Solo Travel on a Group Tour: Not Single, Not Alone
Every small group tour I have taken, I have taken on my own, and I have gone to places that were not on my partner’s wish list and come home with experiences I would not have had otherwise. That is solo travel on a group tour, and it suits you whether you are single or not.
Solo does not mean single, and it does not mean alone
You may be single, or you may have a partner who is working, who does not want to visit the place you do, or who prefers a different kind of holiday, and whichever it is you are travelling solo whenever you book for yourself, which says nothing about your life at home.
It does not mean being alone either. On the first evening you have a meal and a drink with the group, introduce yourselves, say where you are from and where you have travelled, and find something in common, because travel is a good way to get to know someone. If you have both been to a country you swap experiences, and if you have not, you leave with another place for your own wish list.
One client came back from a small group safari, her first trip on her own, and told me it was life changing, and another is choosing a small group for one week of a longer trip so that she has company for that week and freedom for the rest.
Why I choose to travel this way
I have friends all over the world from these tours, and I have learned about the culture of the country we were visiting as well as the cultures of the travellers around me. The guides are a large part of that, because I learn far more from them and from the local guides than I would sightseeing on my own, and a guidebook only goes so far.
Everything is organised for you, so once you reach the starting point you do not think about logistics again, and if anything goes wrong on the way it is the guide’s job to sort out while you relax and enjoy the destination.
If you are unsure about going alone
Remember that everyone else on the tour feels as you do, and that you all chose the same kind of trip so you share the same mindset. I have never had a bad experience on a small group tour, and the travellers on them are friendly and open, so they want to hear where you have been and tell you where they are going next. The group and the guide are with you from the starting point, so you are never working out a new place by yourself.
Everyone else on the tour is thinking what you are thinking. You all chose the same kind of trip.
Rooms: sharing or your own
Room arrangements vary from tour to tour. Some tours are for solo travellers only and everyone has their own room, while on most others you share a twin room with someone of the same gender or pay a single supplement for your own.
I normally share because it is the best way to meet people, and everyone I have shared with has been considerate and looked out for the others, and I have never had a roommate who snores. I have occasionally ended up with a single room or booked one, and it isolates you from the group a little, so how much privacy you need decides it. If you want your own room I compare the single supplement with the shared price and with similar tours, so you see the difference in pounds before you choose.
Sharing a room is the quickest way to meet the group.
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How I choose a tour for you
I ask how much time you want to yourself, how active you want to be and whether you want your own room, and I check that the age range of the tour suits you, because the groups can span a wide range of ages. Then I choose the tours that fit and explain why, and I read the day-by-day plan for free time and group size so you do not have to.
You can browse small group tours by region on my small group tours page, and if you are a woman travelling alone my solo travel for women guide covers packing and safety, while my piece on touring and adventure holidays explains how organised trips work.
Planning a Group Tour on Your Own With Me
This is a personal service from start to finish. I plan the route and book every part of it, and if anything changes while you are travelling, you call me and I deal with it.
As a travel agent I have 30 years of adventure travel experience, and I have visited around 80 countries myself, so my advice comes from experience and not from a brochure.
There is a belief that travel agents cost more. Booking with me does not. Many suppliers charge the same price whether you book direct or through me, and others sell to the trade only, on contracts with competitive pricing. Either way you pay no more for having me plan and book the trip, and your booking carries ABTA and ATOL protection where stated on your booking. You can read more in why book with me.
Call or WhatsApp 0117 452 1159 or email bridget@worldclassadventures.co.uk
