Long gone are the days when solo travel was seen as saddo travel. Independence is in and it’s here to stay. Many of us live chaotic lives where we are either constantly plugged in or peopled out, and escaping on our own is like a spa for the mind, body and soul. We are proud to have many solo travellers on our team at The Natural Adventure, all of whom fly the flag for autonomous adventurers. We also have a wide array of holidays that are suitable for our solo travellers and, like all of our holidays, we provide 24/7 support on the ground, a carefully crafted itinerary that guides you safely throughout your journey, and welcoming hosts to greet you at the end of the day.
Whether you’re an epic-seeking empty nester or a solo parent travelling with a baby on your front and a pack on your back, here are some of our most popular solo sojourns.
You time in Málaga, Spain
Although Málaga is famous for being a historic port city on the Costa del Sol, you only need to go a stone’s throw to hit the hiking trails of Sierra de Tejeda and Almijara mountain range, protected by a natural park of the same name. Both perfect places to be solo con tus pensamientos (alone with your thoughts). We have two centre-based holidays near the city, both of which give you access to the trails, and quiet places for solo travellers too.
On this holiday you stay in Canillas de Albaida and, on this upgraded version, the hotel is in Cómpeta, both villages being typical whitewashed beauties of the region. The highlight for many is the El Saltillo Hike, which is part of the greater GR249 trail, also known as the Gran Senda de Málaga. It’s a feature of both of these Málaga walking holidays but you also have options to walk the Silk Route through the rugged terrain and cliffs of the Axarquía region, and take a trek to the summit of Cerro Verde (1,346m). In addition, you can travel to Málaga by train, so this holiday is stress-free on so many levels.
Solo travellers adore Andorra
If you open Andorra’s box, you’ll get nothing but a rush of prettiness, Pyrenees and princely history. If we were to brand it, we’d even dare to call it P-Andorra’s box, as there are so many adjectives beginning with p that you could put before its name. It’s petite and perfectly poised between Catalonia and France, and with a plethora of pics, as they’re called locally. Both of our eight day Hiking in Andorra and five day short break tours are open to solo travellers and are p-erfect for solo yolo time. And if you want to bring your dog with you, Andorra is also p-ooch pally.
Find freedom in the Karkonosze Mountains, Poland
Feel the independent vibes big time in the Karkonosze Mountains, which are also known as the Giant Mountains, right up on the border with the Czech Republic. They are protected by Karkonosze National Park, and the range’s highest peak Mount Sněžka (1,603m) is shared with the Czech Republic. It’s an alpine landscape of glacial cirques, waterfalls and Ramsar-protected peat bog, and moorlands where red deer roam and black storks fly. Especially in these early autumnal days. Although Mount Sněžka gets lots of attention, it’s the quieter trails of Karkonosze ridge and Mount Labski Szczyt (1,472m), or the sleepy meadows around Wielki Staw and Maly Staw Lakes that really steal your heart. Staying in three-star hotels throughout, enjoy some you time, on Polish time.
Lake District, England
William Wordsworth described England’s largest national park as “The loveliest spot that man hath found.” Thankfully in modern times we include women in this beautiful picture too. Our Lake District walking holidays are perfect for all solo travellers, and their dogs too if they like. Choose between a Keswick-based walking holiday, where each day brings another lakeland landscape, ranging from the heights of Skiddaw (931m) or Honister Pass to the iconic and idyllic circuit of Derwentwater. Or, if you prefer a self-guided itinerary, walk from Pooley Bridge to Coniston, the former on the shores of Ullswater and the latter perfectly positioned between Coniston Water and Old Man Coniston, where you can take on the iconic trek to the highest point of Lancashire at 801m. Our team member Frances hiked the latter solo and you can read more about her adventures here.
Santé to solo cycling in the Loire Valley
Cycle the Loire Valley Trail between Nevers in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region all the way to the Atlantic coast at Saint-Brévin-les-Pins near Nantes, with an array of cathedrals and châteaux en route. Stay in locally-owned guest houses and hotels and pack a pannier at a panoply of local markets. Cycle the whole route in 15 days, or choose a week-long section between Nevers and Orleans, Orleans and Saumur or Saumur to the Atlantic, all accessible by train so that you can even avoid the chaos of crowded airports, by travelling the peaceful and mindful way.
Go in peace along the Camino Portugues
The majority of our camino tours are geared up towards solo travellers, but the Camino Portugues is proving to be a firm favourite at the moment, perhaps because it is less crowded than some of the traditional caminos during peak season. The Camino Portugues or Portuguese Way’s pilgrims have carved out two separate caminos en route to Santiago over the years, one inland and the other clinging to the coast. You can start in Lisbon, and head through the ancient university town of Coimbra, historic Porto and the coastal resort of Vila Praia de Âncora, with options to dip in and out of river valleys, hilltop villages and eucalyptus glades, before hitting Spain’s Galician coast. And if you are contemplating this camino, here are some words of Grace:
“You have made my bookings and arrangements seem so easy. I’m 77 years old, travelling alone, and you have resolved any worries or queries I’ve had. I’m very grateful and my daughter also, as I shall be far from home. A gold star!” – Grace Helen-Benson, Camino Portugues: Central Way tour
Go boldly on the Naxos Strada trek
Solo travel can make you feel like an island sometimes, arising out of a need to disconnect from it all and pull up the drawbridge from everyday distractions. One of our most recent island holidays is the Naxos Strada trek where you can blank out the rest of the world while blissing out on the 52km coast-to-coast hiking trail, otherwise known as Naxos Strada. Over ten days, explore the largest island of the Cyclades, including a trek to the summit of Mount Zas (1,004m), the highest in the archipelago. For other Greek island idylls for one, go hiking in Karpathos or Crete, Aegina or Kea. You could also do some solo cycling on Eubia (Evia) or Kefalonia.
Sola in La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain
For those of us who are new to solo travel, the Canary Islands feel almost home from home, as the tourism infrastructure is well established, but there are also plenty of remote spots rather than resorts to explore. La Gomera is one of these, a lesser-known Canary Island where you can explore the tropical valleys of Garajonay National Park over eight days. A landscape of elevated, misty sub-tropical rainforest, made up of beech trees and ancient laurel covered in lichen, this is one of southern Europe’s most luscious and stupendous hiking terrains.
“As a solo female traveller, I was quite apprehensive to embark on this walk but I had THE most incredible time! The navigation is so simple and helpful, the company was incredibly helpful whenever I had questions and the entire trip went without a hitch. The island is beautiful and perfect for anyone who loves being surrounded by nature all day. Overall, I would highly recommend this trip. The island is such a hidden gem and full of natural beauty waiting to be appreciated.” – Martha on our walking holiday in La Gomera.
In solitary refinement in the Rhodopes, Bulgaria
We endeavour to add a traditional thermal spa into our walking holidays in the Rhodope Mountains when possible because, with over 700 natural hot springs here, it’s rude not to really. On this walking and spa adventure, for example, you can swap the Rhodopes for robes, mountains for minerals at the end of the day in places like Devin, which is known as the spa capital of Bulgaria. And during the day, you get to ramble freely to the likes of Smolyan Lakes, the cultural reserve at Shiroka Laka or the Canyon of Waterfalls eco-trail. We also have plenty of other solo walking holidays in Bulgaria, with fewer spas but plenty of oohs and aahs.
“Gorgeous hikes with my favorites being Orpheus Rocks, Gela Village and Struilitsa Eco path…Accommodations were also terrific. I really loved being in Plovdiv at Hill House, and was taken great care of at Shiroka Laka especially (and had one of the best massages ever)…Transfers were perfect…Felt completely safe as a solo woman, and highly recommend this trip! – By Sus, USA on our Bulgarian walking and spa holiday.”
Seek solace in the Serra de Tramuntana, Spain
Mallorca is not only the largest of the Balearics, at 3,640km², it’s also the most mountainous, with the Serra de Tramuntana range creating a strong spine along its north coast. This beautiful belt is studded with natural and cultural heritage gems and is the focal point for our walking tours on Mallorca. Far away from the traditional tourist crowds, Mallorca’s mountains and smaller coastal resorts offer a glorious combination of trails, where you meet plenty of other solo travellers along the way. For more information, read our blog, Full disclosure (and exposure) on walking in Mallorca.
If you would like to travel solo, but within a group of other travellers, then we also have some guided small group tours. With these tours you still have your independence, but the security of a guide if you are travelling solo for the first time. Some of our solo travellers also love to bring a canine companion, and we have plenty of tours where you can pamper your pooch the natural way. And if you’re not sure if you’re ready to adventure solo yet, you may enjoy our blog, Overcoming the fear of solo travel. For any more information on solo travel, don’t hesitate to contact us for more information. You may be travelling alone, but we will always have your back.
Related tours
Bulgaria Walking and Spa Adventure
Walking in Málaga (Centre-based)
Hiking in Andorra Short Break
Camino Portugues: Central Way
Walking in the Karkonosze Mountains
Walking in the Lake District National Park (Centre-based)
Cycling on Evia Island and around the Euboean Gulf
Walking in La Gomera
Walking in Mallorca: Serra Tramuntana and Coast
