Travelling solo is a bit of a contradiction – as you’ll probably only be solo for the duration of your first flight! For me heading off on my own, with a severely overweight backpack, to South America was one of the best decisions I ever made! Naturally I had a complete panicky moment when I first landed in Rio, Brazil and my “Find My Friends” app reliably revealed my Dad was 5,000 miles away! However, once you get over the initial WHAT THE?! it is an incredible experience I would highly recommend and if you’re even contemplating giving it a whirl – it’s for you.

You also don’t necessarily have to be heading off for months on end, nowadays so many people factor in a trip to destinations like Peru, Nepal or New Zealand as part of their 2/3 week annual holiday. Group tours are a great option for this type of break as they remove any stress in terms of sorting out your itinerary or booking bus tickets, accommodation etc. Although there is nothing quite like the exhilaration of being left stranded at a bus station for 10 hours, due to your own ill-prepared efforts!

In my case I was heading off for a few months and I found a mix of going it alone and organised group tours worked a treat. Planning my route from home beforehand was half the craic and gave me an insight into the various countries; the climate, must-see sights, treks and activities I definitely did not want to miss! But be flexible, I rejigged my route a few times based on recommendations from people I met along the way and found some incredible places that were never on the agenda!

Safety 

I think this is the number one concern for most people, especially once you move outside of westernised countries. Yes, you need to be careful, I know women in particular can feel more vulnerable travelling solo but South America as a continent is extremely tourist-friendly. Taking a few basic steps ensured I enjoyed my trip worry free – I didn’t head out at night alone (once you make pals in a hostel/group tour you’re good to go) or walk around cities with my Canon dangling around my neck – (I kept it safe and secure in a nondescript backpack…a fancy branded camera bag is definitely not advisable!). I also dropped a text home every day so someone knew where I was and made sure I had the local emergency number saved in my phone.

It’s also a good idea to read up about the customs and culture of each country in advance  – you definitely don’t want to go against the moral code by rocking around in a pair of hot pants! That said, South America is pretty relaxed clothing wise, including the beach areas. Plus learn a few essential words in the local language for when you’re off the tourist track.

Unfortunately, with the world we live in anyone can be unlucky but taking basic safety precautions like these, that have been ingrained in most of us, will keep you feeling safe and secure on the road.

Group Tours

Some high-brow travellers think group tours aren’t “real” travelling, I completely disagree, if you’re starting out on a solo trip they are a great way to kick-off! You’ll meet a bunch of people, feel safe and secure within the group and get a chance to actually relax with buses, accommodation etc. booked for a few days.

Before heading off I researched a multitude of options, you can even do your whole trip across South America within a planned tour if you like! Personally I was looking for a short one to start off,  so I settled on an initial 14-day trip to get a taste for it. This tour travelled across Brazil, down through the southern islands and into Uruguay. The fear is always there…what if my group is full of weirdos and I’m stuck with them for 14 DAYS! But the reality is, people who book these tours are travellers just like you, they want to see new places and meet new people!

There are a myriad of options when it comes to tour operators; Intrepid Travel, Gecko Adventures …but I went with G Adventures as it suited my dates and travel plan. They offer a YOLO option, ideal for travellers who are backpacking, active and don’t mind sharing basic hotel/hostel style accommodation. The tour is recommended for people aged 18-39 and the majority of people ranged from mid 20’s – mid 30’s.

The group size was perfect, there were 12 of us in total and most members were flying solo! The itinerary is fixed in terms of duration, transport and accommodation choice, then you can pick and choose which activities to do, where to eat etc. on arrival at each location. “Romina” our local guide was amazing and her insight into the culture and history of every location was invaluable. Naturally you do tend to get into a bit of group mentality, going for dinner together/hanging out most evenings but I really enjoyed this aspect and the option do your own thing was always there. For me, it was an incredible experience with a fabulous bunch of people and spurred me on to book another trip with G Adventures later in my travels.

Cost – YOLO tours are designed for people on a budget, if you’re hardcore there’s an even cheaper “shoestring” option but that had a little bit too much camping for me! Overall, it only cost me marginally more than if I’d booked everything myself and taking the whole experience into account I was more then happy to part with the extra shillings. Most of my additional spends went on activities and too many delicious dinners with the gang, but sure a girl’s got to eat! 

Amigos/Amigas!

This brings me back to my original point that you’ll rarely actually be “solo” when travelling alone! Unless of course you’re having a quiet coffee/book moment. Friends I’ve made during my travels have become genuine pals for life and not just because they’ve seen me at my worst; crippled with food poisoning, falling off horses and losing the will to keep hiking up that god damn mountain in torrential rain!

Once the daily routine is left behind you’re instantly more at ease and open to meeting people – plus it’s completely socially acceptable to strike up a random conversation on a bus or ask a respectable looking stranger to mind your bag on the beach while you take a dip! – EMBRACE IT 🙂

I hope this post has you feeling ready to hit the road! I’d love to hear about your experiences of going solo..any tips or recommendations, please feel free to share below!