“Why you should travel alone” do you a have similar question on your mind ? Traveling solo or alone is glorified too much these. But what are the actual advantages of traveling solo ?
Based on my experiences traveling solo, here are 51 reasons why you should travel alone. It’s not just about meeting new people, staying hostels. There is much more to solo travel than that. So lets get started.
Why You Should Travel Alone – 51 Advantages of Traveling Solo
In case you are looking for motivation to embark on a solo trip, here are 51 solo travel benefits that will inspire to pack your bag and travel solo.
Must Read – How To Plan A Solo Trip
| 1. Teaches you a lot |
| 2. You travel as you wish |
| 3. You don’t need to depend on others |
| 4. Get out of your comfort zone |
| 5. Meeting new people |
| 6. You have a lot of Flexibility |
| 7. You can travel on a budget |
| 8. Teaches you how to take care of yourself |
| 9. Helps you travel like a local |
| 10. You have authentic experiences |
| 11. Helps you in Learning about the culture |
| 12. Helps you in being punctual |
| 13. No conflicts with anyone |
| 14. Food based on your choice |
| 15. Accommodation as per your choice |
| 16. There is No one to judge you |
| 17. Conversations with locals |
| 18. Hiking & trekking |
| 19. Solo travel is Therapeutic |
| 20. Helps you experience Hospitality of strangers |
| 21. Planning |
| 22. Makes you Self Sufficient |
| 23. Tread on the off the beaten path |
| 24. Experience the hospitality at Homestays |
| 25. Meet travelers in Hostels |
| 26. Can go on a trip anytime |
| 27. Helps you become independent |
| 28. Helps you pack light |
| 29. Manage medical emergencies |
| 30. Reduce your carbon footprint |
| 31. You can Travel responsibly |
| 32. Helps you in Traveling slow |
| 33. Switch to Rucksack |
| 34. No need of having an Itinerary |
| 35. No need of booking advance |
| 36. You learn to be more vigilant |
| 37. Makes you more confident |
| 38. Makes you aware about the problems of the locals |
| 39. Helps you discover what you actually like |
| 40. You make new friends |
| 41. Helps you develop patience |
| 42. Makes you better at certain things |
| 43. Makes you more knowledgeable |
| 44. Your Fitness improves a lot |
| 45. Discover what you actually love |
| 46. Helps you leave the herd mentality |
| 47. Helps you discover the destination in its true form |
| 48. You develop local contacts |
| 49. Start your own business |
| 50. You can help local communities |
| 51. Incredible stories and Memories for the lifetime |
Teaches you a lot
One of the advantages of traveling alone is that it teaches you a ton of things. From reaching the destination, to planning, to managing emergencies, to managing budget.
You also tend to learn about the culture of the region, lifestyle of the people etc.
You travel As You Wish
with solo travel, You can travel or explore places on your own terms. In travel groups or family trips, there is a little room for flexibility. The whole itinerary or plan is created before hand.
And even if you like one destination or place more than the other, Or you feel like spending more time at a particular. You don’t have that luxury with groups or planned trips.
Solo travel gives you that luxury. And that is one of the most important reasons why I love traveling solo.
You Don’t Need to Depend on Others
When you are in a group or directly or indirectly dependent on others. You tend to visit places or do things based on what majority in the group.
For instance, recently during my travels to the Himalayas, I met a group of cousins. While one of the cousins wanted to go a hike, the rest wanted to go on an exploration trip.
Such disagreements are way common in groups. if you are traveling all alone, you can basically do whatever you want to.
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
Traveling solo really helps you get out of your comfort zone and helps you become independent.
From traveling like a local in public transport buses to hiking for long distances and many others experiences in between. Traveling solo really helps you to get out of your comfort zone.
Also Read – How To Travel Alone For the First Time
Meeting New People
One of the best benefits of traveling solo is you get to meet a lot of new people. It doesn’t matter whether you travel in hostels or homestays.
During my extensive travels in the Himalayas, I’ve been fortunate enough to meet a lot of people, be it locals or fellow travelers. Having conversations with the like-minded is certainly very good experience.
Again if you are in a group or family, you might not interact a lot with others.
You have a lot of Flexibility
If you ask me personally one of the best reasons why you should travel alone, I would say its because of the flexibility solo travel offers. You are practically free to curate or trip as you want.
For the past 2.5 years, I have stopped making rigid plans or itineraries. I do have certain places and a rough plan in my mind, but that keeps on changing based on local’s suggestions and my liking.
You Can Travel On a Budget
Not everyone likes traveling on a budget especially when in a group. But traveling solo, you have that freedom to travel on a budget.
The last time when I traveled with a group of my friends, going on a budget was the least of their concern. Even after staying in dorms I ended up spending way more than I would liked.
During my solo travels I usually travel by local buses, stay in budget homestays and eat at Dhaba’s and basically travel on a budget.
Teaches You How To Take Care of Yourself
When you travel alone, taking care of yourself is your own responsible. There is no one to help you. No loved ones by your side.
Too some, this might seem like a disadvantage, but I think of it as a thinking. From managing medical emergencies to ensuring your safety while traveling, solo traveler teaches you how to take care of yourself.
Helps you travel like a local
If you travel in a group or with family, usually you have your hotels booked, your commute taken care off, your itinerary already in place.
But when you travel alone you can opt for traveling like a local would. You can opt for traveling by public transport, eat at small food joints where locals eat, explore the places they would go to.
You Have Authentic Experiences
If you travel alone you have great chances of having authentic experiences and not just stick to touristy things.
While in a group, different individuals have different interests. And sometimes sticking to touristy things is what the majority prefers.
But if you travel solo, you can have authentic experiences, by staying in local homestay, engaging in conversations with the locals, treading on off the beaten places, attending a cultural festival and so much more.
Helps You in Learning About The Culture
When traveling in a group, understanding the culture of the region might not be interests of the folks. But during solo travel, you surely can if it interests you.
For instance, I usually travel to the Himalayas and love understanding the eccentric culture of the locals and their way of life. Solo travel gives me that opportunity which traveling in group would usually not. Unless also individuals have similar interests.
Helps You In Being Punctual
As a solo traveler you always have to be punctual and get ready to catch that bus or a train. Failing to do so would cost you money and time.
Therefore, one of the benefits of traveling alone is it helps you become punctual
No Conflicts with Anyone
Different individuals have different interests during travels, and often it leads to conflicts due to difference of interests and likings. No matter how close you are to them.
I’ve personally seen these over the years during my trips with friends and family. Just imagine if you are traveling, would there be any conflicts, no right ?
Food Based on Your Choice
When traveling solo, you can have food based on your preferences and budget. As per your liking and budget you choose to have local cuisine, eating in cafes or eating at budget food joints.
When traveling in a group that’s not really possible. When majority don’t agree to your choices. From a personal experience, I usually prefer to eat out a Dhaba’s and budget food joints but my friends prefer eating out at cafes all the time.
Accommodation As Per Your Choice
Like food, one of the biggest reasons why you should travel alone is being able to choose accommodation based on one’s own choice.
Hostels are most preferred choice amongst solo travelers. But you can select accommodation based on your choice and budget.
I don’t prefer hostels and usually stay in budget homestays. Traveling all alone gives me that privilege .
There is No One to Judge You
When traveling in a familiar group, chances are that you’ll be judged for your likings, choices etc. But during solo travels thanks to no familiar faces, there is nobody to judge you.
Also Read – Solo Travel Tips For Introverts
Conversations With Locals
One of the best things I like to do is to have conversations with the locals. The reason being, I love to understand the local culture of place.
More often then not I travel to rustic Himalayan villages where people are curious about life of the city dwellers as you are curious about their lifestyle.
Having such conversations with locals might not be well-very received by the other members of the group.
Hiking & trekking
A lot of folks especially here in my country India do not like hiking and trekking. For instance my friends for over 20 years, would prefer exploring in a vehicle but would not hike.
Therefore, traveling alone gives you that liberty to include hiking and trekking if you love it.
Solo Travel is Therapeutic
Trust me, solo travel is therapeutic. If you have pleasant experiences on your initial trips, trust me its going to have profound impact on the way you travel.
This is coming from a personal experience after having embarked on so many solo trips now.
Helps You Experience Hospitality of Strangers
We often hear about brutal crimes being committed across the world. But the world is not as bat as you would think.
The more remote you travel, the more hospitality you would experience from the strangers. During my several trips to Himalayas, there have multiple instances where I experienced hospitality of the strangers.
I’ve been invited for tea to spending a night at their homes from complete strangers during my stays.
Helps You In Planning Trip
While I always advise to not have a rigid conventional itinerary when traveling solo, but traveling solo does make you a better in coming up with a plan.
Makes you Self Sufficient
When you have to plan your trip, research about it, manage the budget, ensure your safety, take care of commute, you really become self-sufficient.
This is one of the best things I like about solo travel. Although it might seem overwhelming at first, but trust me you get used to it with experience.
Tread On the Off the Beaten Path
If you are with your families or friends or in a group treading on off the beaten path becomes difficult with lack of facilities.
But with solo travel if we can compromise on certain comforts, traveling offbeat is one of the best experiences you can in your travelers.
I personally stick to unconventional places, rustic villages when traveling and trust me solo travels is the only reason I’m able to do that.
Experience The Hospitality At Homestays
Hostels are not the only options when traveling solo. Apart from hostels, local-run homestays are one of the best options to stay at during your solo trips.
If you like your personal space, hostels might not be a very good option. But with homestays you can interact with hosts and fellow travelers which is I what I usually preferred.
Meet travelers in Hostels
Most solo travelers prefer hostels, and hostel is a really great way to meet fellow travelers, listen to interesting travel stories from across the globe.
If go on trip with family or friends, you might not opt for hostels.
Also Read – Disadvantages of Traveling alone
Can Go On a Trip Anytime
One of the biggest solo travel advantages is that you can go on a trip anytime as per your choice and schedule. You don’t have adjust and come to a common date or schedule as per everyone’s availability in case traveling in a group.
This can be frustrating a lot of times. But with solo travel there are no such problems or issues.
Helps You Become Independent
When you’ve manage everything from stay to food, you tend to become independent. When have a planned trip which somebody else has curated, you are indirectly depend on them.
This is one best things I love about solo travel is that it helps you become independent.
Helps You Pack Light
When you travel alone, one of the most important things is to pack light if you don’t want to have a nightmarish trip.
If you are traveling in a group, where you have everything arranged, usually you don’t have to go through the hassle of carrying your own luggage for most part.
But if you travel alone, where you have to manage everything by yourself, carrying every extra kg becomes a taxing affair. Eventually you learn to pack light and not carry unnecessary weight during your trips.
Manage Medical Emergencies
When you are traveling alone you have to manage medical emergencies alone. This can be scary thing at first. But trust me solo travel teaches you how to take care of it.
During my early solo trips, I would not carry medicines for basic ailments, but I learned it a hard way when I was stuck in a remote Himalayan region with a strict lockdown.
From that point on I made sure to pack all the necessary medicines for common ailments which now have come handy during my several trips.
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Traveling solo you can usually make environment friendly choices and reduce your carbon footprint. You can opt by traveling in public transport like trains or buses.
By traveling solo, you can explore on foot or opt for more environment friendly choices.
You can Travel responsibly
Traveling responsibly does not only mean limiting carbon footprint. Traveling responsibly also means help local communities and local economic and making responsible choices.
With solo travel, you have freedom to choose locally run independent homestays, travel on foot and in general travel responsibly.
Helps you in Traveling slow
When you have flexibility to travel however you want to, you can travel slow, spend more time at one place instead of hopping around to different destinations within a few days just to tick things off the bucket list.
With solo travel you can really take it slow. When traveling in a group it becomes really difficult to slow down.
Switch to Rucksack
Switching to rucksack is one of the best things to do while traveling in general. During my initially trips, I used to carry suitcases. But carrying trolley bag is usually not viable during solo trips.
Rucksack is way better option in my opinion. And therefore traveling solo helps you switch to rucksack and you don’t feel like going back once you are used to rucksack.
No need of having an Itinerary
Well having a certain plan in mind even while traveling solo is needed, but you don’t to create conventional itineraries when you are traveling solo.
Whats the fun in travel if you are bonded to a fixed plan and booked every bit of accommodation. Solo travels gives you exactly that kind of liberty to not have any rigid plans.
No Need of Booking Accommodation Advance
Again, booking every accommodation for all your destinations becomes too rigid of a plan. Now that’s usually the case when are traveling in a group.
But with solo travel, you can always choose to find accommodation on the spot. Of course, it could be a bit of hassle, but you have that
You learn to be more vigilant
When you are traveling all alone, your personal safety is your own responsibility, Therefore, you’ll always tend to be more vigilant and don’t trust everyone blindly.
With more and more solo trips and experience you tend to learn how to be more careful and vigilant while traveling all alone
Makes You More Confident
Traveling solo certainly makes you more confident. It gives you confidence of commuting, staying, exploring all alone.
More confidence helps you in striking conversations with locals and fellow travelers. It also helps you to socialize
Makes you aware about the problems of the locals
When travel in a group and to touristy places with everything arranged you don’t understand the actual problems or hardships faced by the locals of the region.
It’s only when travel solo using public transport like a local, you tend to understand the problems and issues of the locals. Engaging in conversations with locals also helps in understanding their problems.
This is something which would get overlooked if you were to travel in a group.
Helps You Discover What You Actually Like
Traveling solo really helps you discover what you actually like. It’s fine that explore destinations and visit all the places, but I personally feel that there has some kind of purpose behind your travel.
On a personal level, I travel to Himalayas predominantly and love to understand about the local culture, local festivals, folklores etc. Also I love to hike to rustic villages and pristine vantage points.
You Make New Friends
While traveling solo, you meet different kinds of people. Some locals, some travelers. And you are bound to make new friends in process.
On my several trips, I’ve made a few good friends over the years.
Helps You Develop Patience
Traveling solo helps you develop patience. A lot of times things don’t go as planned and you can’t do much except for wait it out patiently especially if you are traveling on budget which is the case with a lot of solo travelers.
Makes You Better at Certain things
Solo travel really helps you get better at certain things if you keep embarking on solo trips frequently.
For me I’ve improved a lot as a hiker. During my initial few hiking trips, I used to struggle a lot. But over the years after hiking a bit, my hiking has improved a lot.
Makes you more knowledgeable
Traveling solo really makes you more knowledgeable. You tend to learn more about region, its culture, the way life, geography, the problems and so much more.
Over the years, my knowledge about the culture of Himalayas has improved drastically.
Your Fitness Improves a Lot
Initial few days of solo trip are always tough. You are tired from all the commute, you struggle to carry your own weight, but as the trip progresses you would yourself notice your fitness improve.
Discover What you Actually love
Traveling solo can really give a perspective into what you actually love and what your interests are to be really honest.
For me, traveling alone in the Himalayas over the years actually helped me discover that one of the main reasons why I love to travel is to discover the local culture, engage in conversations, learn about their way of life, learn about their problems.
Helps you Leave the Herd Mentality
While we as humans are wired to follow the herd, traveling alone can give you that fresh breath of air.
For instance, more often then not, I tread on off the beaten path for authentic experiences. I visit rustic villages, go on off the beaten hikes, engage in conversations which really helped me to escape the conventional way of travel.
Helps You Discover the Destination In Its True Form
When you travel in a group to a tourist resort you don’t actually learn about the true essence of the place. It’s only when you escape the conventional places, you actually experience the region in its true form.
For me traveling to touristy places seemed fined at first, but only after visiting rustic villages nearby, I understood the actual essence of the region
You Develop Local Contacts
Traveling alone helps you develop a lot of local contacts. And they come in really handy in case you want to visit the region again or visit new places nearby.
Over the years of traveling in Himalayas, I have developed good local contacts to the places I’ve visited. And which have really come in handy to be honest.
Start Your Own Business
After having considerable solo trips and have eccentric experiences traveling alone, you can much pretty start your own business
I’ve seen several such examples where people have started their own hospitality after having traveled solo.
You Can Help Local Communities
By traveling solo you can directly or indirectly help the local communities practice sustainable tourism. A lot of travelers actively engage with local communities and teach them about hosting travelers and in turn help practice sustainable tourism.
You can also help the local economy and communities by choosing to stay in local run authentic homestay rather than opting for franchise based hostels or hotel chains.
Incredible Stories and Memories for the lifetime
While these might sound cheesy, but you do make memories of a lifetime while traveling solo. And trust it’s a good feeling when you look back at those trips or time.
From visiting remotest corners of Himalayas to receiving incredible hospitality from the locals, I have made some incredible memories across my several solo trips to the Himalayas.
To conclude, I hope you now have a fair idea on why you should travel alone. Trust me it can be scary at first, but it is one of the most liberating experiences you can have.
In case you have any more questions why you should travel alone, do drop them in the comments below and I’ll be happy to help.
