How to Plan Your First Solo Trip: A Beginner’s Guide

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Planning your first solo trip can feel both exciting and terrifying. One minute you’re imagining yourself wandering the streets of a new city, hiking beautiful trails, or sipping coffee while people watching, and the next you’re wondering, What if I choose the wrong destination? What if I get lonely? What if something goes wrong?

But the good news is that planning your first solo adventure doesn’t have to be daunting. Once you break it down into smaller steps, it will feel much more manageable.

From choosing the perfect destination and setting a realistic budget to booking the right accommodation, staying safe and preparing for those pre-trip nerves, following a simple process can make everything feel more achievable.

After more than 15 years of travelling solo across the world, I’ve learned plenty of lessons the hard way. I’ve made mistakes, discovered the tools that really make solo travel easier, and found practical ways to stay safe.

I’ll walk you through exactly how to plan your first solo trip step by step, sharing the advice I wish I’d had before I set off on my very first adventure at the age of 18.

By the time we’re done, you’ll have a clear plan, plenty of practical tips and, hopefully, the confidence to start planning your first solo trip!

Step 1: Choose the Right Destination for Your First Solo Trip

This is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your very first solo trip. The destination you choose can make or break your experience and could determine whether you fall in love with solo travel or not.

When I first started solo travelling, I chose countries that felt ‘safe’ to me, which meant countries with a similar culture and no language barrier, straightforward public transport, and within my budget. Now, after 15+ years of solo travel, I have become more confident and regularly travel solo in more challenging destinations.

When choosing the best places for solo female travel, consider how comfortable you will feel. This not only depends on the country, but also on you as a person. Particular destinations may be safe for some but not others, depending on your race or sexual orientation. It also depends on what kind of trip you prefer. For example, do you prefer countryside or city, beach or mountains?

It’s also important to consider the destination’s reputation for petty crime, violence towards women, and whether the country has a stable government.

I regularly check the Global Peace Index 2025 when I plan my solo trips. The Index is updated every year and ranks countries in order of safety, using things like risk of terrorism, risk of violent crime, and political instability as indicators.

It’s not a perfect system. Just because a country is ranked as one of the ‘safest’ in the world doesn’t mean nothing bad ever happens there, but it can be a useful tool to identify potential destinations.

Step 2: Decide On Your Budget

Once you’ve decided on a destination, or have a few destinations to choose from, you’ll need to decide on how much you can afford to spend.

In fact, your budget might actually influence which destination you choose. Can you afford to fly long-haul? Or would a few days in a nearby city be more affordable?

Factor in flights, accommodation, food, activities and tours and ensure you have an emergency fund for any unexpected costs.

As a solo traveller, you will often need to pay a ‘single supplement’ if you join group tours and want your own room. You can usually book a shared room if you want to avoid the single supplement cost, but if you’d prefer to have your own privacy, you’ll need to factor in the extra cost of booking a room to yourself.

Step 3: Decide How Long to Go For

When booking your first solo adventure, you might want to consider a shorter trip to get used to travelling alone. Having said that, I know people who went backpacking on the other side of the world for months on their first solo trip, so it really depends on how confident you feel.

If you’re nervous about your first solo trip, I recommend booking somewhere closer to home for a few nights to build your confidence. It could be a nearby city for an overnight break, or a solo weekend break in a country just a short flight away.

For my first few solo adventures, I planned short 2-night breaks in nearby European cities, or travelled to destinations where I had friends living nearby such as in Canada. For my very first trip, I spent 2-weeks visiting friends in Ottawa and then booked 2 days in Toronto which is just a 4-hour train ride away.

Step 4: Book Your Flights

Although booking my flights is always my first task, I do also check the cost of accommodation before I book flights to make sure there are accommodation options within my budget and that there aren’t any surprises.

The tips around booking flights on a specific day of the week, or booking six weeks before your flight aren’t really true anymore. Instead, I recommend you do your research and book via SkyScanner, which is my favourite flight tool.

I also use ChatGPT to help me find flight routes I hadn’t considered and to check airlines that don’t appear on comparison tools like Skyscanner and Google Flights.

If possible, try to time your flights so that you aren’t arriving very late at night and can get to your accommodation in daylight. This will help you to acclimatise to the destination and get your bearings, and also avoids having to figure out new roads or a new public transport system late at night when you’re tired.

Step 5: Choose Safe Accommodation

Over the last 15+ years of solo travel, I’ve stayed in both Airbnbs and hotels. Both can work, but over time, I’ve come to prefer hotels or hostels.

The main reason is the support you can access from staff at hotels. If something goes wrong, there’s a reception desk with real people who can help you. In Botswana, I was stranded in a town with no phone and no means of getting back. I managed to get someone to call my hotel, and they arranged a taxi for me right away. If I’d been in an Airbnb, I would’ve been on my own.

Hotels also add an extra layer of security. A staffed entrance and key card access create a barrier between your room and the street. Although of course, that’s not to say staying in hotels is always 100% risk-free.

I’ve stayed in Airbnbs plenty of times and never had a problem, and I will likely stay in a self-catered apartment again. But for riskier destinations, I feel safer in a hotel.

When choosing your accommodation, look for somewhere that is in a central location and doesn’t require long journeys on foot or by public transport, especially at night. Staying in a central location, close to restaurants and attractions, can make a solo trip feel safer and easier.

Step 6: Plan Your Transport

Your first solo trip is not the time to wing it! Plan your transport in advance. Make sure you know how you’ll get from the airport to your hotel. Book airport transfers or a rental car in advance, or plan a route via public transport. If you’re booking a rental car, I recommend using Discover Cars for the best prices.

On my second solo trip to Paris, I was overconfident. I didn’t plan how to get from the airport to my hotel, thinking I’d just figure it out when I got there.

I ended up getting lost on the Paris Metro, got off three stops too early, and walked for 30 minutes in the pouring rain. I ended up soaked to my skin! It wasn’t fun, but I learned my lesson.

If I’d just planned my route ahead of time, I’d have saved myself the hassle and stress.

I also strongly recommend downloading offline maps, which you can do with Google Maps. You can download maps for an entire city if needed, so you can navigate even without data.

Step 7: Plan How You’ll Stay Connected

Staying connected while travelling solo is really important. Not only because your friends and family will want to check in, but also because it’s important for your safety.

I am a recent convert to eSIMs for phone coverage when travelling. Rather than having to buy a local SIM card at the airport, you can buy an eSIM online before you leave home. If you activate it before you take off, you can access data as soon as you land in your destination.

I recommend using Sim Local’s eSIMs as you can choose from a huge range of eSIMs for your destination, including data-only eSIMs and eSIMs with texts and minutes included. I’ve used Sim Local’s eSIMs in the UK and throughout Europe and always had fantastic service.

I recommend opting for an eSIM with texts and minutes included, so you can make phone calls in an emergency.

Step 8: Buy Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is essential. Even if you’re confident that everything will be fine, you can’t plan for the unexpected. Natural disasters, accidents, illness, or loss of belongings can all happen and are usually out of our control and totally unexpected.

I’m not into fear-mongering. But it doesn’t hurt to be prepared for potential risks.

I recommend Safety Wing Travel Insurance, which provides global health insurance and travel insurance for nomads in over 180 countries. It’s great for long-term travellers as it provides comprehensive coverage and 24/7 live customer care.

Whatever insurance you choose, make sure medical cover is included as a priority. Also ensure that any high-risk adventure activities such as winter sports, skydiving or rock climbing are covered, as these activities typically aren’t covered by standard travel insurance policies.

Step 9: Plan a Flexible Itinerary

It can be tempting to cram as many activities as possible into one trip, but I strongly recommend building some flexibility into your itinerary.

One of the best parts of solo travel is the people you meet along the way and the spontaneous plans that happen when you have nowhere else to be. This is especially true if you’re staying in a hostel where it’s easy to meet new people.

If you’re not looking to be super sociable on your first solo trip, that’s totally fine. I’m an introverted solo traveller too and prefer my own company to large, hectic hostels, but even I have days when I crave a little human company.

Knowing that this is the case, I try to leave some flexibility in my schedule so I can book a spontaneous group tour if I start to feel a little lonely. Group tours are one of my favourite ways to meet new people as it’s so easy to get talking to the other people on the tour. It’s even easy for an introvert like me!

Step 10: Prepare for Solo Travel Safety

If you’re scared about travelling alone, there are plenty of ways to improve your safety and reduce risk. Over 15 years of solo travel, I’ve picked up a fair few solo travel safety tips.

Share your itinerary with your family and friends, so they know where you’ll be and when you’ll check in, for your own safety and their peace of mind too.

I once made the mistake of forgetting to tell my parents I was going to be out of signal for 3 days and, of course, they panicked like crazy when they couldn’t get in touch with me. Now, I give my husband an itinerary of which hotels I will be staying in, my flight times, and roughly where I will be.

Other things you can do to increase your safety include researching any local scams, avoiding telling others that you are travelling alone (unless you feel safe to do so, in a hostel, for example), and dressing according to local customs to avoid drawing attention to yourself.

For a more in-depth guide to staying safe, I wrote a full resource with 29 solo female travel safety tips!

Step 11: Pack for Your First Solo Trip

When planning your first solo trip, remember that there will be no one there to help you carry your bags. So, make sure you pack light and can carry your own bags without assistance.

I take a small carry-on and a rucksack, and it’s amazing how much you can fit into a small bag when you know how to pack light.

Aside from saving money on checked luggage, travelling light makes it much easier to navigate airports, climb stairs, use public transport and walk to your accommodation without struggling with a heavy suitcase.

I also recommend keeping your most important items in the bag that stays with you. Your passport, phone, bank cards, medication, chargers and anything else you couldn’t easily replace should never be buried in checked luggage.

A few other things I always recommend packing for solo travel include a portable power bank, reusable water bottle, basic first aid supplies and copies of important travel documents.

Most importantly, don’t pack for every possible scenario. You can buy most things at your destination if you really need them.

Step 12: Prepare Mentally for Solo Travel

It’s completely normal to feel anxious or nervous before your first solo trip. I’ve been travelling solo for 15 years, and I still get the jitters from time to time. If you feel anxious, just remember that you’ll probably feel a lot better once you get to your destination and feel the thrill of travelling alone!

One of the best things you can do is accept that you don’t need to feel completely confident before you go. Confidence in solo travel usually comes from experience, so waiting until you’re no longer nervous could mean waiting forever.

Your first airport arrival, restaurant meal alone, or journey on unfamiliar public transport might feel daunting, but every little thing you successfully navigate will make the next one easier.

Don’t pressure on yourself to be fearless. You don’t need to transform into an ultra-confident adventurer the moment you step off the plane. Take things at your own pace, make choices that feel comfortable to you, and remember that you’re allowed to do solo travel your way.

If you have any questions about planning your first solo trip, I’d love to hear from you! Get in touch via the contact form, and I’ll try to answer your questions!