All your friends coupled up? Can’t find a single travel chum to get away with from the nine-to-five daily grind? Fortunately, active breaks for single travel are fun, rewarding and fulfilling. With that in mind we’ve pulled together 11 of the best solo adventure holidays around.
Many people worry about going away on their own. But an adventure on your lonesome can in fact be one of the best trips you’ll ever do. Going it alone may be slightly scary, but it’s guaranteed to be an unforgettable escape for all the right reasons.
For a start you don’t have to compromise with someone else on what you want to do. Being on your own you are much more likely to meet other people, to make new friends and have unexpected escapades. The best solo adventure holidays don’t have to be independent trips, you can go on small group tours where everything is organised.
Tour operators have realised the demand for single person travel is enormous, so today there is a huge amount of choice, which just keeps increasing. If you can choose a trip where the itinerary and activities have been created especially for solo travellers. Look for single rooms included in the price and lots of other solos that are eager to meet new people.
Whether you embrace the luxury of time alone or take comfort in numbers, we’ve rounded up the top 11 active breaks for single travel…
Head to the crystallized landscapes of Ruka in Finnish Lapland. Located just outside the Arctic Circle, you can have a winter sports week fuelled by succulent reindeer steaks and cloudberries. One of the best solo adventure holidays as you’ll fit so much into a week or short break.
In Finland, it doesn’t matter that the sun rises around 10am and sets just five or six hours later: husky sledding, snowmobiling, skiing, snowboarding, ice climbing and ice-drilling for fish are all on the agenda. And with the Northern Lights as a backdrop, what better way to bond with your new travel companions than sipping hot coffee (or cold vodka) beneath the incredible Aurora Borealis.
Nepal and trekking go hand in hand. Nestled in the Himalaya mountains there are more exciting routes than you can shake your trekking poles at! Some of the most popular include the Everest Base Camp and the Annapurna circuit but there are many treks in Nepal to choose from.
You can either trek independently and meet people along the way. Most people meet new companions in accommodation in Kathmandu or at the start of a trek. Alternatively join organised small group adventures in Nepal, which are are perfect active breaks for single travel.
Live like a local while staying in traditional Bedouin tents on an exotic camel trekking tour of Morocco’s Erg Chebbi dunes. The action starts the minute you leave Marrakech in 4x4s with your new travel chums, before exploring oasis palmeries, ancient Berber villages and Kasbahs. The highlight? Hauling yourself on to a camel for a sunset ride.
Taking the plunge? There are few better places to dive than in the coral-encrusted waters of the Gili Islands, two hours by boat from Bali. A hub of backpackers, divers, and honeymooners, its underwater activity is a huge draw, offering everything from turtles to manta rays to whale sharks.
Whether you’re a beginner or a PADI-qualified diver, there are several professional schools and all kinds of courses taught. Why not try freediving – Gili Trawangan is home to one of the region’s only breath-hold diving centres.
Taking a solo break means you can really throw yourself into an activity and learn a new skill. If you have a head for heights and the urge to soar high above the ground then paragliding may be for you.
Travel to the Pyrenees and the Louron Valley near the border with Spain to find one of the best places to learn to paraglide in Europe. Throughout the summer thermals in the region will allow you to soar with the vultures (both figuratively and – if lucky – literally).
Take to the seas and kayak past ancient castles, curious seals and below soaring eagles on kayaking holidays and adventures along Scotland’s west coast. It’s a real taste of Scotland, if you don’t mind getting wet and mucking in on a small group tour it’s one of the best active breaks for single travel.
It’s hardly surprising Peru’s Inca Trail to the lost civilisation of Machu Picchu is still on the bucket list of many a traveller so is one of the best solo adventure holidays. The four-day hike takes you into what feels like a forgotten wilderness, past hidden Inca ruins and beneath starry skies.
Group tours are your best bet, of which there are varying standards. Just make sure you have an English-speaking guide if Spanish isn’t your strong point and enough coca leaves to chew to give you the edge over the altitude, which reaches a dizzying 4,215m. Permits are also a must, so Inca Trail trips must be booked several months in advance.
The White Isle’s reputation as a chilled location for wellness retreats is ever growing and a raft of teachers have been rolling out their yoga mats in recent years across the island. Wake up with sunrise and stretch your limbs on the honeyed sand while looking out onto the turquoise water. Plus there are plenty of activities to try in Ibiza.
Flying to Cape Town for an underwater adventure will have you returning with tales of close encounters with great white sharks as you cage dive in one of the world’s hotspots for the epic predator. Make sure you book through an ethical company as the quality of outfitters varies greatly for this experience.
One of the best solo adventure holidays is to join an overlanding trip. Now you could travel from Morocco all the way to Cape Town, or follow the Silk Road across central Asia. But if you only have a couple of weeks to spare Indonesia is where you should go.
With active volcanoes to trek, cultural delights to explore, beautiful beaches to relax on and some of the best surfing and scuba diving on the planet, active breaks for single travel don’t come much better. Plan an adventure in Indonesia and you certainly won’t regret it.
Shouting encouragement while struggling up a rock face will have you friends with strangers in no time. Head to the undiscovered climbing mecca of Cala Gonone on the eastern side of the island where outfitters are making use of the famous crags surrounding the island.
And from here it’s up to you. Whether you focus on low level bouldering or multi pitch routes there is climbing to suit all styles and abilities on the hard limestone crags.
We hope you have enjoyed this guide to active breaks for single travel and are inspired by the best solo adventure holidays above. Be sure to check out our adventure travel discounts before booking your next trip as you could save a fortune.
2 responses to “11 best solo adventure holidays: Active breaks for single travel”
Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek is also one of the best Trip that you don’t want to miss. It’s located in Nepal
It would be well worth joining AWE365.com as it is free to promote your treks and other adventures.