With Google searches for “solo travel” seeing an enormous 462.5% uplift in the last month alone. Here, travel and safari experts Go2Africa offer advice on how solo travellers can make the most of the trip, from
stay safe to meeting new people and everything in between.

Book a tour

A tour is a fantastic way to travel solo, as it allows you to meet likeminded people while experiencing something new. Tours are especially good for bigger solo adventures, such as safari travels. Solo travel in Africa is incredibly popular but can seem like a daunting trip to plan on your own, as there are so many different places to see. Using a reputable tour operator means you can plan easily, customise your package to best suit your preferences and can save yourself stress and time.

Hostel v hotel

As a solo traveller, hostels are typically the most popular form of accommodation as the shared rooms and spaces means it can be incredibly easy to make friends. Safety is often a concern for those travelling
for the first time, with Google searches for “hostel safety” seeing a 9900% uplift in the last month alone. However, most reputable hostels will provide lockers at no extra cost, to store your valuable possessions, and many offer a choice of private rooms or female-only shared rooms.

Hostels are also great for solo travellers, as they often cater with solo travellers in mind. Many hostels, especially bigger and more popular ones, will host events for travellers as a way to help guests get to know each other, as well as learn about the culture and customs of the destination.

Keep in touch with home

We all love the thought of going off the grid, however to ensure your safety you should keep in contact with home. To allow a trusted family member or close friend to keep an eye on your location, this can provide peace of mind for both you and your loved ones back at home. In addition, having a confidant back home means if you ever become overwhelmed when travelling (it happens!) you can reach out and instantly feel more comfortable. Doing this also allows you to indulge in your travelling stories.

Be flexible with yourself

Solo travelling is the perfect excuse to be selfish and do exactly what you want, when you want. Many of us have experienced the disappointment of a group holiday, where you’ve had to compromise on something you really wanted to do in order to go with the group, so solo travelling is your chance to indulge in all the activities you really want to do.

Another common concern for travellers is to ensure they do their trip “perfectly,” however this can’t always be expected. Be flexible with yourself, as just because you are visiting a certain location does not mean you need to tick every single sight off the list. Instead, prioritise what you really want to see and do. Anyway, not visiting all the sights in one trip is the perfect excuse to go back.

Buy a local SIM

Depending on your destination, you may find yourself with an unexpectedly high phone bill after your holiday of a lifetime. Even if you are travelling within the EU, according to Ofgem the amount your phone operator can charge you to use your phone abroad is no longer capped, meaning they can charge incredibly high prices to use data. Each phone network has a different roaming charge so you must check this before travelling.

If you know your phone operator will charge you a lot of money, then don’t be put off using this abroad. Instead, as soon as you land you should make it a priority to buy a local pay as you go SIM for your phone. Make a note of important numbers, from loved ones to emergency contacts, and top up accordingly. Make sure you aren’t putting yourself in a volatile position just because your phone operator is charging more.