For travelers who enjoy their own company, taking a solo vacation has a timeless appeal. You can go where you want, when you want, without accommodating a companion’s schedule and interests. And since the pandemic, solo travel’s popularity has reached new heights, says Alexandria Sanchez, consumer marketing manager for G Adventures, a small-group adventure-travel company.
When travel came to a halt during the COVID-19 shutdown, many people realized how important traveling was to them. Once they were able to start taking trips again, they were eager to get going — even if that meant doing it on their own.
Solo travel should keep growing for years to come. Its estimated global market value was nearly $500 billion in 2024, and that figure is expected to double by 2030, according to Grand View Research, a market research and consulting firm. “People are starting to realize that they don’t want to wait for somebody to be available. It’s now or never,” says Wendy Marley, a travel advisor for AAA Northeast.
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The majority of people who travel solo — 62% — are baby boomers, and more than two-thirds of those who travel alone are women, according to the 2025 Virtuoso Global Luxury Traveler Report, which reflects preferences and trends among clients of more than 2,200 luxury travel advisers in Virtuoso’s network. Solo travel is especially popular among women 45 and older.
“Many are at an inflection point in their lives. They are looking for a fresh start on a new chapter, a new perspective, or context after a major change in their personal lives,” says Jeannie Ralston, founder of NextTribe, a tour operator that organizes group tours for older women traveling alone.
A variety of destinations and experiences appeal to solo travelers, but they lean toward places where they will feel safe and that have a strong transportation infrastructure. The top destinations are Italy, France, Japan, Canada and the United Kingdom, according to the Virtuoso report.
“Ease of transportation and safety make places like Italy, Spain and Portugal ideal for solo travelers,” says Marley. Many Asian countries fit the bill, too — and they’re affordable. “Asia offers incredible value — four‑ or five‑star hotels for the price of a three‑star in Europe,” says Sarah Lang, luxury travel adviser for Pique Travel Design in San Francisco.
Thinking of embarking on your own solo journey? We have guidance here on how to design a trip that prioritizes your comfort and security, along with suggestions of top experiences and destinations.
Gain peace of mind.
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Safety is a chief concern for solo travelers as they navigate new places without a trusted travel companion. For that reason, it may make sense to invest more than you otherwise would in certain aspects of your trip. “Think about where it makes sense to spend more so you feel comfortable, instead of stressed and anxious,” says Lang.
You can compare travel insurance plans on websites such as SquareMouth.com and InsureMyTrip.com. These plans are typically priced at about 4% to 10% of the cost of your trip.
Some of the best travel credit cards provide trip insurance as well, although it may not be as robust as what you would get with a stand-alone policy.
Chase Sapphire Reserve ($795 annual fee) and Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95) provide benefits including trip cancellation and interruption coverage and trip delay reimbursement for unexpected hotel stays, meals and essential expenses. Several other premium travel cards, including the Platinum Card from American Express ($895) and Capital One Venture X ($395), offer similar protections, such as reimbursement for lost or delayed baggage and emergency assistance services.
Reliable transportation is also a worthwhile investment for your solo trip. Try to arrive at your destination during daylight hours, when possible, and choose direct routes over complicated transfers, especially in unfamiliar areas.
Hotel-arranged transfers are usually reliable, or use a well-known rideshare app such as Uber. BlaBlaCar in Europe is another safe choice, typically offering shared shuttle rides between cities. It provides a women-only option, too, allowing travelers to ride exclusively with female drivers and co-passengers.
By going on guided tours of sites and cities on your trip, you benefit from local expertise, the company of other travelers and an added layer of safety. You can book tours through companies such as Viator.com, ToursByLocals and Airbnb Experiences. Before you sign up for a tour, check recent reviews from other travelers, and don’t rely only on star ratings. Look for positive comments regarding communication, punctuality and safety awareness.
Although you may spend a little extra on measures that help ensure your safety, you can opt to save money in other ways. One idea is to skip the upscale lodging and book budget-friendly accommodations instead.
“You don’t have to spend a lot on a hotel. Put your money into experiences,” says Ralston. Redeeming credit card rewards points or miles for travel reservations can also take the edge off your costs. And consider going on your trip during an off-peak season for tourists. Not only are prices often lower during these periods, but you’ll avoid big crowds, too.
Trips with companionship.
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Traveling solo doesn’t mean you have to be truly alone. Some tour companies design trips for solo travelers who seek a built-in community without sacrificing their independence. “You don’t have to be alone when you’re traveling — unless you want to be,” Lang says.
You can find small-group trips to destinations all over the world, created with solo travelers in mind, from tour operators such as Intrepid Travel, G Adventures , Road Scholar, Overseas Adventure Travel, and Go Ahead Tours, to name a few. And some organize tours for specific types of solo travelers. Road Scholar, for example, hosts trips for older adults, and NextTribe focuses on women age 45 and older. Tour group FTLO Travel arranges trips for solo travelers in their twenties and thirties.
Below, we’ve highlighted trips — many of them from the above-mentioned tour operators — in five categories that may be especially attractive for solo ventures.
Set out on an adventure.
Adventure trips suit many solo travelers, calling on their independence, self-reliance and courage, opening the opportunity for self-growth, and offering the chance to truly unplug from daily life. “Solo travelers lean heavily toward adventure travel — especially women,” Lang says. Guided adventure trips offer valuable safety measures and ease the logistics.
G Adventures offers a 15-day trek to Nepal’s Everest Base Camp, the starting point for climbing to Mt. Everest’s summit. Even without scaling to the top of the mountain, travelers enjoy a challenging trek and unparalleled natural scenery.
The trip, which starts at about $1,200 per person in a small group of solo travelers, includes an English-speaking local guide, all necessary permits, porters (people who carry gear for you), lodging (two hotel stays and 12 nights in teahouse lodges) and transportation between destinations, including internal flights that take place during the trip; you pay separately for your flights from and to home.
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For a European excursion into the mountains, G Adventures offers a trek of Mont Blanc, the iconic peak in the French Alps, for solo travelers. On the 10‑day small‑group hiking trip through France, Italy and Switzerland, a professionally trained and certified guide leads a journey along the Mont Blanc routes. The trip includes nine breakfasts, five dinners, group transport, and stays in hotels and mountain refuges (basic lodging, typically with bunk beds and shared bathrooms). Pricing starts at $2,249 for 2026 tours.
If an adventure that blends Arctic thrills with cultural experiences sounds up your alley, check out FTLO Travel’s eight-day small-group trip to Lapland, a region that stretches across Finland, Norway and Sweden.
At $6,599, the journey includes seven nights in shared accommodations (upgrades to private rooms are available), meals, and activities such as dog sledding, snowmobiling, reindeer encounters and sauna sessions. Guided tours of local towns and the world’s northernmost brewery are part of the package, too, and you’ll have multiple chances to see the northern lights.
Go on a health and wellness journey.
From peaceful walking tours to full-blown retreats, wellness trips can take a variety of forms. “Many people travel solo after a life milestone—they’re looking for a reset,” says Sanchez. If you’d like to go on a retreat, you can search among a range of options at BookRetreats.com.
The possibilities include retreats designed for those experiencing grief from the loss of a loved one, those recently divorced or separated from their partner, and even those who are newly retired from specific professions. Many travelers are drawn to the joy, connection and satisfaction that wellness retreats can elicit. “These trips really can change how you see the world,” Ralston says.
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Resorts devoted to wellness are forging a strong presence, too. At Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona, an all-inclusive wellness resort, guests enjoy experiences such as spa treatments, yoga and fitness classes, aromatherapy, and more. For the “All You Can Spa” package, which lets you indulge in unlimited spa services during your stay, nightly rates start about $1,500 per guest.
Some independent yoga studios organize retreats for their patrons, traveling to far-flung destinations and offering lodging, meals, yoga classes and tours.
The Madeira Cultural Yoga Retreat, hosted by the Washington, D.C.–based studio Mimi Rieger Yoga, for example, offers an eight‑day, seven‑night immersive wellness and cultural experience at the historic Reid’s Palace in Madeira, Portugal. Travelers enjoy daily yoga, meditation and mindfulness sessions alongside curated meals, two excursions (a sunrise hike and a catamaran cruise) and access to hotel amenities such as pools and spa services.
Pricing starts at about $4,800 per person for shared accommodation or $5,800 for single occupancy.
Take a guided tour.
Guided tours have come a long way in recent years. “Tours today aren’t 80 people following a guide with a flag,” Marley says. Modern tours offer curated experiences, often in small groups and with the flexibility to opt in or out of certain parts of the tour if you wish. And for those interested in true cultural immersion, traveling in a small group can make all the difference. “Small groups allow for cultural immersion you can’t always get on your own,” Marley says.
NextTribe recently offered a 12-night trip to Marrakesh, the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert in Morocco for a small group of solo women travelers (up to 13 people) for $4,899. The trip includes 12 nights of accommodations, daily breakfasts and dinners, 10 lunches, all transfers and transport (besides your airfare from and to home), an English-speaking guide, and entrance fees to monuments and activities.
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Another small-group journey for women from NextTribe: the seven-night “Spring Insider Guide Through Paris Neighborhoods,” during which an experienced local guide leads an exploration through Paris’s diverse districts. The trip includes accommodations and most meals. Double occupancy pricing for this trip is about $5,399, and single-room pricing is about $6,899.
“Ireland for Solo Travelers,” from Go Ahead Tours, is an eight‑day guided tour tailored to solo adventurers, letting you explore Ireland’s highlights with a group of 15 to 28 fellow travelers while visiting places such as Dublin, the Rock of Cashel, Blarney Castle, Galway Bay and the Cliffs of Moher.
The tour includes six nights in private hotel rooms, six breakfasts, three dinners with beer or wine, a beer tasting, four sightseeing tours, expert guides, and private deluxe motorcoach transportation. If you prefer a longer trip, you can add a 10‑day Dublin extension.
Pricing varies by departure and season, often starting between $3,400 and $3,900.
Focus on the cuisine.
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From shared meals to cooking classes to market tours, culinary experiences can bring a solo venture to life, allowing individuals to forge bonds with other travelers and locals alike. Shared meals are a central part of many guided trips designed for solo travelers, such as those offered by G Adventures.
“Day one always includes a shared dinner — food brings people together immediately,” Sanchez says. Some tour companies, including NextTribe, may arrange dinners and other experiences hosted by locals, too. “Meeting locals in their homes is what makes travel truly enriching,” says Ralston.
G Adventures recently offered an eight-day group trip for solo travelers around Sicily, from Catania to Palermo. At $2,249, the trip includes a cooking class in Catania, guided tours, seven nights in hotels (with the option to pay an additional $379 for your own room; otherwise, travelers typically share rooms), nine meals, and transportation throughout the duration of the trip. You can also add on a street-food and market tour of Palermo, Sicily’s capital, for $68.
Embark on an educational expedition.
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Have a passion for learning? You can join other solo travelers on a tour that allows you to delve into the history of a particular region, immerse yourself in the language and culture, or study its environment and engage in a conservation project.
For example, Road Scholar, which focuses on educational programming, recently offered a nine-day group journey to Costa Rica, during which you can study nature alongside other solo travelers, explore volcanic terrain and tropical gardens, meet residents in local communities, and learn more about Costa Rica’s culture and history.
At $2,849, the trip includes eight nights of accommodations, 22 meals (eight breakfasts, six lunches and eight dinners), five expert-led lectures and 11 guided field trips.
Road Scholar also recently offered a journey to Bhutan for solo travelers, who join to explore the region’s museums, temples and natural wonders, as well as the country’s traditions and local life.
The Bhutan program includes 14 nights of accommodations, 41 meals (14 breakfasts, 13 lunches and 14 dinners), four expert-led lectures, and 24 guided field trips that provide deep cultural and historical context. Two in-country flights are included, along with the support of an experienced group leader throughout the trip.
Sidestep the single supplement.
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One pesky feature that may come with traveling alone is the single supplement — an extra fee solo travelers pay for hotel rooms, cruise cabins or tours. Travel vendors charge the fee when a service is designed with the expectation that two people will use it, such as a double-occupancy room.
As a solo traveler, you may end up paying the full rate for two or face a surcharge on the price for one to cover lost revenue from a second guest. For example, a group tour priced at $2,200 per person may offer a private-room option for an additional $300 to $500 total for the trip, depending on the destination and length. On cruises or luxury tours, single supplements can be higher, sometimes adding 50% or more to the base fare.
You may be able to avoid the fee. Before you book a tour, cruise or other accommodations, ask the vendor about discounts for solo travelers, which may get you access to unpublished deals — especially with smaller operators. And some travel companies offer cabins for single travelers, waive the supplement or provide other special discounts.
Adventure-travel company G Adventures, for example, doesn’t charge a single supplement on its “Solo-ish” trips — group trips for those traveling on their own, says Alexandria Sanchez, consumer marketing manager for G Adventures.
Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly, trustworthy source of advice and guidance. Subscribe to help you make more money and keep more of the money you make here.
