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A Guide to Travelling Solo for Seniors

Travelling solo can be unnerving at any age but sometimes becomes more so as you get older. However, just because you have celebrated a few trips around the sun, it doesn’t mean travelling on your own needs to be any more challenging. Solo...
06 November, 2018Senior male solo traveller

Travelling solo can be unnerving at any age but sometimes becomes more so as you get older. However, just because you have celebrated a few trips around the sun, it doesn’t mean travelling on your own needs to be any more challenging.

Solo travel is on the rise and it’s not just for the young ones galivanting off to enjoy a gap year, like you may also have done in your youth! More and more seniors are taking up the chance to explore the world on their own terms and in their own time. Some travel to satisfy a curiosity, to tick off a bucket list, to explore their interests independently, to heal, to grow, to discover, to relive, to experience something new, and sometimes to find themselves all over again in a new stage of life. No matter your situation, you are not alone. Even if you are travelling solo.

So, what are my options when travelling solo?

All tour and cruise operators offer the option to travel solo. On tour you can usually opt to be paired with another same sex traveller and share a room at no extra cost, or you can pay a surcharge called a ‘single supplement’ to have a room to yourself. On a river cruise you don’t get the option to be paired with another traveller unless you book together, so you will usually pay a single supplement to occupy a twin cabin to yourself.

There are also a few cruise lines including APT, Scenic and Viking that have a limited number of single staterooms on their river cruise fleet that offer great rates for solos. Both tour and cruise operators recognise the increasing number of solo travellers and regularly discount single supplement costs and sometimes waive them completely. Tauck for example charge no single supplement on all their European river cruises in their Category 1 Cabins, so travelling solo definitely doesn’t need to break the bank.

Mature travellers dining

What travel style should I consider as a solo senior?

Everyone wants something different out of their holiday, regardless of their age. When you become a ‘senior’ you don’t automatically fit into one box, and operators recognise and appreciate this. You will find an endless array of itineraries catering to all interests and ages, spanning all fitness levels from easy to moderate and progressively challenging. All accommodate solo travellers and can be a perfect fit for those travelling alone later in life.

Active tours

If you are after an active adventure, there are hiking trips and biking tours that can be incredibly rewarding and showcase a different side to a destination. These are great for solo travellers, as there is a shared sense of comradery as you conquer each stretch of your journey. These are run as small group tours with an average of 10 kindred spirits, so it is a great setting to form strong bonds and share incredible experiences with new friends. Most of these trips are also made up of approximately half solos, so you won’t feel alone.

Active tours require a considerable level of fitness and some rely solely on your endurance to get you from place to place. Others only do a few strenuous activities on the tour, and some are more moderate. Trips generally have a physical rating in the trip notes to take into consideration along with the day to day itinerary when choosing your holiday.

Camino de Santiago Walk, Spain

River Cruises

If you prefer to take things a little easier, a river cruise is the way to go. River cruising is one of the most relaxing ways to travel and offers the most flexibility. You can choose to be as active or easy-going as you choose, and as social or as private as you like. There are excursions that cater to the energetic adventurer and those that want to holiday at a leisurely pace, offering gentle walking options or the choice to stay onboard if you prefer.

River cruises accommodate fewer than 200 passengers, so it is a great environment for seniors travelling solo. There are activities hosted onboard that encourage socialising, and you can choose to participate or enjoy some ‘me’ time elsewhere on the ship. Onboard there is ‘open dining’ which means there are no allocated seats at meal times and you can mingle with as many or few people as you like. Most river cruises have an average passenger age of 50+ and some, like Tauck, sit at 60+. You’ll travel with people not only in the same stage of life, but with shared interests and an alike desire to explore the world.

Solo woman traveller

Overland Tours

If you are looking to travel overland you can take a coach tour or choose to travel by rail. You can match the itinerary to your ‘must-see’ list or perhaps take a special interest tour to uncover battlefields, take a faith based exploration, meander stunning gardens, or indulge your palate. On these tours you can choose your group size and whether you prefer to take a small group tour or coach tour.

Travelling on a guided tour solo means that you have a platform to build new friendships and interact with likeminded people. There are specific youth tours for a younger audience, so many coach and rail tours outside of this scope cater to the more mature traveller. You’ll tour with likeminded travellers, have the security of touring with a group, get great value for money, and have access to experiences you may find difficult to uncover independently.

Mature travellers sharing a meal

What if I have mobility or health concerns?

When choosing your itinerary, it is important to read the itinerary details and trip notes carefully to ensure it suits your needs. If you have any mobility or health concerns you will need to raise these with your consultant so they can help you choose a holiday that will be appropriate for you. They will also be able to pass on any necessary information to the tour or river cruise operator and liaise with them to ensure you have a hassle-free and enjoyable trip.

Limited mobility

If you are travelling solo, then you will need to be able to participate in your tour or river cruise without requiring assistance or special care. Operators may ask that you fill out a mobility form prior to travel so they are aware of your needs and will do everything they can to ensure you have a smooth journey. Operators however cannot ask their staff to provide special assistance to guests, and therefore you must be able to undertake the trip without the need for them to do so.

If you are travelling on a coach tour you will need to be able to step up into the vehicle unassisted. Depending on your destination and itinerary you are likely to walk considerable distances, over uneven surfaces, explore sites with stairs, and stay in properties without elevators. You can choose the day trips and experiences that are most suitable and opt out of those that aren’t, however, the operator will not be held accountable for any missed excursions that you are unable to participate in.

Solo Senior Traveller

Travelling by river cruise is a great way to choose your own pace and enjoy time onboard as an alternative to joining one of the many excursions on offer. Onboard your river cruise ship it is likely you will have to climb stairs to the sundeck and possibly disembark over another vessel as they do often dock side by side. On some ships the elevator does not service all passenger decks and you may find doorways on river cruise ships too narrow for some mobility aids.

If you are planning to travel with a mobility aid it is important to check any restrictions that apply to your trip. The carriage of mobility aids is often restricted or not permitted on coach tours as there is not enough room to accommodate them. Collapsible mobility aids are usually accepted on river cruise ships however, these need to comply with the dimensions set by the operator. Please confirm any details for your tour or river cruise holiday with your consultant.

Carriage of luggage

Travelling with a lot of luggage can be challenging and packing light is important so that you are not stuck heaving around a huge suitcase, particularly if you have mobility concerns that make this challenging. If you have difficulty carrying your luggage or are likely to pack more than you can comfortably carry, then book a tour with porterage included or consider a river cruise where you only have to unpack once and need not worry about your bag at all on the journey.

Hotel porter helping traveller with baggage

Travelling with medication

If you need to travel with prescription medication, then ensure you have enough to last you for the duration your holiday. It can be difficult and time consuming to get scripts filled overseas, so where possible, it is advisable have enough stock with you when you head off on holidays. In saying that, some countries do limit the quantity of certain medications or restrict the entry of certain drugs, so it is always important to check the travel advice and relevant embassy guidelines prior to travel to ensure your medicine is legal there. When travelling with medication it is always advisable to keep it in its original packaging and have an accompanying letter from your doctor.

Travel insurance

Whether you have pre-existing medical conditions or are as fit as a fiddle, it is important to look into travel insurance for your holiday. Global Journeys strongly recommends that all clients have an insurance policy for their travel and this is also a requirement to travel with some operators. Protection and inclusions vary by provider, so you will need to review the policy you are considering to ensure the cover suits your needs. To find out more, please visit our Travel Insurance section for further information.

I’m ready – now what?

Travelling solo as a senior is more popular, more accessible, and more personalised than ever. Like with any travel experience, there are things to be aware of and prepared for, however, if you choose the right itinerary and operator for you, then you need not worry about going it alone. Every trip on the Global Journeys website has a day by day itinerary with trip notes so that you can match your holiday to your interests and make sure the pace and experiences are just what you are after.

There are plenty of mature solo travellers jet setting off and adding more stamps to their passports. Why not join them? With an abundance of touring and river cruising options, the world is your oyster.

Happy woman traveller on beach
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