Overcoming the fear of solo travel

I clearly remember the excitement of that first time I really travelled alone – a young teenager flying from my home in Ireland to France, and fearlessly heading to Paris to be met by a strange family for a summer exchange. I don’t think there was one bit of fear inside of me, although, as I found out, many years later, when I put my own teenage son on his first solo flight, my mother was probably consumed by fear at the time. I would like to say that I never looked back but, if truth be told, the fear of solo travel kicked in again later in life, for different reasons.

The fear of solo travel can take you by surprise

The reality is that the fear of solo travel can kick in at any stage of life, and sometimes just when you least expect it. Even when you are really craving travel anxiety can creep in, forcing you to shut down that booking page. For example, not long after putting my son on his first flight, and feeling nostalgic about flying free at a young age, I had an opportunity to travel without my children.

However, I hadn’t been prepared for the fact that some phobias had crept in during pregnancies. I discovered a new fear of flying, nothing too major, but enough to give me the wobbles. Then, after hiring a car at the other end, driving on the other side of the road was suddenly a lot more daunting than it used to be. And, out of the blue, long suspension bridges became major challenges. Yet just a few years previously, I had abseiled, coasteered and trekked alone. It’s not in the parenting books, however, that an unpredictable risk aversion is part and parcel of childbirth. Just when I really needed to enjoy time to myself. Oh cruel world.

The author, on a privately-guided trek in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco.

It’s not a cruel world

I quickly found out that sometimes you can avoid the scary bridges, of course, by just taking a diversion. Or opening the window and breathing deeply. This, in many ways, became my mantra for overcoming a new found fear of solo travel: approach it another way, and just keep breathing. And, of course, ask someone for help if needed.

When you travel solo on an adventure holiday that’s organised for you, with a team of experts to choose your accommodation and plan your routes, it already slows down the breath. Because we’re here to create holidays that work for you. No question is too hard, and no quirk throws us. We’re not bots, we’re humans who can assuage your fear from the get go, supporting you to go solo.

Rather annoyingly, it can sometimes appear as if no one else in the world feels these fears, but you are not alone. However, it really is possible to join the solo club, by just doing so in a way that suits you. Because the fact is that it’s really not a cruel world, and when you choose to travel in a way, or a place where you feel safe and supported, you’ll meet kindness at every turn. And plenty of kindred spirits too.

Starting out slowly

You could jump in at the deep end and face your fears by walking the Camino de Santiago solo, Cycling the Via Rhôna from Geneva to Sète, joining a guided small group tour on the France’s GR20 hiking trail, or go on a privately-guided trek to Mount Toubkal in Morocco. Or you could just give yourself a break and start off slowly. Why set yourself up to fall at the first hurdle by worrying for weeks in advance that your fears may paralyse you when you get there? Especially if you are recovering from a physical or mental illness. Check out our blog on Short walking breaks, for example. Or go somewhere that doesn’t feel too out of your comfort zone, holidaying in the UK or Ireland if that’s closer to home, or to a country where you feel comfortable speaking the language.

Another option is to take a city break, and then add on a walking holiday that’s close by, such as the ones that feature in this blog. Or you could go somewhere to work remotely for a while, and become acclimatised to the new surroundings before taking a holiday from there.

Walking solo in Mallorca is a perfect combo of mountains and sea.

Finding a tour to suit you needs

Not all of our tours are available to solo travellers, especially if they are particularly remote or in wild, inaccessible places. It’s not our bag to send you out into the wilds on your own, if we don’t think there’s an adequate support structure in place. Here are all of our holidays that you can book as a solo traveller. So, whether you’re an empty nester or a solo parent travelling with a baby on your front and a pack on your back, we have something for everyone seeking a solo sojourn. They are all categorised with regards to their difficulty levels, or you can just click on the following links for a shortcut: Easy, Easy/Moderate, Moderate, Moderate/Strenuous, Strenuous.

“I fully enjoyed my recent walking trip to Bulgaria. It was self-guided, I was a solo traveller, and it was my first time visiting Bulgaria. I’m a moderately fit woman in my 60s. I was slightly apprehensive, but looking forward to the adventure and the personal challenge. I wasn’t disappointed. The holiday was a fabulous experience.” SoloWalker from Somerset UK on our Bulgaria Walking and Spa Adventure.

Swapping solo for el grupo

With some of our more strenuous solo trips, they are with a mountain guide, either privately-guided or trekking in a small group. So, if you do feel ready to explore the likes of the Peaks of the Balkans, the iconic GR20 in Corsica, or Aconcagua in Argentina – (just the highest trekking peak in the world (6,960m), nothing to see here) – rest assured that experts are with you all the way.

Sharing the jewels of the Julian Alps in Slovenia.

Removing the hassle takes away some of the fear

As well as having local experts who support you 24/7 and handle all luggage transfers along the trails, we also provide all the necessary trip notes and GPX tech wonders. In other words, we do the heavy lifting, which means you don’t have to worry about your accommodation being too far from a trail – or how you will get from the airport to your hotel, as we will organise all that for you. All you need to do is go walking or cycling. And if you have a fear of flying, we can also recommend some adventures that are accessible by rail. We’ve got your back, and your backpack.

Keeping safe

It goes without saying that safety is our priority at The Natural Adventure and, as a solo traveller, we fully understand that this is important to you. There are some basic, common sense approaches when travelling solo, Such as always telling your next accommodation what time you hope to be there, keeping your mobile phone fully charged, having a first aid kit and also having some outdoor walking and map reading experience. We have plenty of blogs to help you with this, inspire and empower you to go it alone. These include: Hiking safety tips for mountain landscapes; Tips on walking responsibly; How to prepare for a cycling trip; and How to prepare for a hiking holiday.

“I’m a 35-year-old solo traveler who completed the West Highland Way with The Natural Adventure in late July 2023. From arrival in Milngavie to departure in Fort William, everything was pre-organized, easy to accomplish, and The Natural Adventure staff were very responsive. I adored my time in Scotland doing the West Highland Way. I will recommend the West Highland Way for the rest of my life, and I will recommend The Natural Adventure for a seamless accommodation/itinerary experience as well.” – Stephen from USA on the West Highland Way.

Travelling with your dog

Living a happy life with your dog is given even more of a boost when you can bring it on holiday with you. We know that many of our solo travellers love canine companionship, and we have adventures that range from watching them romp along the Rheinstag to ambling alongside you over the Alps. So, take a look at a few of our dog-friendly holidays and pamper your pooch the natural way – because every dog should have its day.

From the camino to the Kitzbühel Alps, the Valais or the Rhine Valley, our solo, dog-friendly holidays are pooch-tastic.

Shifting your mindset

In my more senior years, now divorced and pretty-well travelled, I still have to overcome my fear of solo travel. But experience has now shown me that the feeling of release that you get from it far outweighs any unease. And it’s also when the empowerment word kicks in, something so many people take for granted. And others are yet to discover. I really do encourage other solo travellers in life to view adventures away from your norm as an opportunity for growth and mindfulness. On our self-guided holidays, although you have an itinerary to follow, it’s always worth remembering that you can do things at your own pace and embrace that freedom of choice. Perhaps you don’t want to walk today, but just chill at the beach and get a taxi to your next stop. It’s all within your gift. And solo travel is one of the most gorgeous gifts you can experience.

You may also enjoy some of our other solo travel blogs, which include: Our top holidays for solo travel, Hiking the Calanques solo, Best places for solo travel at Christmas, Solo walking in the Lake District and Our top dog-friendly holidays. For any more information, please don’t hesitate to contact our adventure specialists.