Having seen my mom travel solo all over the world and having done that on multiple occasions myself, I was very surprised to learn that most of my female friends were intimidated by the idea. Planning your first solo trip is an exhilarating experience. Solo travel gives you a quiet confidence that is not achievable without being completely dependent on yourself in a foreign country.
Some of my best memories in life have come from trips I have taken by myself to Mexico, all over the US and most notably to Namibia. In Namibia I fell off a horse in the middle of a sanctuary and had to be strapped atop a jeep to be taken to the nearest hospital 40 miles away. Fun times..
I am here to tell you that traveling solo is probably one of the best investments you can make. I am going to give you the exact steps you need while planning your first solo trip.
Pick a destination you are comfortable with
While planning a solo trip for your first time you probably want to hold off heading to a country with a language barrier or food so different you starve during the trip. I would recommend going to a bigger city which is already popular with tourists.
From here you really want to dig in and find the things you want to do on this trip. Typing “Things to do in..” in Google usually gives me all the information I need to plan the destinations I want to see.
Note these destinations down in a diary and then make sure for each of them you know
- How to get there
- Entrance price
- Opening and closing times.
This way once you know these details for each of your destinations you can arrange them into your itinerary for the trip and not be met with any nasty surprises.
The easiest way to pick a destination right now would be to visit an amazing article by Wes Meets World that has a list of destinations that are adventurous but very safe for you as first time solo travelers.
Pack light
Packing light is always a great idea but doing this while planning a solo trip is even better. I started doing this once I realized that no one else but me will be hauling the luggage everywhere and the idea of multiple suitcases became largely unappealing.
Instead of a suitcase you might want to invest in larger duffel bag with wheels. These are easier to carry and store and do not show signs of tear as quickly as suitcases. In addition always carry a backpack with you. You are going to need a durable backpack to take with you during the day to hold stuff like you passport, money etc.
Research the weather and culturally appropriate clothing you would need (required in some temples and holy places) and pack accordingly.
Make sure to take a small first aid kit with you cause its really hard to find equivalent medicine in another country.
Get set on transportation
This is a very important part which most bloggers seem to skim on. If you are traveling cheap then research the public transportation system and where to get tickets for it.
Plan on using a taxi service or Uber find out if they operate in the country you are visiting and what the alternatives are if they don’t. If you don’t know the usual fares you are much more likely to be conned by drivers into paying a higher price.
For some countries like India you want to pay more and use a taxi since public transportation can be dangerous for women. Information like this can be usually found out for each country with a little research.
Get a local sim card immediately
You want to be able to Google things and find information on your phone quickly. We do not realize how much we depend on the internet everyday.
It is a ritual of mine to get a local sim and make sure the internet works before stepping out of the airport.
Most international airports will have sim card kiosks near the exit so you can find one as soon as you deplane. Make sure it works before leaving the kiosk.
Stay in a hostel…if you feel comfortable
I usually prefer staying in a hostel while traveling solo because it has resulted in me finding amazing friends each time. I have spent multiple days with these people and you will find that the hostel community is very friendly and willing to lend a hand.
You can find hostels on Airbnb or I prefer booking.com where you can search for hostels directly.
If staying in a hostel is not something you are comfortable with, which is completely understandable, find a good Airbnb in the city.
One thing to keep in mind while deciding on the place of stay is making sure the area you are choosing is safe. Every city has dangerous parts that should be avoided. Make sure that your hostel or hotel is located within a safe part of a city.
Be safe
This is one of the most important steps while planning a solo trip. Research common tourist scams, safety concerns for women and which areas to avoid. Avoid these areas diligently and do not be afraid to say no.
Going to new places gives us a sense of false safety so do not be afraid to cancel any part of the program if you don’t feel comfortable. Always have the local police and embassy number on speed dial so you have access to help.
Get travel insurance
In case of any trouble or mishap which sometimes has a way of catching us off guard you want to be able to depend on a good international travel insurance company.
The company I used most often while traveling internationally is https://www.worldnomads.com/. World Nomads have affordable and good travel plans that will keep you protected.
Do not think you can do without one because I didn’t plan on falling off a horse in Africa either yeah.
In My Opinion
This should give you a good starting point to plan your first trip. You have already gotten thru the most difficult part which was making up your mind! Now go get the world you beautiful human!!
Great tips here! I definitely agree with packing light, it helps you stay flexible and be on the move whenever you’re ready to pack up and move to your next destination.
Yes I agree! I started taking so little stuff when I travel alone because its impossible to lug it around by yourself..