine-tune your itinerary or simply team up with some of them for the day’s plans. Regardless of what help you need – from the best beer in town, cheapest place to rent a motorcycle, is an area safe to walk around at night, to even what is a fair price for airport taxi, and how to use the city’s public transportation – your hostel mates are always ready to help and share a real-time firsthand experience.

Our ideas and understanding of the world are often limited by what we have seen and experienced in our daily life. Hostels with guests from various parts of the world let you learn a lot about various countries. Hostels often also have community kitchens where you can cook your own food. While a proper meal in a restaurant costs 15-20 USD, it is possible to cook your own simple meal for less than 3 USD. Thus hostels help you save a lot of money which you can use for more travel – a beginner’s guide to solo travel tip that you can definitely use later!

But remember, not all hostels are the same. For a hassle-free experience, it’s best to stick to packing hostel essentials so there are no unavoidable surprises on your solo journey!

Spend Time in Cafes

By Mal Hellyer from Raw Mal Roams

Eating out when travelling solo can be super awkward and a little intimidating if you’re not used to it, so having a good strategy for eating out solo can really be a game-changer, a beginner’s guide to solo travel tip that you’re sure to remember. If you’re a solo travel newbie, I recommend having your dinners early and choosing cafés over evening restaurants. There are many advantages of eating in cafés. They are usually a lot cheaper, more casual, and generally, it is more socially acceptable to eat alone in cafés than in restaurants. An added bonus of having an early dinner in a café is getting back to your accommodation before it gets dark, which is always advisable when travelling solo. A good idea for eating out solo is bringing an interesting book with you or your favourite playlist. Listening to music, reading or people watching from a quiet table in the corner of a café will make eating alone a lot more enjoyable, one of the important tips to travel alone!

Memorize a Fake Name

By Charu from Travel with CG

Not everything is always sunshine and sunflowers. A thing to keep in mind when preparing for your first solo trip is memorizing a fake name, especially if you are wondering how to travel alone as a woman. Since solo travellers often intrigue other people a little more than usual, there may be scenarios where you would come across strangers who are interested in your identity and life – for all the wrong reasons.

During my first solo trip to Copenhagen, I found myself in this situation a couple of times. From taxi drivers to people sitting at the table next to me in cafes, to local shopkeepers and other tourists, quite a few people I wasn’t comfortable giving my information to would ask why I am travelling alone and where I am staying. In such cases, this beginner’s guide to solo travel tip has always come handy for me.

So, to avoid giving out details to people you have just met, I recommend memorizing a fake name, accommodation details, and contact number in advance. Doing this would help you get away with uncomfortable situations without seeming rude. And might also end up being safer than answering honestly.

Save All Important Information in a Handy Notebook

By Katja Mamacos from WanderCapeTown

When travelling solo, I’ve found it super valuable to back up important information by writing it down in a notebook. You’ll have everything you need on your phone – important numbers, accommodation addresses, flight numbers. But one of the most common things to be stolen by petty thieves is cell phones. And most of us are completely at a loss without our phones. We don’t even know our mother’s number!

Petty crime is also one of the most common threats to tourists, as you’re often carrying everything important on you. But usually, they’ll slip something out of your bag, rather than trying to much more conspicuously carry off the whole bag. And that thing will be your phone or wallet. So, a good precaution to take – and a useful beginner’s guide to solo travel tip – when you’re travelling on your own and depend entirely on yourself is to note down everything important in your little travel booklet or journal. You may also find that it becomes a valuable keepsake of your travels – especially if you’re exploring long-term, and really filling up those pages.

Find a Community Through Facebook Groups

By Victoria Heinz from Guide Your Travel

Travelling alone often presents many challenges that are not always easy to overcome, and a lot of solo travellers are focused on finding friends immediately. Travelling to a foreign country, where a different language is spoken, and you don’t know anyone, can be scary for first-time solo travellers. For this reason, this beginner’s guide to solo travel tip is a helpful way to get in touch with people who have been there before, or even better, are still there. It can be beneficial to look out for groups on Facebook or similar social media platforms to find like-minded people. There are groups for backpackers of almost every country to connect or to exchange ideas, questions or stories. You don’t have to be afraid to post in one of these groups to ask for advice or tips. The people in these Facebook groups are actually always very nice and helpful and are also interested in meeting new people. Knowing that you know someone in the foreign country you are travelling to and possibly even meeting that person or several people can take a lot of pressure and fear away. So if you’re wondering how to prepare for your first solo trip, this might just be your answer – one of the best tips for first solo trip.

Research the Place Well

By Vipin from Misfit Wanderers

You may be scared, overwhelmed, or simply overthinking all sorts of danger that can happen when you’re out there, alone. But believe me, you’ll know it’s untrue after you complete your first solo trip. For the time being, I have a beginner’s guide to solo travel tip for you that can help you take the leap of faith and go solo. What’s it? Just research the place! I know it helps because I have been through the same feelings you’re feeling right now when I was planning to go on my first solo trip, a quest for peace – my first solo trip essay on my first solo travel experience.

Researching the place will make you aware of the area you’re planning to visit, thereby increasing your confidence in the light of knowledge. It helps conquer the fear of the unknown. It also helps you get an idea of the place’s culture and traditions. You might not fully understand them until you get there, but it’s good to have a fair idea to be able to respect local cultures. Researching a place well also helps in knowing what to avoid. If there’s something off about the place, it’s most likely that netizens have already shared it. Therefore, with good research, you’ll know the places that you should avoid. Lastly, it also helps in not getting scammed. It’s not that you’ll be immune, but you’ll know if there’s a common scam that happens at that particular place. These are the best ways in case you’re wondering how to plan your first solo trip, some of the most important tips for first solo trip.

There are several ways you can research the place. Number one is by reading online blogs and articles. This age is of the information, and today every third person is likely to have a blog. Read experiences of people on their blogs who have been to the place you’re planning to visit, ask them in the comments if you have any particular questions. Next, watch YouTube videos and vlogs. YouTube videos and vlogs are one step ahead — you’ll be able to see visuals of the place. Plus, if you’re not into reading, this is your saviour. And lastly, ask in travel communities. Facebook and Quora are packed with a bunch of travel groups and communities. Additionally, you can ask in company-focused travel communities such as TripAdvisor or Tripoto. People are generally delighted to help — at least you’ll know it after your solo travel! So if your question is how to plan a solo trip in India, this research method will definitely be useful.

How to Click Your Own Pictures When Solo

By Raksha Prasad of Solo Passport

One of the challenging things about solo travel is capturing memories through pictures. Over the years, I have discovered a few techniques that can help in taking those beautiful pictures during my travels. Even though there are many tips in getting pictures taken, my topmost beginner’s guide to solo travel tip is to always carry a small tripod that is compatible with your camera or phone. This is one way where one can be independent and take pictures with beautiful backgrounds without asking strangers or compromising on the pictures taken.

If you are not carrying the tripod, use the resources that are easily available, such as small rocks or bags, as tripods to take pictures. These resources act as tripods and capture good pictures if the object is not moving.

When you want to take quick pictures, then the best thing to do is to ask other travellers around, especially solo travellers. The fellow travellers usually understand and oblige by taking your pictures. Make sure to set your camera and the angle you want before giving the camera to the person taking the picture. This way you can be rest assured that the picture will be taken closer to the way you want.

Share your Locations with Trusted People and Latergram your Travels

By Kat from Biker Girl Life

If you are planning your first solo travel experience, one of the best ways you can share it with friends, family, or anyone interested in following your adventures is on social media. However, it’s important that you don’t overshare and give away your real-time location. This is important at any time, but especially when you’re travelling alone. Don’t share where you are when you are there; wait until you have left or are about to leave before posting your location and photos. Similarly, don’t share where you are planning to go next. Sadly, you just don’t know who’s reading or what their intentions might be.

If you’re doing something slightly more dangerous, like solo motorcycle touring, and you want to make sure someone knows where you are, you can share your location with them via an app like ‘Find my Friends’- that way someone can find you, should things go awry and an accident happens. This beginner’s guide to solo travel often comes in handy, especially if you’ve been thinking of how to travel alone as a woman.

Suggested read: “Bike Ride to Nubra Valley, Ladakh”

Get a Travel Insurance

By Amélie Gagne from Mostly Amelie

You never know what could happen when you expose yourself to the world, and getting travel insurance could be the difference between spending a few extra bucks on something you will not need (the ideal case scenario) and having a medical bill that sends you right back home with a big debt and a broken ego (and maybe more). Better safe than sorry is always my motto when I travel, and all new travellers should know that medical expenses can be extremely expensive — no matter where you travel to. Moreover, you never know what kind of nasty viruses and bacteria you could be exposing yourself to in foreign countries. Travelling and changing your routine and nutrition can affect your immune system, and the local cuisine could also be hiding something unexpected. Not only can a random fever hit you anywhere you travel to, but things could also get stolen or missing when you travel. Having comprehensive travel insurance will cover all bases from medical emergencies to stolen belongings, and generally at a very affordable price. If there is one thing you should not gamble on when you travel for the first time, my one top beginner’s guide to solo travel tip, it’s getting good travel insurance. If you’ve been looking for advice on how to plan your first solo trip, this is an important thing to consider!

Start by Travelling Solo in Your City

This is yet another important beginner’s solo travel guide tip if you’ve been contemplating the idea of solo travelling, but aren’t quite sure where to begin. Warming up and practising by spending time alone in your own neighbourhood helps. Whether it is taking a walk in your park, grabbing a bite in a cafe or visiting a landmark near your house, it helps you ease into the process before plunging into the unknown. Similarly, try out exploration within your own city. Go see that famous tourist spot, take a food tour of your own city or better yet – book a stay at a hostel in your city for a day or two. It will definitely help you get warmed up to the idea of solo travelling, without having to give up the sense of comfort and familiarity completely. There is also a lot of talk on first time solo female travel destinations – which ones are safe and which ones aren’t. Exploring your own city helps you trust and rely on your own self a lot, making the answer to this question much easier. This is one of my hottest tips for those who are planning their first solo trip in India. For those thinking of how to plan your first solo trip, this might actually be a lot of help – important tips for first solo trip!

Read: 15 Best Solo Travelling Destinations in India

Sign Up for a Class or a Workshop

By Claire from Claire Pins Travel

A smart way to meet locals when you travel solo is by signing up for a class or workshop on a topic that interests you like art, cooking, dancing etc.  While you can often meet other travellers quite easily in hostels or on walking tours, a class or lesson offered by a local institution can be a great way to actually meet people from your destination rather than just fellow travellers, since these kinds of events aren’t usually marketed just to visitors. 

To find classes or events, try the event websites or scout Facebook groups which list all sorts of upcoming activities in your chosen destination. Another option is to check for classes and workshops being offered by local museums and galleries, these are often affordable and you might end up with a nice souvenir of your trip to take home after the class. Additionally, sometimes local universities or colleges might even offer unique workshops, lectures or special events open to the general public, so check out their websites to see what is available. If you are worried about a language barrier, consider choosing an activity like a dance class or art workshop where you can follow along visually if you have any issues with translation. This beginner’s guide to solo travel tip often also becomes a great ice breaker, and helps build memorable friendships!

Create a Travel Budget

By Alex Sumuel from Wander With Alex

A travel budget is something every solo traveller should consider. This is especially true if solo travel has become a hobby! Creating a travel budget ahead of time will help you with your itinerary and allow you to see and do as much as possible without breaking the bank. Here are a few tips for this beginner’s guide to solo travel which you can use as a template for creating your travel budget.

First, don’t wait until the last minute to book your big-ticket items, such as airfare and accommodations. To find cheap flights, sign up for Google Flights or Skyscanner alerts as soon as you know where you’re going. These alerts will keep you in the know when it comes to price changes. As for accommodation, if you don’t have your heart set on a hotel, try a vacation rental from a site such as Airbnb.

Next, you’ll want to do some research into your trip activities. Make a list of all the things you want to see and do, and price check them. Don’t forget, there are usually tons of free things to do in just about any tourist destination, so add them to your list! Lastly, don’t forget about miscellaneous travel costs! Things like food and alcohol, laundry, checked baggage fees, vaccinations, and transportation costs – all of these smaller trip activities can add up quick! If you’ve been wondering about how to plan your first solo trip, do consider this tip!

Keep a Backup of Your Important Documents

By Becky from Its Just Becks

It’s just a fact of life that not everything will always go to plan. To ease nerves about what will happen if something goes wrong, having a backup of important and necessary documents is essential and reassuring. Think of the things you absolutely could not travel without like passport, visas, insurance, bank details, and have a digital copy that you can access from anywhere (email a copy to yourself) or take a photocopy and leave it with someone you trust back home. Sadly, sometimes things are lost or stolen and having to deal with this alone will feel like a challenge, but having backups of the information will make things easier, something to remember for a beginner’s guide to solo travel.

It’s also a good idea to have backup money, as this is the thing most commonly lost or stolen. If you travel with just cash, it’s best practice to not leave it all in one place. For those with an overseas spending card, consider having a second account or card that you can leave securely in your accommodation when you go out with your main card. This way, if something happens to your main card while you’re out and about, you won’t be left with no access to money while the problem is resolved.

Join a Food Tour

By Rose Munday of Where Goes Rose

Surely one of the downsides of solo travel is the eating arrangements. Dining alone in a restaurant can feel awkward and then there’s the problem of trying all the local dishes during a short trip. Usually, after one heavy meal, you’re full. It would be nice to graze and try lots of different dishes but sometimes solo travel doesn’t allow for this.

A top tip to get the best of a country’s or region’s culinary cuisine without blowing the budget (or gouging yourself senseless) is to take a food tour. This is a great idea because your guide will buy dishes and share them with other guests on the trip. You get to try a bit of everything while also learning about the history and culture of the food from your local guide. Moreover, you also get to meet fellow travellers and interact and share ideas – something worth mentioning for a beginner’s guide to solo travel!

An extra bonus is that often on food tours, couples are given a dish to share and solo travellers get a whole one at no extra cost. Winning! There are several solo travel groups in India that also do food tours. Be sure to check them out.

Pack Light

By Soumya Nambiar of Travel Books Food

As a solo traveller, my best beginner’s guide to solo travelling tip for anyone who wishes to travel solo is to pack light. This is especially true if you are going to be on the road for weeks. When I started travelling solo, I was never a light packer. I was one of those people who believed that I needed to carry lots of luggage. But over the years, I have learnt that it is not worth it when you are tugging your luggage up 3 flights of stairs to a dorm room in Salzburg with a high-grade fever or you could have avoided being pickpocketed in Madrid if you had less number of bags on you. Learn the art of layering your clothes for winter and how you don’t need everything in your wardrobe for your trip. Learn to use packing cubes to segregate and keep your luggage capacity to a backpack or a carry-on. I always end up doing laundry at least a few times during each of my multi-week/month trips. I also buy stuff on the road and donate some of my stuff on the road if I no longer feel the need for it.

Dealing with Lost Flight Luggage

By Džangir Kolar of Dr Jam Travels

Lost luggage is a pain that all travellers are afraid of, but don’t have control over it. If it is lost at the beginning of your trip it means you will have to supplement your belongings before you continue on your way even if you get your belongings later. While the airline is responsible for this event they should compensate for your additional expenses. But if you want to get this amount refunded you will need some kind of proof. So the best thing to do is to save all the bills you get for new things you have bought. But don’t go on a shopping spree and buy expensive items like Gucci bikinis and such, while they have a limit for compensation depending on which airline you’re flying with. Also, the same thing applies if it happens on your return and luggage is lost and not returned back longer than 21 days (until then treated as delayed). But it would be harder to save bills for all the things you are taking with you. Usually, you will get a reduced value, 10% less per year. Hopefully, you will not need this advice, but it’s good to remember just in case especially when looking for a beginner’s guide to solo travel.

Just Go! Don’t let fear hold you back

By Linda Jane of Muy Linda Travels

Do you have a list of places you want to see but you just haven’t found the right time to go? There are always reasons to put off taking a trip and my advice to a first-time solo traveller is, just go! 

For the bonus last tip on this beginner’s guide to solo travel – don’t hold yourself back and don’t let fear get in your way. If you’re waiting for someone to travel with you, you could wait forever. And although you might be afraid to travel alone, it’s one of the most liberating experiences you can have. You’ll discover that you’re a capable, confident, independent person who can take care of yourself.  

The sense of freedom and accomplishment that solo travel brings is truly life-changing. You’ll be able to say “I’ve done that” and “I’ve been there” and start ticking things off your bucket list.  

The first step is to research your trip and plan thoroughly. If you know where you’re going, how you’ll get there and where you’ll stay, you’ll feel more confident. Researching your destination will also help you to avoid pitfalls and mistakes along the way. Then it’s time to book your ticket and get on the plane.  

What are you waiting for? You’ll have an amazing time! 

Beginner’s Guide to Solo Travel – FAQs

What should I do on my first solo trip?

Treat your first solo trip – just like any other. the only difference is…well, that you’re by yourself! Depending on where you’re travelling to, go cafe hopping, wander in local markets, visit architecture and heritage marvels, visit museums or art galleries and go for that hike and swim in a waterfall or river. If you choose to stay at a backpacking hostel, chances are that you won’t be alone after all. Instead, you’d have mingled with fellow travellers and made plans with said hostel buddies!

Where should I go on my first solo trip?

Honestly, for your first solo trip, there is a whole ocean of possibilities. Depending on where you live and how much money you can spend on this trip, you can literally go anywhere your heart wants! As mentioned before, you can try wandering around in your own city or try tourist places close to your home. But if it feels right, don’t be shy to go all the way and visit a foreign country or someplace far from home too – it really all depends on what YOU feel comfortable doing! For some inspiration on the best solo travelling destinations in India, click here. If you’re a digital nomad and planning to stay long term in a new place, check out this post.

How do I prepare to travel alone?

If you keep these few beginner’s guide to solo travel tips handy, you should be ideally good to go. As I said before, you can never be fully prepared as we all learn something new with each trip and try to do it better the next time. So keep an open mind with the experiences you’re going to have – both bad and good and don’t forget to enjoy!

How long should a solo trip be?

A solo trip can be as long as you want it to, depending on your budget and your availability of time. For some, their first solo trips last not more than 3 to 5 days. While others go on their solo trip and never look back. For me personally, it started off as a few small trips every now and then and now I’m a full-time traveller who doesn’t have a fixed “home”. In a nutshell – you do you!

Can I travel by myself if I’m 16?

There is no minimum or maximum age limit when it comes to travelling solo. Of course, you can start travelling solo at 16 – I started at 18 and I know people who started at 40 as well! When you’re younger, you do make more mistakes but as you grow older, you learn to do better. All in all, what matters is that you keep your spirits free and wild while remaining sensible and cautious at the same time. The magic lies in the balance!

Should I go on a trip alone?

YES. Do it. Seriously, go on that trip alone!

For more solo tips and inspirtation, follow me on Instagram!