By Katy A seasoned budget traveller, Editor Katy has already been to every country in the EU, and is gradually ticking off the rest of the world - when she can bear to leave her cats.

Solo travel is one of those topics that we get asked about all the time. Understandably, the idea of going it alone for the first time—or in a new part of the world—can be daunting. Thankfully, there are loads of great resources out there to help us find our feet, and many of you, our wonderful readers, have been kind enough to share your experiences and advice.

We’ve visited the topic from various different angles over the years, so it seemed only right that we finally pull together all the best tips we’ve gathered. Let’s start off with general rules of play from across the JFC community, including member Shuo, who we interviewed in 2021:

• Enjoy going with the flow and not always following plans. You’re on your own, you can choose where you go and when. Sometimes the best experiences are completely unexpected.

  Shuo says: Take advantage of indirect flights - make as many stopovers as you can. Don’t think of it as an inconvenience, treat it as an opportunity to see somewhere else and get a cheaper flight into the bargain!

• Embrace the locals, but stay safe. You don’t need to give away personal information or push yourself if you feel uncomfortable, but take the opportunity to chat with people in cafés and hear about their town. That said, you should still always keep your wits about you!

  Shuo says: Trust your instincts. Be streetwise and vigilant, don’t get expensive things out, stay on the inside of the pavement. Make sure you don’t come across like a tourist, like someone who doesn’t belong!

• If you have any special interests or hobbies, look for local meet-ups happening while you’re in town. Parkruns and boardgame cafés are good examples of places you can find no-obligations company for a few hours.

  Shuo says: There’s no need to worry - you will meet others. Travelling solo forces you to meet people, to be sociable. You have to fend for yourself, get that train ticket, learn that language.
  I know a lot of solo travellers use Couchsurfing to meet locals and immerse themselves in the culture. Along the way, you’ll meet like-minded people who’ll ask if you want to join in their own mini adventures. Don’t live your life in regret, just say yes (within reason, of course)!

• Make sure you have several copies of your passport and multiple cards stored in different places, just in case you lose something. And always carry a little cash in USD, GBP or EUR in case of emergencies.

  Shuo says: In South America, I also used to carry a spoof wallet with a bit of money in it, just in case it was ever needed in a mugging.

• Get a self-applicator for sun cream. It’s either that or asking a stranger to help you out—I know which I’d choose…

Adopting these mindsets and tips should work for everyone, regardless of where you travel. However, it won’t quite cut the mustard for many of us. Indeed, we’re often asked for advice specifically for women travelling solo.

Women’s Solo Travel

A couple of years ago, we interviewed JFC-er Priti, who packed in her job, car, and house in California to become a full-time traveller at the age of 55. Here’s what she had to say when we asked her what advice she had for other would-be female solo travellers:

Priti also recommends staying in hostels, as much for the social aspect as for the budget. As an avid cook, she has found that people naturally gravitate to the kitchen for a chat—an excellent solution for anyone anxious about eating alone every night. But since most hostels also offer private rooms, you still have the option to retire for the night in peace.

You can read our full interview with Priti here. Fair warning: these interviews were originally published in November 2021, so prepare yourself for more than a few mentions of the pandemic.

Back to the present day, and Detour reader Margaret recently got in touch to share her favourite solo travel experience with us:

Travellers just like ourselves is often exactly what we need to help us find the confidence to take that leap. The Solo Female Traveler Network is an invaluable resource for finding answers to those questions you never knew you had, while Women on the Road has handy resources for budgeting, packing, finding a travel buddy, and more.

Of course, concerns about solo travel can stretch beyond gender, to race, religion, sexuality, accessibility, and more.

Just last week, CN Traveler published an article full of great pointers for solo Muslim women looking to join group tours that work for them. While religion isn’t necessarily the focus of these tours, things like prayer schedules and finding Halal restaurants are all baked into the plans. You’ll also find comprehensive advice for solo Muslim travellers—and Muslim-friendly travel in general—over on Muslim Travel Girl.

Black Solo Travel

In the past, we’ve also covered tips for Black solo travellers. While we always recommend doing your own research when it comes to concerns about prejudice or racism abroad, we have found a few useful websites to get you started.

Personal blogs on sites like Travel Noire, which has a fantastic selection of traveller stories, and the community reviews from Black And Abroad are good starting points. Checking those recommendations against first-hand experiences on Reddit or groups like The Black Travelers Network is the best way to make sure you’ve got all the facts.

It can also be pretty reassuring to read the experiences of solo travellers like Diana Petterson and Jessica Nabongo—officially the first black woman to have visited every country in the world—whose main takeaway is that most people across the globe are essentially welcoming and kind.

You can find the full article on Black solo travel here, including the destinations that come most frequently recommended by Black solo travellers.

LGBTQ+ Solo Travel

And then there’s the other kinds of prejudice you might worry about, such as homophobia or transphobia. For LGBTQ+ solo travellers, Asher Fergusson’s LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index and Global Trans Rights Index are invaluable resources when it comes to working out just how safe a country is.

For international travel guides and research advice specifically for LGBTQ+ travellers, IGLTA is a fountain of knowledge. They also have a great tours section, where solo travellers can find all kinds of group trips, from simple city breaks to Antarctica Pride Cruises (that’s right, you can celebrate Pride on the Drake Passage!). And for some of our favourite LGBTQ+ friendly destinations, check out this Detour from September 2022.

Accessible Solo Travel

Finally, we’re delighted to have noticed an increasing number of resources surrounding accessible travel and, as a result, more advice for solo travellers with disabilities.

World On Wheels covers practical tips for air travel and cruising with a disability, as well as wheelchair-accessible group tours, while Journey Woman and CN Traveller have countless inspirational stories from travellers with all kinds of accessibility needs.

Many of the sites and group tours aimed at disabled solo travellers still tend towards the assumption that you’re also of a certain age. I’d suggest that no matter how old you are, joining an online community such as tabifolk is the best way to find out how accessible the places you hope to visit really are.

These resources are by no means exhaustive, and we’d encourage anyone to research their destination thoroughly before embarking on a solo trip. Not just because it’s wise to know how safe, accepting, or accessible it’ll be for you, but also because this time, it’s up to you to make your trip what you want it to be.

It’s exciting. It’s scary. But it also feels pretty good!

Have you ever travelled solo? Did you find any handy resources that helped you prepare? Hit ‘Reply’ to tell us about your experiences—good or bad—and share your tips with the JFC community.

Answered by Kristi Flight Finder Kristi is on a break from her beloved Rockies while she travels the world as a digital nomad. And when she isn't travelling, she's dreaming up her next destination!

As a Western Canadian, your Canada trip dates are the exact time that I'd recommend, so great planning! You will get warm weather (although no promises), jaw-droppingly gorgeous hiking, active wildlife and even a little peek at the Calgary Stampede.

Golden is home to one of the best bang-for-your-buck via ferratas in Western Canada. In a few short hours, you can be clinging to the side of a mountain, hundreds of feet in the air, or walking the plank between sheer cliff faces. As a bonus, the gondola to the start of the climb flies over a grizzly bear preserve—keep your eyes peeled for The Boss.

Golden also has a dizzying cliffside swing, axe throwing and a zippy mountain coaster. Essentially, there are plenty of opportunities to get your thrills!

With those free six days, I’d recommend you look to The Rocky Mountain parks: Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper. They’re absolutely world-class destinations in their own right, made for getting out there and enjoying the wilderness. Check out this article I wrote on the Canadian Rockies for some of my favourite hikes in the area.

Banff (Canmore) has the Triple Crown challenge if you’re looking to really push yourselves. But afterwards, you should definitely relax those aching muscles with a loooooong soak in steaming mineral water. Skip the touristy Banff Hot Springs and splurge on a day pass to the Fairmont Banff Springs.

While you’re in Banff, I’d highly recommend checking out Park for some of the best food in town, set in a laid back plaid-and-campfire atmosphere. The cherry on top? They have a distillery right on site…

Back in Calgary itself, the Stampede runs July 5-14, so you should catch the start of it. However you feel about the rodeo or fairgrounds, the Stampede is a fun time. There are free pancake breakfasts across the city, and everyone/everything is dressed up in their shiniest cowboy gear.

Also, a little known fact is that the Stampede actually opens on the Thursday night before the official run (on the evening of 4th July). As a Calgarian, this is when I go to the show—waaaaay fewer crowds in line for the weird and wacky foods, and half price to boot. Make sure to check kijiji.ca for Grandstand Show tickets for this special event (they aren’t officially sold, just given away to their sponsors’ employees who may resell).

For non-Stampede-but-still-charmingly-cowboy-themed Calgary activities, I’d recommend Ranchman’s Club, a fairly authentic western bar that still has two-stepping before the post-dinner crowd turns the place into a proper club (albeit one that still includes a mechanical bull).

Next up? Alberta beef is famous for a reason, if your wallet is really weighing you down, you could tackle a tender tomahawk or hunt down Alberta’s Wagyu steak. Big Sky BBQ is a more budget-friendly hit that never disappoints…

Finally, if you need to give your cowboy boots a break, there are many modern and creative restaurants to be found as well. Ten Foot Henry, Orchard and Major Tom are always solid choices (but make reservations well ahead of time!). Curiocity Calgary is the go-to for hearing about pop-ups and special events in the city. Betty Lou’s Library and Ajito are my favourite hidden bars, but there are a surprising number of options, so check out this list for different themes.

I hope that gives you some inspiration, and you both have a great trip! Don't forget to send us a postcard :-)

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across the web this week.

• While chocolate bars continue to shrink, planes just keep getting bigger and bigger.
• Here are some top tips for achieving the seemingly impossible: sleeping on a plane!
• As the safety of Boeing’s aircraft continues to be scrutinised, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary jumps into the headlines once again to add his two cents about years of quality control issues.
• And finally, if you’re looking forward to a lazy afternoon out on the water this Easter weekend, watch out for the unusually hairy pirates cruising around on a swan pedalo…