With Google searches for “solo travel” seeing an enormous 462.5% uplift in the last month alone, travel and safari experts offer advice on how solo travellers can make the most of the trip, from stay safe to meeting new people and everything in between.
By Go2Africa
Book a tour
A tour is a fantastic way to travel solo, as it allows you to meet likeminded people while experiencing something new. Tours are especially good for bigger solo adventures, such as safari travels. Solo travel in Africa is incredibly popular but can seem like a daunting trip to plan on your own, as there are so many different places to see. Using a reputable tour operator means you can plan easily, customise your package to best suit your preferences and can save yourself stress and time.
Research
One of the main perks of solo travelling lays in the fact you can “go with the flow” and make decisions on the spot, however it is still crucial to research the areas you are visiting and especially the places you intend on staying. Make sure your accommodation has numerous positive reviews and is in a suitable location that suits your ideas for the holiday. For example, choose a hotel miles away from the city centre, when you intend on spending all of your time in the city centre, might not be the most practical plan, as getting transport into the centre everyday will quickly become a nuisance.
Hostel v hotel
As a solo traveller, hostels are typically the most popular form of accommodation as the shared rooms and spaces means it can be incredibly easy to make friends. Safety is often a concern for those travelling for the first time, with Google searches for “hostel safety” seeing a 9900% uplift in the last month alone. However, most reputable hostels will provide lockers at no extra cost, to store your valuable possessions, and many offer a choice of private rooms or female-only shared rooms.
Hostels are also great for solo travellers, as they often cater with solo travellers in mind. Many hostels, especially bigger and more popular ones, will host events for travellers as a way to help guests get to know each other, as well as learn about the culture and customs of the destination.
Keep in touch with home
We all love the thought of going off the grid, however to ensure your safety you should keep in contact with home. To allow a trusted family member or close friend to keep an eye on your location, this can provide peace of mind for both you and your loved ones back at home. In addition, having a confidant back home means if you ever become overwhelmed when travelling (it happens!) you can reach out and instantly feel more comfortable. Doing this also allows you to indulge in your travelling stories.
Be flexible with yourself
Solo travelling is the perfect excuse to be selfish and do exactly what you want, when you want. Many of us have experienced the disappointment of a group holiday, where you’ve had to compromise on something you really wanted to do in order to go with the group, so solo travelling is your chance to indulge in all the activities you really want to do.
Another common concern for travellers is to ensure they do their trip “perfectly,” however this can’t always be expected. Be flexible with yourself, as just because you are visiting a certain location does not mean you need to tick every single sight off the list. Instead, prioritise what you really want to see and do. Anyway, not visiting all the sights in one trip is the perfect excuse to go back.
Bring back-up
Technology is a great companion when travelling, as you can keep all your documents safely in one place, however relying solely on the modern method may result in problems. If the worst happens and your phone is lost, stolen or damaged then you will be left with no evidence of your onward journey. Instead, ensure you bring paper copies of your itinerary, whether it’s train or flights tickets. You must also never explore with your passport on you, as if this is stolen it can be really problematic to get a copy for your onward journey.
Learn the lingo
Of course, learning a language is a not a particularly easy task to do, however learning simple phrases will undoubtedly go a long way, especially when travelling alone. Simple phrases to get you through, such as greetings and basic questions, will help push you out of your comfort zone and will help make your trip as seamless as possible.
Invest in safety measures
Don’t let the thought of crime worry you, as the majority of people who believe solo travel is a dangerous thing to do have never actually travelled solo before. However, pickpocketing and money scams do happen, especially when you stand out as a tourist, so it is advisable to take precautions before setting off. Money belts, which lay flat under your clothes, are an easy way to keep cash on you, in case you lose your bag or wallet. You should also make sure you don’t bring all your cash out with you, as although losing your money for the night may be disappointing, losing your entire cash fund for the whole trip would be much worse.
Buy a local SIM
Depending on your destination, you may find yourself with an unexpectedly high phone bill after your holiday of a lifetime. Even if you are travelling within the EU, according to Ofgem the amount your phone operator can charge you to use your phone abroad is no longer capped, meaning they can charge incredibly high prices to use data. Each phone network has a different roaming charge so you must check this before travelling.
If you know your phone operator will charge you a lot of money, then don’t be put off using this abroad. Instead, as soon as you land you should make it a priority to buy a local pay as you go SIM for your phone. Make a note of important numbers, from loved ones to emergency contacts, and top up accordingly. Make sure you aren’t putting yourself in a volatile position just because your phone operator is charging more money.
