solo travellers over 30

25 Fantastic Singles Travel Groups You’ll Love

By: Author Amanda OBrien

Posted on Last updated: 16/02/2024

A few years ago there were hardly any single travel groups that offered options for holidays for one – let alone companies who entirely focused on solo departures and looked at things like no single supplements etc and solo travel groups.

Thank goodness for the growth in singles travelling as now there is a good economic reason for companies to look at developing great offers for those looking for holidays for one.

There are now singles travel groups over 30s, single travel for over 50, singles travel getaways, luxury solo travel tours and singles travel getaways galore.

I will let you know which of these tour companies I have traveled with and which I haven’t – if you then go and do a tour on one of the ones I haven’t been on please do let me know what they are like – and I would love you to write a guest post if you’re up for it.

There are so many options for solo traveling today – here are some great trips for single travelers.

BEST SOLO TOUR OPERATOR: Short on time? You can’t go wrong with Explore which has a section dedicated to solo travel on their website.

• 30 Singles Travel Groups

Table of Contents

Top 3 Companies for Organised Solo Travel Vacations

1. group tours for solo travellers, 2. solo female travelers club, 3. luxury single traveller vacations, 4. solo travel companies that are specifically for traveling alone, 5. companies that specialise in adventure, 6. cruises for solo travelers, 7. charity based solo travel companies, 8. passion-based solo travel tours, 9. something different for single travel groups, solo travel tips, 1. mix up your plans, 2. avoid school holidays, 3. fill up your kindle, frequently asked questions about solo travel, are there travel companies just for single people, what is the best holiday destination for singles, is solo travel lonely, how do i meet other female solo travelers, who paid for what with this singles travel groups post.

#1 TOP PICK

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Explore ✔️ Dedicated Solo Tours ✔️ Small Group Tours ✔️ No single supplement

G Adventures ✔️ No single supplement ✔️ Free time in itineraries ✔️ Evening Group Meals

Encounters Travel ✔️ Private & Small Group Focus ✔️ 20 Years Experience ✔️ Range of Tours

Explore is perhaps one of the best singles travel groups. It is also the company I have been a traveling single with the most so the best place to start! Explore has been running since 1981 so they have loads of experience with running tours.

Explore covers over 100 countries and has a maximum group size of 11 and there is no single supplement if you take a shared room. There is an option to have your own room but that does cost extra. They prioritize working with locals and do a great job finding expert guides.

Around 60% of people who go on Explore trips are traveling on their own and they break down solo vacations into age groups on their website which is really helpful.

My second recommendation for solo travel vacations is G Adventures . They have a wide range of small-group trips designed for the solo traveler. There is no single supplement as long as you are willing to share a room with someone of the same sex. G Adventures also offers single rooms at reasonable prices if that is your preference.

The itineraries for G Adventures trips tend to have more free time than some of the other tour companies in this article. This is great if you are someone that likes to have some time to yourself to relax or explore further but want the support and structure of an organised group trip.

One of the most difficult parts of solo travel can be dinner. Eating on your own can feel lonely and isolating. The tour leader organizes group meals most nights, so if you want company you will almost be able to find it.

If you are traveling alone one of the best ways not to feel like it is to join a group doing some challenge – when I summited Kilimanjaro on an organized solo tour. we were a team from almost the word go. More than half of the trip was traveling solo – some were single, some had partners who didn’t want to go, some like me had someone pull out last minute etc.

It didn’t matter who you had arrived with – what mattered was everyone wanted someone to talk to about whether or not to take Diamox, tips on altitude, share lollies, etc etc.

Check G Adventures Tours and Prices

Check Explore Tours and Prices

I have done two travel solo tours with friends – North India and cycling Southern Iceland . Again an activity-based trip can be a great travel for singles option – particularly as you tend to be exhausted every night and eat and sleep.

⇒ Don’t miss my Complete Guides to Singles Holidays over 40s – and Vacations for over 50 singles – these thorough guides have all of the most commonly asked questions about Solo Travel – and everything I have learned.

⇒ Still not sure about group travel for singles? Check out this great post on The Benefits of Solo Trave l .

Solo Female Travelers Club is a community of more than 90,000, run by the fantastic travel bloggers Meg and Mar. The heart of the community is their Facebook group, which has some great information and is the perfect way to meet other females interested in traveling solo.

Meg and Mar also run female-only small group tours that range from luxury retreats to adventurous expeditions in some awesome locations.

One company I have been particularly keen to try but it just hasn’t worked out on timings and destinations is Flash Pack . I love the tone and feel of their website – it is very much about boutique adventures.

They focus on people in their 30s and 40s and seem to have some great travel groups for solo travelers.

Australian based Travelling Divas also promises boutique hotels and customized trips. I have also been very keen to try Cox and Kings solo holidays .

Cox and Kings have a great reputation as a high-end travel specialist so I am highly confident that the thread count on their sheets will be up to my standards based on how fantastic their hotels look.

These trips though will, of course, be at a premium to some of the other options I have mentioned. But their group travel singles options look terrific.

⇒ Looking for some travel inspiration? Check out this post on The Best Adventure and Travel Quotes .

⇒ Spas and skiing are terrific options for solo travelers. Check out my posts on the best Singles Ski Holiday options and on 30 Fabulous Solo Spa Breaks.

I would highly recommend that you think beyond the country you live in when it comes to solo travel groups. For example, quite a few travel companies based in Australia now run specific holidays for solo travel groups.

Encounter Travels is all about solo travel but not traveling alone as they say.

They also age match so if you are a 35-year-old solo traveler you won’t be in a group of people in their 70s. They do have quite a few trips to various parts of Australia but also a few trips to other places around the world.

Another solo travel company based in Australia is Twos a Crowd . Some UK based companies that specialize in solo travel groups are:

⇒ www.solosholidays.co.uk

⇒ www.justyou.co.uk

⇒ www.friendshiptravel.co.uk

For a more adventurous bent check out    8th-day adventures . They are a London based club that has lots of sporting events and other fun things that are a mix of social and activity.

They also run some group holidays which could be good for the more adventurous solo traveler eg Everest base camp

An interesting-sounding organization is Archaeo Adventures. This female-focused travel company looks at adventures in countries like Morocco and Jordan in small groups. They are about boutique hotels, working with locals, and off-the-beaten-track experiences.

Female-focused hosted adventure trips are also the focus of Living Big which is US-based. Another company specializing in solo travel groups USA is Overseas Adventure Travel , which offers some fantastic-sounding trips for adventurous solo travelers.

Heading to Australia there are Adventurous Women and Another World Adventures.  Another World Adventures curates adventures from different providers. It is a very comprehensive site with loads of options that sound great.

Even cruise ships have gotten on board with the growth in solo travel. Norwegian Cruise Line is the brand most commonly mentioned for having actually built single cabins and apparently there is a dedicated area for solo travelers.

They have several cruise brands – Norwegian Epic, Breakaway, Getaway, and Escape. But ensure you look closely as these can be more family-focused at certain times of the year – check out my top tip 2 below.

Encounter Travel also has loads of information on solo cruise options. They even have a “cabin mates wanted” section where you can potentially find another same-sex solo traveler with whom you can share a cabin.

There are a few organisations that run group tours that have some activity/challenge that supports a charity. These can be a great way to find others to travel with and the shared sense of purpose can surely add to the group bond.

Have a look at Global Adventure Challenges and Charity Challenge.

An organized trip around an activity you love that is also about solo travel is a fantastic formula to follow. Even if you don’t really bond with anyone on the trip if you have learned more about Italian cooking or photographing sea life it is a well-spent holiday.

Quite a few organizations I have listed above offer planned trips around passions and hobbies. Here are a few others I’ve found:

Frui has some fantastic looking passion-based trips – from photography (a great one for solo travel) to painting to food in some lovely locations. I did a day class with them once in London in photography and they were great.

The Red Sea in Egypt appears to be a very popular solo travel spot – most likely driven by the amount of activity that can be done in the water. There are also numerous diving and/or underwater photography courses in the area.

Skyros is a very famous spot in Greece for activity/passion-based trips. They used to have a bit of a self-help bent but now they are very focused on passions like painting, singing, yoga , and learning.

They have two locations in Greece and one on the Isle of Wight for taster weekends. According to their site, 70% of their travelers are between 40 and 60, and most travel solo. This is a great option if you’re looking for singles travel groups over 40.

In August 2017, I spent a month living life Unsettled in Medellin Colombia, and loved it. Unsettled is a fantastic concept. Essentially it aims to give people the experience of living in a city for a month rather than being a tourist.

It does this because it has about 25-30 people sign up, organizes apartments and coworking space and sets up activities that you can participate in as much or as little as you like.

The other people on the trip are your community, the hosts act as your connection to local life and having an apartment and workspace means it feels more like living.

They choose brilliant locations from Buenos Aires to Cape Town to Barcelona . I highly recommend checking them out.

If you decide to live life Unsettled then use the code “FRIENDSOFUNSETTLED”  and tell them that the Boutique Adventurer sent you for a discount of USD$150 .

A great way to travel solo is to mix things up. If you were heading to say Australia you could go and stay in a spa for a few days (a great way to meet people), head to say Sydney on your own and stay at a boutique hotel and use Tinder or join a meetup group.

You could then join an organized tour with someone like Explore, travel with them for a while, and then have some time solo again. Committing to a lengthy organized tour can be a bit much – plus it is hard to find one that covers everything that you want.

I find a mix is optimal – if you feel lonely it is only a few days till you have company, if you’re dying to be on your own again it’s only a few days till that happens. And you may very well meet others traveling alone on your organized section who are keen to have further adventures after the tour.

I have many friends I have met when traveling solo who become travel buddies and loads of other friends of mine are the same.

September is a great time to travel solo. Be careful of all organized tours/cruises etc during any school holiday time, particularly over the summer, as you may end up surrounded by families.

However, school has returned in September, and there are often many deals for solo travelers.

There is nothing like a good book to keep you company when traveling solo! I keep adding to my list – please email me with more suggestions! [email protected] .

I keep them all in my Amazon shop. And I have just launched a range of e-books aimed at solo travelers! I have an ebook on Solo Travel, my trip to Colombia with Unsettled and Everest Base Camp .

Yes! There are several travel companies just for single people as well as companies like G Adventures that offer trips designed for single travelers.

In my opinion, rather than focusing on a particular destination singles should look at holidays with a focus or goal like a cycling trip or a trek. This is most likely to bring together like-minded people and provide a common purpose.

It can be. The best way to avoid feeling lonely when traveling solo is to join an organised tour. Or if you are on your own look at staying in high-end hostels for some comfort and the chance to meet others. And a good book can transport you from any difficult situation! And don’t forget to check out things like the safest cities in the US to make sure you can relax during your trip.

There are several facebook groups for female solo travelers such as Solo Female Travelers (who also organise group trips for solo female travelers). I have also found that going to a spa/yoga retreat can be a good way to meet other female solo travelers.

I paid for everything associated with this post. This was completely me travelling and not working with any tourism boards or hotels or tour groups. Much of what is in this post is stuff I learned before I started my blog – and probably a lot of what led me to start a travel blog.

However, this singles travel groups post does contain affiliate links. That means that if you click through on them and make a purchase I may well receive a small commission. I just wanted to make sure that you knew.

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Amanda O’Brien is the creator and editor of The Boutique Adventurer. She has visited 80 countries and is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers as well as the IFTWTA. She is passionate about wine had has just completed Level 3 of the WSET. Born in Australia, she lives in London.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Pratik Sharma

Thursday 6th of August 2020

Amazing article. Thank you for sharing this blog for single travel groups.

Christian Alcantara

Thursday 7th of May 2020

I've never done solo travel before, but if ever that I plan to do so I will definitely get back at this post.

Sarena Wilson

Friday 11th of August 2017

Wow! Incredible beautiful site with great informative content. thanks for sharing this............post........... Everest trekking

Monday 15th of May 2017

Great ideas. I have done a lot of solo tour travel as I like the security of a tour when I am on my own. Some other companies:

Contiki is great for the 18-35s, especially when you haven't travelled much before.

My favourite company is G Adventures, no single supplement, but you can pay for your own room and a huge range of tours world wide. They are Canadian based. All ages, very budget and affordable.

Another one very similar to G Adventures but Australian based is Intrepid tours. World wide, budget, no single supplement but also has own room option if you don't want to share.

I have made life long friends on these tours when I was travelling solo. Now we meet up all over the world and do tours together!

Jocelyn Soltren

Friday 12th of May 2017

Awesome article thank you for sharing.

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Best Tour Companies for Singles

Book your next adventure with one of these options.

Ligaya Malones is an editor, blogger, and freelance writer specializing in food and travel. Ligaya's work has appeared in publications including Lonely Planet and BRIDES.

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A recent study showed that the solo travel industry is projected to experience a significant influx in the upcoming years. Whether you want to experience a solo adventure, see the world at your own convenience, or hope to meet new people along the way, there’s always something worthwhile about traveling by yourself. 

Luckily, there are plenty of travel companies that cater to solo travelers to make planning stress-free. Below, we’ve rounded up some of the best companies for every budget and travel preference to support your wanderlust—including our top picks for women-only and solo parent travel.

8 Best Tour Companies for Singles of 2024

• Best Experience: Exodus Travels
• Best for Ages 35-50: El Camino Travel
• Best Sustainable: G Adventures
• Best for True Solo Travel: Black Tomato
• Best for Ages 25-39: For The Love of Travel
• Best for 50+: Overseas Adventure Travel Rates
• Best Female: Wild Women Expeditions
• Best for Solo Parent Travel: Intrepid Travel

Best Experience : Exodus Travels

Courtesy of Exodus Travels

Traveling solo on an Exodus Travels group trip means access to self-guided and guided excursions around the world for every type of traveler. Choose a walking wine holiday in Portugal or explore Egypt via cruise boat and sleeper train, for example. Additionally, its Exodus Edits collection offers shorter itineraries of up to five days and is geared towards travelers in their 30s and 40s—though they’re ideal for anyone looking for more vigorous activity such as ziplining and surfing in Costa Rica or sampling street eats and beach hopping in Sicily. 

There is no single supplement fee when you room with a fellow traveler, and chances are you may end up with your own room anyway. Booking a travel itinerary with UK-based Exodus Travels includes a full refund should the company need to cancel your trip and a complimentary trip transfer to another tour or different person up to 21 days before the scheduled trip. Plus, travelers who book their third or more trips with Exodus receive a 5 percent discount on their next booking.

What’s more, the company works to curate trips that align with a number of United Nations sustainable development goals including goals for responsible consumption and production, empowering local communities, and climate action considerations. Exodus Travels (founded in 1974) was awarded Best Operator in National Geographic Traveller’s sixth annual Reader Awards in 2021.

Best for Ages 35-50 : El Camino Travel

Courtesy of Encounter Travel

According to El Camino Travel ’s founder, Katalina Mayorga, elder millennials are their strongest customer base. That means if you were born between 1980 and 1985 approximately, you’ll find yourself among curious, like-minded solo travelers looking to immerse themselves in destinations like Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, and the Eastern European nation of Georgia. Some trips even add a professional photographer to capture shareable shots so you can remain in the moment.

All of El Camino’s guided, small group trips max out at 12 participants. They’re also curated with an ethos of preserving and protecting local culture, the environment, and communities. For example, some of their partners include the Environmental Research Institute Charlotteville in Tobago and La Sierra Artist Residency in Santa Marta, Colombia.

Best Sustainable : G Adventures

Courtesy of Intrepid Travel

G Adventures is particularly known for its sustainable, responsible ethos. The company works with small, locally-owned hotels and operators to ensure your travel dollars benefit the community you’re visiting; outlines policies around child and animal welfare practices; aims to reduce single-use plastics, and works to ensure experiences taking place in Indigenous communities align with community goals.

Founded in 1990, G Adventures specializes in small group adventure tours to a host of destinations from Asia to South America and Africa to the Arctic. Nearly half of the travelers on every trip are flying solo, and there’s no single supplement if you choose to bunk with a same-sex roommate. Or, select your own room for a fee. 

A Chief Experience Officer leads each group tour and itineraries are searchable by travel style. For example, find wellness-centric trips like nine days of daily yoga, visits to Hindu temples, and partake in traditional healing ceremonies in Bali. Or travel with their partner, National Geographic, for an exclusive guided tour of South Africa’s Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden and a visit to Soweto township in Johannesburg, the home of Nelson Mandela. 

G Adventures partnered with hostel booking service Hostelworld in 2021 to launch its Roamies itineraries. Its combination of backpacking and organized travel itineraries includes countries like Albania, Mexico, the Netherlands, and Vietnam. The trips are marketed to 18- to 35-year-olds, though like-minded individuals keen on budget travel and communal environments may enjoy these trips, too.

Best for True Solo Travel : Black Tomato

Courtesy of G Adventures

Black Tomato specializes in bespoke luxury travel experiences. For those interested in traversing around the world solo and willing to pay a premium for tailored itineraries, its adventurous or culturally immersive experiences may just be your ticket.

Your travels might look like hiking and biking in Patagonia, embarking on a spiritual pilgrimage through Bhutan and India, chasing glaciers and geysers in Iceland, or learning to cook Georgia and Armenia’s local dishes or Japan’s regional cuisine.

In 2017, Black Tomato launched its Get Lost adventure travel experience. With the support of a dedicated team, and without prior knowledge of where they're headed, Get Lost participants will find their way home from an undisclosed location. The location is selected based on a pre-travel questionnaire about which environment clients would like to immerse themselves in. Then, they show up at the airport and the adventure begins.

Best for Ages 25-39 : For The Love of Travel

Courtesy of Contiki

With 80 percent of individuals traveling with For The Love of Travel jet -setting solo, each trip is packed with opportunities to meet fellow Millennial and Gen Z travel enthusiasts. For example, within your small “crew” of up to 14 people, make new friends doing snow sports and unwinding in saunas in Lapland or devouring tacos and sipping mezcal in Mexico City. Trips range from four to nine days, including weekends in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain wilderness or an extended weekend in Costa Rica where you’ll hike through rainforests, relax in hammocks, and hike, bike, or surf.

According to company feedback, the average FTLOT traveler is 30 years old and interested in meeting new people while traveling . The company bills itself as a mid-range travel company, where “​​we might stay in a more basic hotel for a couple of nights so we can include a Michelin-worthy meal and a private catamaran ride.” 

In 2022, FTLOT plans to offer at least 10 new itineraries including to Belize, Turkey, and Spain’s Basque Country. And for those with the flexibility, the company launched Sojrn in 2021 featuring month-long, themed stays in destinations like Cape Town—focused on biodiversity—and a fashion-oriented stay in Paris.

FTLOT requires an initial deposit and allows installment payments if not paid in full.

Best for 50+ : Overseas Adventure Travel Rates

Courtesy Flash Pack

Overseas Adventure Travel is primarily aimed at American travelers aged 50 and over. It offers guided itineraries to worldwide destinations, including Africa, Antarctica, Asia, and the South Pacific, with trips ranked by activity level and accompanied by a list of physical requirements to help select an itinerary that is best suited for you. For example, their Japan and South Korea itinerary advise that participants be able to carry their own luggage as the selected hotels do not have porter service.

Some of Overseas Adventure Travel’s most popular trips include 17 days of wending the Adriatic from Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina (think a walking tour in Dubrovnik, sampling traditional Bosnian food in Sarajevo, and exploring the countryside near Zagreb). On another popular trip, you spend 15 days traveling through Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, ending in Helsinki, Finland. All trips offer pre-and post-itinerary extensions, and either waive the single supplement entirely or offer a discount on a private room.

The company offers a free Roommate Matching Program which helps you find a like-minded, same-sex roommate. If they can’t find a match, your single supplement is deducted. Small group sizes typically average 13 travelers.

Overseas Adventure Travel won the Solo Travel Award for Best Tour in 2017 and 2018, thanks in large part to its policy of offering a limited number of single spaces for each itinerary.

Best Female : Wild Women Expeditions

Courtesy of Overseas Adventure Travel

It began as an all-women, Canada-based canoe tripping company in 1991, and Wild Women Expeditions is perfect for boundary-pushing women who want to travel independently and enjoy the safety and support of an organized tour. The company also prioritizes hiring female tour leaders and on-the-ground guides. It offers outdoor adventures for women of all ages and identities and with a range of physical abilities (“whether your greatest skill is tracking a storm or talking up a storm, summiting mountains or summoning courage, keeping your kayak in line or coloring outside the lines,” as the company describes).

The company travels to 31 destinations around the world like Egypt, Tanzania, and the Azores islands. Itineraries are typically adventure-based and are filtered on their website by activity, with options ranging from sailing to cycling and horse riding. Imagine yourself sea kayaking and snorkeling in the Galapagos or scaling glaciers in Alaska. 

Most guests are solo travelers and there’s no single supplement to worry about as accommodation is typically in a shared room or cabin. Though if privacy is a priority, you can usually snag your own room for a nominal extra fee. Group sizes are kept small and social with between six and 14 women, depending on the itinerary you choose. The average group size is eight. 

Wild Women Expeditions also takes care to curate trips that avoid or minimize the disturbance of wildlife; supports environmental education and advocacy projects; and partners with social justice and women’s rights organizations.

Want to take a look at some other options? See our guide to the best women-only adventure travel companies .

Best for Solo Parent Travel : Intrepid Travel

Courtesy of Wild Women Expeditions

Intrepid ’s family-themed holidays welcome adults traveling with children, including solo parents looking to travel with their kids without the stress of planning and coordinating a trip. Since each family’s travel needs and preferences are different, every itinerary includes an “essential trip information” section where Intrepid outlines whether the trip would be a good fit for you and your kids, as well as a physical rating from least to more strenuous activities. 

For example, an itinerary through part of the Amazon Jungle in Peru advises the jungle can be very hot and humid, and that the weather can be unpredictable in the Andes. On the other hand, an 11-day trip to Borneo island in Southeast Asia lists a minimum age of 5 and outlines a range of accommodations from hotels to guesthouses and jungle camps; on a few occasions, travel times between destinations range between four to five hours. Trips to Costa Rica, Tanzania, China, and Morocco are also listed.

Individuals under 17 years typically receive a 10 percent discount, and the company requires that adults have at least one child under 18 years traveling with them. As part of Intrepid’s commitment to responsible travel, itineraries support initiatives surrounding sustainability and conservation, climate education, and preservation of Indigenous culture.  

Mathieu Young / Getty Images

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Singles vacations for over 30s

Solo tours for 30 to 40 year olds.

All of our inspiring small group adventure tours are ideal for single travelers over 30, from walking trips to safaris, cycling adventures to cultural and foodie trips. And you’ll be in good company – around half the people in our small groups are typically traveling solo. You'll have all the excitement of traveling solo, but you'll never be alone as our small group trips are designed to offer authentic and often action-packed experiences with like-minded people, plus an expert group leader who takes care of all the day-to-day details for you. That means all you have to do is arrive and enjoy your trip, whether you want to be active and adventurous on one of our  Multi-Activity trips  or a scenic and challenging Cycling adventure or  Walking tour , or you want to get to know a new corner of the world and meet the locals on a  Discovery trip. Even if it's your first time traveling solo, you'll fit right in with your group and have an adventure to remember! New to Explore? Read more about traveling solo with us in our blog, which answers some of the most-asked questions. Please note our tours are not limited to 30 and 40 year olds , there may be a wider range of ages on the trip.

Adventure tours for singles over 30

At Explore, adventure tours are our speciality. That includes  adventure tours for single travelers , as we offer a variety of trip styles, themes and paces to suit every taste and energy level. Our Cultural Discovery trips are extremely popular for over 30s solo's as we plan your itinerary with daily activities, accommodation and transport, plus many meals, so you can focus on the adventure. Our faster-paced cultural trips include European group tours, such as the Journey through the Balkans trip, a 12-day tour around one of the world's most intriguing areas with plenty of opportunities to discover history, nature and Balkan city culture too. Foodies won't want to miss our  Classical Sicily  trip, where in between visits to spectacular and well-preserved archaeological sites there will be plenty of opportunities to indulge in exquisite local food and wine. Fancy venturing further afield? Explore Imperial cities, breathtaking mountain ranges and vast gorges on the  Highlights of Morocco  group trip, or become a  China Explorer  as we guide you through the Forbidden City, along the Great Wall and towards Shanghai, China's vibrant, modern city that cannot be missed.

Active adventures for solo travelers in their 30s

For over 30s solo travelers with energy to spare, join one of our group Active Adventure Tours where you can canoe, kayak, climb, or cycle to your heart's content! Our  Active Turkey!  trip includes a sea kayaking trip to the 'Sunken City' of Kekova, as well as swimming and snorkelling so you can truly get under the surface of this fascinating destination, or explore new heights by bike or raft on our scenic  Alpine Lakes of Slovenia  group trip. We also offer unforgettable trips for solo travelers over 30 that are ideal for keen walkers, trekkers or cyclists. Our Walking the Western US National Parks  trip includes the dramatic landscapes of the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Park. Or perhaps you'd like to join our walking  Adventures in Patagonia , as we make our way through the unbelievably varied and beautiful terrain of Argentina and Chile, or hop on two wheels to  Cycle Sicily  with fellow cycling enthusiasts - we'll even provide your bike.

Popular tours for 30+ year old solos

Jordan discovery.

South Africa & Eswatini

Toubkal Climb

Amalfi Coast Walking - Agriturismo

Maldive Dhoni Cruise

Explore the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Why take a solo travel tour in your 30s with Explore?

Unforgettable experiences

From big wows to hidden gems, our tours leave you feeling that you've really explored.

Expert tour leaders

Chosen for their great knowledge of your destination and a passion to make your trip extraordinary.

Small groups

Average groups of 11; solos, couples and friends, united by a desire for authentic experiences.

Responsible at heart

How we operate sets us apart; our flexible booking policy, our loyalty scheme & sustainable approach.

Other solo trip ideas

Solo tours for over 40s, solo tours for over 50s, solo tours for over 60s, solo adventure tours, solo walking trips, solo cycling tours, ready for your solo adventure.

Read more about our solo travel adventures

Top 10 trips for solo travelers

10 unusual places to visit as a solo traveller

First solo trip with Explore? Top 7 questions answered

Solo travel guide for women

Where to go? Our recommendations by month

7 questions answered for your first small-group adventure tour

Over30Experiences

Small group travel, international trips & adventures ages 30's & 40's, visualize the experience.

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Connect and travel with people your age.

While we have a slight different style than when we'd travel in our 20s , we're still looking for affordable trips so we can make travel a priority in our lives. Most of our travelers in their 30s and 40s come solo, but others come with friends, as a couple, but always leave the kids at home. Meet like-hearted folks, who want to be active, and know life doesn't end when you turn 30!

In 2008, Co-founders Jared O'Toole & Matt Wilson started the popular media site Under30CEO.com. In 2012, they founded Under30Experiences which was named the Fastest Growing Travel Company by Inc. Magazine. For years, people asked "what happens when we turn 30?" Over30Experiences is the answer.

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Solo travel tips, destinations, stories... the source for those who travel alone.

Solo Travel in Your 20s & 30s: Budget, Luxury & Gap Year Tips

There are many reasons why people travel solo in their twenties and thirties.

• Some go with something to prove – that they are strong and capable people.
• Some go for adventure, knowing that the experience will drop more surprises into their life than if they were with others.
• Still others travel solo reluctantly because there is one in their circle with the time and money to go.

Whatever the reason, whether the trip is on a tight budget or a more expansive one, whether it's a weekend getaway or a full gap year, traveling solo in your twenties and thirties is a life-altering experience. It may also be the first time that a person travels without someone else handling all the details.

Traveling alone for the first time is wonderful but it can also be daunting. We have hundreds of how-to posts offering solo travel tips and advice. This is a guide to them and an overview of the most enriching experiences that solo travel in your 20s & 30s can offer.

Before diving into the guide, you might want to read the following for a bit of inspiration.

• Travel Solo and Practice 3 Essential Life Skills
• Travel Solo for the First Time: Complete Guide for Newbies
• Top 10 Films about Solo Travel

Table of Contents

Solo Backpacking: Budget-Friendly and Empowering

There are so many ways to travel solo. You can spend a lot or a little.

Often budget-friendly trips can be empowering as you will have more aspects to manage on your own. By contrast, more luxurious trips, while expensive, may have all the details handled for you by others, so all you have to do is show up.

I tend to like the former. I like backpacks and hostels and negotiating trains and buses and figuring out how things work in foreign destinations. This is the way for many solo travelers in their 20s and 30s.

As a backpacker, you can use money carefully so that you can travel farther, longer, and more often. As a solo backpacker, without anyone along for the ride suggesting ways to spend money that might not be important to you, you get all three.

We have hundreds of posts on budget and backpacker travel. Here are some posts you don't want to miss:

• Backpacking Solo: How to Plan an Exhilarating & Safe Budget Trip
• Walking the Camino Solo: Life-Changing for Body, Mind & Spirit
• The Hostel Experience for Solo Travelers: What to Expect. How to Stay Safe.
• Best Budget Destinations for Solo Travelers: 2023 Shortlist

For more, use the search bar at the top and simply put in the word “budget”.

Luxury Solo Travel in Your 20s and 30s: Sustainable and Authentic

Luxury travel is great but not at any cost. It's difficult to enjoy luxury if it damages the environment and culture of your destination.

Fortunately, that needn't be the case.

At the Hacienda Tres Rios resort on the Riviera Maya in Mexico, I watched a worker watering the plants along the beach that had been planted there to avoid erosion. He was watering them individually. Water was not being wasted on the sand between plants. Hacienda Tres Rios is known as an environmentally responsible luxury resort. Sustainability is considered in all aspects of its operations. Plus it offers authentic experiences in Tres Ríos Nature Park.

Luxury and all three boxes – sustainability, responsibility, and authenticity – are ticked. Luxury travel for solo travelers in their 20s and 30s is much different than that of their parents.

Here are some posts to help you find the right kind of luxury on your solo travels.

• Adventures in Glamping: Georgian Bay, Ontario
• The Importance of Travel to Developing Countries
• Luxury Solo Travel: Planning Your Trip of a Lifetime
• Carbon Offsets for Travel: Important? Yes. Expensive? No.
• Luxury Travel on a Budget: 32 Tips You Need to Know

Taking a Gap Year Solo

Traveling long-term offers a special reward to solo travelers in their 20s and 30s. Before settling down (if that is indeed the plan), a grand adventure of a gap year is planned to capture all the joy that travel has to offer.

Planning for a gap year is a little more involved than your standard trip. It takes saving and a better sense of geography than most people have. Because the trip is long, communications and managing access to money is more important, as well as pacing its use. And then, you also need to know yourself. Do you have goals for the trip? Do you want to schedule things or are you fine with sudden decisions to change plans?

Pacing the entire trip is important. It's important to be aware that you can't travel as quickly for a year as you do for a few weeks. You'll need to slow down. Sometimes, you even need a break from navigating and negotiating every detail yourself. This is when a tour, for a week or even more, may be very valuable. You'll also likely want to travel with someone for a period of time. The company, for a while, will be refreshing.

Here are some relevant posts for you to read.

• Long-term Travel Guide: Slow Travel One Destination or Tour Many
• How to Find a Travel Companion: Safe Options and Some to Avoid
• Need a Break? 11 Options for a Great Solo Holiday
• Where to Go? Great Destinations for First-Time Solo Travelers
• Solo Travel Safety: 50+ Proven Tips to Keep You Safe

Solo On a Group Tour

I have been asked a number of times: how can you be solo if you're traveling in a group?

The fact is that there are many ways to travel solo. By my definition, you are traveling solo if you leave those people who define you, who have expectations of you on a daily basis, behind. You can do this traveling independently and you can do this if you pick up with a group or cruise.

Traveling solo in a group or escorted tour means you have the freedom to be who you want to be. There is no need to accommodate a partner or friend. It also means that you have the support of the tour company to manage all the details and, in many cases, you'll make new friends.

Tours come in many shapes, sizes, and prices. There are hub and spoke tours during which you stay in one spot and take day trips out to other places. Traditional tours move from one destination to another. Small groups usually involve fewer than 15 people. Coach tours can have more than 40 passengers. As for the cost, you can spend as much as you want.

The big deal for solo travelers is the single supplement. This is a premium that some companies charge for giving you your own room. In reality, it is cheaper for a company to sell to a couple but have to pay for only one room on the tour. However, with the rise of solo travel and our campaign to get more companies to drop the single supplement, more and more companies are adapting to the needs of solo travelers.

Make sure you check out our list of tours with no or low single supplements. Or sign up here and we'll send you the new list as soon as it's updated each month.

• How to Choose a Tour for Solo Travelers: Top Tips for Savings and Fun
• Group Tour in Iran: A Solo Traveler’s Dream Trip
• 10 Reasons Tours are Great for Solo Travelers
• Benefits of a Coach Tour: My Morocco Trip
• Self-Guided Tour: The Pleasure of Your Own Pace

Top Tips for Solo Travel in Your 20s & 30s

There is so much to be said about how to travel solo. Here are some great how-to posts that dig into specifics in different areas.

• How to Plan Your Travel Budget: Luxury or Frugal Two ways to plan your travel budget.
• Solo Travel Mistakes and How to Avoid Them If there's a mistake to be made I've made it. Learn from my experience.
• Best VPN for Travel: What, Why, How & New Recommendations You need this so that you can securely go online to use a credit card or manage money in your bank while you're traveling.
• Solo Travel Safety: Expert Advice This post covers some broad travel safety advice. You can also read our 50 Tips and 5 Fundamental Solo Travel Safety Principles .
• A Complete Guide to Travel Insurance for Solo Travelers This is one that people try to avoid, but definitely shouldn't. It's really important.
• Night Safety for Solo Travelers: How to Have Fun and Be Safe Going out at night is recommended but so are these safety tips. Here's another post on that subject: Travel Solo and Enjoy the Nightlife: 18 Tips for Going to a Bar Alone .
• Road Trip Alone with Confidence: 10 Tips for a Great Trip Road trips are particularly popular right now but it is wise to prepare for them properly.
• Eating Alone is Easy When You Know How There are so many options for eating alone. Reading a book is the least interesting of them.
• Safe and Easy Hiking Destinations for Solo Travelers Adventure travel is more popular than urban travel for solo travelers. Here are some destination suggestions.
• The Wits & Wonder Travel Course If you want advice without bouncing around the site, this course is for you.

Want to hear what solo travel is like? Watch this video.

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Editor Tracey: tracey @ solotravelerworld.com

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Few travellers make it to this icy continent, but the lucky ones who do get to explore a frozen Eden ruled by the elements and teeming with wildlife.

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Whether it’s a family retreat or a girls trip, you can surround yourself with a hand-picked crew and customize a tour that fits you all perfectly.

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Our new line of premium active adventures is officially here. With perfectly paced itineraries, one-of-a-kind accommodations and elevated dining, this is adventure at its finest.

National Geographic Journeys

Go deeper into the cultures and habitats of the places we explore. More is included and you’ll enjoy greater hands-on exploration, interactions with local experts, and freedom to roam.

National Geographic Family Journeys

Are you an adventure-loving family in search of meaningful ways to discover the world together? These tours are specially designed for travellers seven and up and their inquisitive families.

Jane Goodall Collection

Step deeper into the animal kingdom while respecting all of its inhabitants. Our incredible collection of 20 wildlife-focused tours is endorsed by the world-renowned ethologist.

Roamies by Hostelworld

The thrill of adventure. The awesomeness of hostels. Get ‘em both on these immersive small group trips for 18 to 35-year-old travellers.

Why choose us

As the leader in small group travel for 30 years, we know how to do it right: flexible itineraries, freedom to roam, safety, peace of mind, and locally based guides.

Change the world just by having the time of your life. When you travel with us, you become a force for good by acting responsibly and creating positive impact.

Together with our non-profit partner, Planeterra, we ensure local communities touched by our tours benefit from our visits in as many ways possible.

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Leave your destination even greener than you found it! For every day on tour, we’ll plant a tree in your honour and ensure that our forests get to live their best lives.

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Travel solo but never alone.

If you’re ready to explore some of the world’s incredible destinations but can’t find a travel buddy, just come along with G Adventures. Our small group-trips are solo traveller-friendly, letting you skip the search for the best routes or accommodations and focus on what really matters: having the time of your life.

Why travel solo with G Adventures?

Helpful guidance

Don’t pay more

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Share the experience

Solo travel that is female-friendly

Don’t want to share a room? No problem.

Top trips for solo travelers, know before you go.

Never travelled solo or gone as part of a group before? We can get you sorted. Check out some of our most frequently asked questions, or get in touch with us any time.

We offer the “My Own Room” option on most of our tours, which guarantees you a room of your own for a modest additional fee. Cost and details of “My Own Room” vary according to the specific trip, so be sure to consult our trip summary pages for full details. On some tours, a single room may not be available at certain overnight stops, depending on the style of accommodation.

Wherever your heart takes you! Just about any place worth exploring is a good spot to venture out on your own.

Our groups often experience a good mix of ages, everything from travellers in their early-20s to those aged 60 and over. We sort all of our trips into Travel Styles, which guarantee that you’ll be travelling with people who share the same interests you do. Over the years, we’ve found that a good range of ages within a group often adds to the experience.

On most evenings, your Chief Experience Officer (CEO) will organize a group meal. It’s pretty flexible; you can choose to dine with the group or head off and do your own thing. Other nights, your CEO may recommend a few nearby restaurants you can try. Again, you determine whether you want to stick with the group or go it alone.

Most of our trips split pretty evenly down gender lines. We average roughly 60:40 female-to-male, so you’ll never feel outnumbered.

On most G Adventures tours, the ratio of solo travellers to others (couples, friends travelling together, etc) is roughly 40:60. For privacy reasons, we can’t share information about your soon-to-be travelling companions ahead of time. Our tours appeal to a wide cross-section of adventurous people from all over the world united by a desire to experience our planet from a grassroots level. Our tours are conducted in English and tend to attract travellers from North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe.

5 ways solo travel helps you meet new people

See how small group tours like National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures help spark lasting connections

Written by: G Adventures , 20 Feb. 2024 12:02 p.m.

Going solo: how to travel the world on your own

See how small group tours pave the way for incredible solo adventures (especially for women!)

Written by: G Adventures , 1 Feb. 2024 01:25 p.m.

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Given that we deal exclusively with travellers in their 30s to 40s, group travel with us becomes a fun and cohesive experience, fuelled by compatible individuals who are switched onto the same frequency.

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Are you a woman in your 30s or 40s looking to embark on an exciting solo adventure? Fear not! Here we'll provide some helpful tips for fearless and fabulous women seeking out the joys of solo travel. From choosing the right destination to staying safe while abroad, we've got all the information you need for a successful journey.

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Your 30s can be the ultimate decade for adventure! This is a time when you can take advantage of your newfound freedom, embrace chaos and have some fun. Here, we'll explore why your 30s are the perfect age to embark on exciting new adventures and how to make the most of them.

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Home » Blog » Singles holidays for over 30’s

Singles holidays for over 30’s

16 Nov 2020

5 Minute Read

Now it would be very easy for us to just give you a list of the best singles holidays for over 30’s but how would you know they really are the best for your age group?

There’s no doubt solo travel is on the up – the number of single travellers from the UK has increased by 25% over the last five years, according to a report by Euromonitor International . And with a massive 83% of you in your 30’s interested in pursuing a holiday abroad rather than the UK, there’s no better time to travel with like-minded people.

To help you pick your ideal holiday, we’ve gathered some recent reviews from our returning solo travellers in their 30’s so that you can see what they said about their holiday experience, meaning you can be sure you’re picking the BEST holiday for your needs.

So let’s delve into the world of solo travel in your 30’s…

Top 3 reasons to travel solo

Why solo doesn’t mean single.

• Top solo holidays recommended by travellers in their 30’s

Now let’s be clear – you don’t need to justify why you would want to join a singles holiday . The main reason I have travelled solo in the past is simply just to meet more people. The more people you meet from different backgrounds, cultures and from different age groups, the more enriching your travelling becomes.

But according to Mintel’s Solo Holidays – UK report (October 2018), these are the most popular reasons why people tend to go it alone…

• “To have more freedom to do what I want to do.”
• “I would like to have more time for myself.”
• “I didn’t have anyone to go with.”

OK, before we get deeper here, we need to make sure we are both on the same page. Are you ready?

Just because you travel solo does not necessarily mean you are single (and therefore looking to mingle…). Nope, not at all.

In fact, these ‘singles holidays’ we talk about are actually set up so people like you can travel solo but not alone – joining other like-minded travellers.

Some may be on their own, some could be with a friend or even partner but you’ll all share the same goal. To travel and share new incredible experiences.

But wait! On the other hand, what Mintel’s report found was that amazingly 1 in 3 people who travelled solo in 2018 were actually in a relationship.

So there you go, solo really doesn’t mean single.

Top solo holidays for over 30’s

So let’s get stuck into it. Here are our best singles holidays for over 30’s, reviewed by people like you, for you.

Surf and yoga holiday in Morocco

Located in the laid-back surfing village of Tamraght, near Agadir on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, is this friendly surf camp run by local surfer Abdellah and his team.

There are plenty of opportunities to meet new people outside the surf and yoga lessons. You’ll enjoy daily group meals on the roof terrace, while you admire the amazing coastal views. Plus, the instructors even organise a weekly night out to show you around the town and the best places to hang out after a day in the waves. As far as an active holiday for singles  goes, this is one of the best out there.

First-time solo traveller Holly, aged 32, said:

“I had a fantastic and memorable time in Morocco – all thanks to Abdellah and his wonderful team. Everything was organised bespoke to me – everyone just went above and beyond each day to ensure I had the best holiday ever. Do go with the yoga too – Danai is fantastic!”

Fuelling up at breakfast for a day in the waves

Find out more about this surf and yoga holiday in Morocco .

Yoga retreat in Costa Rica

Is there anywhere more perfect than Costa Rica to detach yourself from the daily grind for some much needed R&R? If that’s just what you need, this singles wellness and yoga retreat in Montezuma is just the ticket.

Wake up in your eco-friendly accommodation and take just a few steps to your morning yoga session on a wooden deck right on the beach. Unwind and re-energise for the day ahead to the sound of exotic birds and chattering monkeys, with the jungle and ocean as your backdrop.

The more active can spend the rest of the day horse riding or learning to surf. For the rest, grab a hammock, book a holistic treatment and immerse yourself in the moment.

Find your zen surrounded by nature in Costa Rica

Read more about this yoga retreat in Montezuma .

Learn French in Nice

Located in the vibrant Liberation-Borriglione quartier of Nice, is this award-winning French language school. The area is known for its beautiful provincial style buildings, set among the lively village-like atmosphere and eclectic mix of people.

But don’t be deceived by the term ‘language school’. This language holiday for singles is far from any school environment you may know. Meet students from all over the world during your lessons, then relax in the private outdoor terrace area, complete with reclining deck chairs.

And let’s not forget the fact that in Nice you are never too far away from the beach. After your French lessons, grab your beach bag and head to the sandy city beach – take a dip in the Med or work on your tan.

Amy, aged 35 and travelling solo, said:

“Great course, exactly as described. Really good teachers and friendly staff at the school. I really enjoyed the experience and it’s something I would definitely do again!”

Practising the lingo with new friends

Read more about how you can learn French in Nice .

Explore Northern Vietnam

Get off the beaten track in Vietnam to discover the remote area of North Vietnam. Take in spectacular scenery, visit local markets, experience the mountains of Black H’mong of Dong Van, and much more.

This immersive tour is run by local guide, Nguyen Tuan Linh. After growing up in the remote countryside of Vietnam and studying in the city of Hanoi, he realised most tourists visited major hotspots and many were missing out on real authentic experiences in the country.

So if you’re all about sustainable travel, meeting the locals and up for swapping some travel tales, this could just be the trip for you.

Breathtaking views and experiences off the beaten track

Find our more about this tour of remote Northern Vietnam .

Fitness and wellbeing in Spain

If you like being active but want more action, let trainer Casper put you through your paces in the town of Zahora on Spain’s Costa de la Luz. This training ground is a world away from your average gym – believe us.

Nestled at the foot of a nature park and near to the white beaches and stunning cliffs, this amazing location gives you the opportunity to make the most of your outdoor gym during HIIT sessions, team games and even horse riding. Not forgetting the sea or swimming pool to cool off in.

Giacomo, aged 31, said:

“Great holiday, very well organised, perfect to challenge yourself and to try to go beyond your limits. Would definitely recommend.”

Warning: this is much better than your normal workouts

Click here to discover more about this fitness and wellbeing holiday in Spain .

Now, we’d like to hear from you. Why are you looking to travel solo? What was your top holiday travelling alone?

And if you’re feeling inspired, check out our complete singles holidays collection here .

Why not get in touch so one of the team to find the best singles holiday to suit you? We’d love to hear from you :-)

You might also be interested in...

5 annoying solo travel problems and how to solve them

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Surfing Holidays for Singles Over 30

Yoga Holidays for Singles Over 30

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Women's Advice & Lifestyle Blog

Amazing Singles Vacations for Over 30s & Solo Road Trips

If you’re looking for solo female travel destinations, look no further!

From solo road trips and safe cities, to the best vacations for over 30s, we’ve rounded up an array of wonderful destinations to ignite your adventurous spirit…

Singles Vacations Over 30s & Solo Road Trips

1) rome, italy.

Discover the historic charm of Rome, Italy.

Rome is one of the best solo female travel destinations, due to its endless attractions.

5 things to do:

• visit the Colosseum
• see the Trevi Fountain
• eat Rome’s famous pizza
• explore the city’s museums
• hire a bike to see more of the city.

2) Split, Croatia

Beautifully scenic and rich in history.

Split is one of our go-to locations if you’re in search of singles vacations over 30.

• Discover Dicocletian’s Palace
• step back in time exploring Old Split
• take a Game of Thrones tour
• see Palazzo di Diocleziano
• swim at one of Split’s beaches.

3) Bath, England

Explore one of the most scenic cities in the UK with a visit to Bath.

This charming city is home to incredible Roman-built baths and cobbled streets.

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Visit Bath (@visitbath) on Apr 28, 2019 at 11:41am PDT

• visit The Roman Baths
• soak up the atmosphere at Bath Abbey
• walk Pulteney Bridge
• explore the Fashion Museum
• enjoy a breath of fresh air at Royal Victoria Park.

4) Pacific Coast Highway

If you’re taking a road trip by yourself, we recommend driving along the Pacific Coast Highway.

This is one of the best solo road trips you’ll ever take!

• drive over the Golden Gate Bridge
• take a San Fransisco tram
• take in incredible views at Big Sur
• catch some rays in Malibu
• see the bright lights of Hollywood in Los Angeles.

5) Dublin, Ireland

The Irish capital is one of the very best places you could go if you’re looking for singles vacations over 30.

This is the perfect city to explore by foot!

• get chatting to the locals at a pub
• take a hop-on hop-off bus tour
• discover the beauty of Trinity College
• visit the Guinness Storehouse
• take a day trip to the breathtaking Wicklow mountains.

6) Budapest, Hungary

Budapest is certainly one of the best solo female travel destinations, home to magical architecture, refreshing thermal waters and vibrant nightlife.

• visit the Hungarian Parliament Building
• discover history at St. Stephen’s Basilica
• take a boat trip by night along the Danube River
• see fairytale architecture at Halaszbastya
• bathe in outdoor thermal baths.

7) Copenhagen, Denmark

The capital of Denmark, head to the home of Scandi-chic for one of the top singles vacations for over 30s and best solo female travel destinations for ladies of all ages.

• explore Tivoli Gardens
• walk along the city’s colourful Nyhavn (New Harbour)
• visit Rosenborg Castle
• treat yourself to Danish pastries at a local bakery
• explore stylish shops with a minimalist twist.

8) New York, United States

If you’re looking for inspiration for singles vacations over 30, why not get in a New York state of mind? The Big Apple is a busy sanctuary for solo travellers.

• soak up the atmosphere of Times Square
• walk the Brooklyn Bridge
• indulge in a slice of New York pizza
• wander around Central Park
• go vintage thrift shopping in Soho.

9) Vancouver, Canada

The perfect starting point for female solo road trips across the Rockies, the coastal seaport city of Vancouver will sweep you off your feet.

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Granville Island (@granville_island) on Jul 30, 2019 at 8:30pm PDT

• take a whale watching day trip
• explore Stanley Park
• discover the markets and hidden gems of Granville Island
• soak up history at Gastown
• walk the Capilano Suspension Bridge.

10) Paris, France

Paris might be one of the most romantic cities in the world, but it is also one of the most fascinating solo female travel destinations for a chic trip away.

In addition, it has many storage places. So, you can easily store your luggage there while you explore the city. Search for ‘ luggage storage paris ’ on the internet and enjoy your trip without bothering about the safety of your belongings.

5 things to do: visit the Eiffel Tower, explore the history of Sacre Coeur, watch the world go by from a Parisian coffee shop, delve into culture at the Louvre, and take a breathtaking cruise along the River Seine.

11) Verona, Italy

Verona – “the city lovers” is the setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Home to culture and charm, you’ll fall head over heels for this unique city.

• visit Roman Amphitheatre Arena di Verona
• visit the balcony dedicated to Juliet
• see the beauty of Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore
• explore the beauty of Verona Old Town
• take part in a wine tasting tour.

12) Sydney, Australia

It’s no surprise that Sydney, Australia is one of the top solo female travel destinations and singles vacations over 30. The city just has so much to offer!

• Catch a show at Sydney Opera House
• explore Paddy’s Markets
• soak up the sun at Bondi Beach
• climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge
• explore Sydney’s museums.

13) Barcelona, Spain

Architecture and modern culture collide in Barcelona, one of the most unique cities to visit if you’re looking for unmissable singles vacations over 30.

5 things to do: experience the exquisite Sagrada Familia, discover Park Guell, wander the Gothic Quarter, dine in authentic tapas bars and enjoy swimming at the beach.

14) Lisbon, Portugal

The capital of Portugal, Lisbon is one of our top recommendations for solo vacations over 30.

• visit Oceanario de Lisboa
• explore the history of Alfama’s old streets
• stop off at the museum
• admire architecture at Praca do Comercio
• relax at the beach.

15) Tokyo, Japan

If you’re looking for culture and excitement out of your holiday, look no further for singles vacations over 30. Japan will captivate you with its eclectic attractions.

• take in mesmerising views from Tokyo Skytree
• step back in time at Sensō-ji temple
• discover the magic at Tokyo Disneyland
• try sushi at Odaiba and spot cherry blossom around the city.

Read our guide to how to improve your Monday mood here.

16) Cape Cod, United States

Experience the vintage charm of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Take one of the most scenic solo road trips and see the breathtaking East Coast.

5 things to do: explore the beautiful Cape Cod National Seashore, spend a day on Nantucket island , wander the towns of Martha’s Vineyard, take a whale watching boat trip and indulge at charming seafood restaurants.

17) Florence, Italy

One of the most enchanting cities in the world, Florence should definitely be on your list of singles vacations over 30!

It is one of the very best solo female travel destinations.

• discover the centrepiece of the city, Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore
• find yourself swept away by Renaissance art at The Uffizi
• see Michelangelo’s most famous work of art
• treat yourself to gelato and paddle board along the Arno River.

18) Seattle, United States

There are an array of things to do alone in Seattle.

This scenic seaport had to be on our list of solo road trips and singles vacations over 30.

• explore the winding alleys of Seattle’s historic market
• enjoy amazing views from the Space Needle
• admire sculptures at Chihuly Garden and Glass
• visit the Museum of Pop Culture
• watch the world go by from the world’s very first Starbucks.

19) Colorado, United States

Without a doubt one of the most incredible solo road trips to embark on, explore the best of Colorado against the breathtaking backdrop of the Rocky Mountains.

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Jon Dawis (@justdawis) on Nov 22, 2019 at 10:34am PST

• take time to explore the unique city of Boulder – named the happiest place in the US.
• hike at Hanging Lake
• catch a show at the unique Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre
• discover Denver’s museum
• take in the beauty of nature at Rocky Mountain National Park.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our guide to the best solo road trips and singles vacations over 30.

Before you head off on the adventure of your dreams, check out our guide to 35 purse essentials!

 For the best Cornish Cottages

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Jess is an experienced writer who loves to write about fashion, female empowerment and everything in between!

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Singles holidays for over 30s

Solo holidays for the over 30s.

All of our inspiring small group adventure holidays are ideal for single travellers over 30, from walking holidays to safaris, cycling adventures to cultural and foodie trips. And you’ll be in good company – around half the people in our small groups are typically travelling solo. You'll have all the excitement of travelling solo, but you'll never be alone as our small group trips are designed to offer authentic and often action-packed experiences with like-minded people, plus an expert group leader who takes care of all the day-to-day details for you. That means all you have to do is arrive and enjoy your trip, whether you want to be active and adventurous on one of our  Activity Holidays  or a scenic and challenging Cycling adventure or  Walking holiday , or you want to get to know a new corner of the world and meet the locals on a  Discovery holiday . Even if it's your first time travelling solo, you'll fit right in with your group and have an adventure to remember! New to Explore? Read more about travelling solo with us in our blog, which answers some of the most-asked questions .

Adventure holidays for singles over 30

At Explore, adventure holidays are our speciality. That includes  adventure holidays for single travellers , as we offer a variety of trip styles, themes and paces to suit every taste and energy level. Our Cultural Discovery trips are extremely popular as over 30s singles holidays as we plan your itinerary with daily activities, accommodation and transport, plus your flights and many meals, so you can focus on the adventure. Our faster-paced cultural holidays include European group trips, such as the Journey through the Balkans trip, a 12-day tour around one of the world's most intriguing areas with plenty of opportunities to discover history, nature and Balkan city culture too. Foodies won't want to miss our  Classical Sicily  trip, where in between visits to spectacular and well-preserved archaeological sites there will be plenty of opportunities to indulge in exquisite local food and wine. Fancy venturing further afield? Explore Imperial cities, breathtaking mountain ranges and vast gorges on the  Highlights of Morocco  group trip, or become a  China Explorer  as we guide you through the Forbidden City, along the Great Wall and towards Shanghai, China's vibrant, modern city that cannot be missed.

Active holidays for solo travellers in their 30s

For over 30s solo travellers with energy to spare, join one of our group Active Adventure Holidays where you can canoe, kayak, climb, or cycle to your heart's content! Our  Active Turkey!  trip includes a sea kayaking trip to the 'Sunken City' of Kekova, as well as swimming and snorkelling so you can truly get under the surface of this fascinating destination, or explore new heights by bike or raft on our scenic  Alpine Lakes of Slovenia  group trip. We also offer unforgettable holidays for solo travellers over 30 that are ideal for keen walkers, trekkers or cyclists. Our Walking the Western US National Parks  trip includes the dramatic landscapes of the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Park. Or perhaps you'd like to join our walking  Adventures in Patagonia , as we make our way through the unbelievably varied and beautiful terrain of Argentina and Chile, or hop on two wheels to  Cycle Sicily  with fellow cycling enthusiasts - we'll even provide your bike.

Popular tours for 30+ year old solos

Jordan discovery.

Explore the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

South Africa & Eswatini

Toubkal Climb

Amalfi Coast Walking - Agriturismo

Maldive Dhoni Cruise

Why take a solo travel tour in your 30s with Explore?

Unforgettable experiences

From big wows to hidden gems, our tours leave you feeling that you've really explored.

Expert tour leaders

Chosen for their great knowledge of your destination and a passion to make your trip extraordinary.

Small groups

Average groups of 11; solos, couples and friends, united by a desire for authentic experiences.

Responsible at heart

How we operate sets us apart; our flexible booking policy, our loyalty scheme & sustainable approach.

Other solo holiday ideas

Solo holidays, solo holidays for over 40s, solo holidays for over 50s, solo holidays for over 60s, solo adventure holidays, solo walking holidays, solo cycling holidays, ready for your solo adventure.

Read more about our solo travel adventures

Top 10 trips for solo travellers

10 unusual places to visit as a solo traveller

First solo trip with Explore? Top 7 questions answered

Solo travel guide for women

Where to go? Our recommendations by month

7 questions answered for your first small-group adventure holiday

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

20 of the best group trips for solo travellers

Striking out on your own needn’t be lonely or expensive. We round up group trips that increasingly cater for solo travellers and waive single premiums The highs and lows of travelling alone

Sailing and socialising in the Mediterranean

Med Sailors runs skippered sailing holidays for 20- to 35-year-olds, many of whom travel solo. Everyone shares a bunkbed cabin with someone else of the same gender; each yacht sleeps eight and travels in a flotilla of up to eight boats, so there is plenty of socialising. The yachts island-hop around Greece, Turkey, Croatia, or Italy (and the Caribbean too), making ports of call at villages and historic sights. Guests can try watersports, such as wakeboarding, join in the weekly regatta and enter a fancy dress contest on the last night. Each boat has large sunbathing decks, snorkelling gear and paddle boards. From £495 for seven nights half-board, flights extra, medsailors.com

Stripped-back safari in Southern Africa

EcoTraining runs year-long courses for professional safari guides – but it also offers week-long tasters for nature lovers who want to experience life in the bush. The Wilderness Trails Skills course for adventurous travellers is great value, offering a stripped-back safari at a fraction of the usual cost. The setting is the Makuleke Concession, a remote part of the Kruger national park in South Africa, or the Mashatu game reserve in Botswana; sightings may include lions, leopards, elephants and rhinos. Guests walk up to 10km a day, carrying their own supplies, and learn to track animals, navigate, set up camp, make fires and leave no trace. Nights are spent wild camping under the stars. From £458 for five nights for an all-inclusive course, flights and transfers extra, next departure 9 August, ecotraining.co.za

Camino de Santiago, Spain

Solo travellers planning a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain won’t be short of company – 300,000 people completed the journey in 2017, an increase of nearly 200,000 in a decade. The Camino Francés is by far the most popular path, but the oldest route, the Camino Primitivo, is also good for lone pilgrims. The full 311km over the Cantabrian mountains is challenging, but the last 100km can be walked in a self-guided week with Camino Ways. Setting off from the walled town of Lugo, the first three days are spent following quiet Roman roads through forests and farmland. At lively Melide, the path merges with the Camino Francés, so the second half of the walk is more sociable. £440 for six nights including half-board and luggage transfers, April to October, caminoways.com

‘Poshtel’ stay, Barcelona

Hostels have always been a great places to meet fellow travellers – and these days, staying in one doesn’t have to mean roughing it. Casa Gracia , in a modernista mansion in Barcelona, is one of the new breed of poshtels. It has lots of stylish communal areas for hanging out and making friends, including a roof terrace; regular activities such as yoga, wine tasting and cooking classes; as well as events such as comedy nights and quizzes. Twice a week, there are tapas tours around the Gràcia district. Dorms sleep six, and there are single rooms for those who prefer not to share (from around £100). Dorm beds from £32 a night, hostelworld.com

Canyoning and hiking in Serbia

Much Better Adventures runs sociable and affordable long weekends to wild places in Europe and north Africa (plus a few lengthier trips further afield). This is a great option for time-poor travellers, filling one or two days off work with adventure. About 55% of customers are single, and there are lots of repeat bookings by people who struck up friendships on their first trip. One recently added options is a three-day canyoning and hiking trip to Serbia’s Valjevo mountains, with monastery visit and full-board riverside accommodation. From £2 30 for two nights full board, excluding flights to Belgrade, next departure 6 July, muchbetteradventures.com

Party on a Greece island

Friendship Travel takes over the Apollon hotel in Tsilivi on the island of Zante each summer, hosting house-party holidays for single guests. This year there are five new rooms, taking the total to 24, plus a new roof terrace. The hotel has a bar, restaurant and small pool; there is a sandy beach 100 metres away, and a water park within walking distance. Five three-course dinners with wine are included, and there are lots of local tavernas to try on the remaining nights. From £660 for seven nights including breakfast, some meals and flights, departures weekly (last departure 11 October), friendshiptravel.com

Brazilian road trip

Dragoman runs overland tours lasting from eight to an epic 211 days in purpose-built trucks across Africa, Asia and the Americas. Passengers tend to be a mix of ages and nationalities, with plenty of people travelling solo. One of the newest trips is a 17-day journey through Brazil from Salvador to Rio: highlights include hiking in the Chapada dos Veadeiros and Chapada Diamantina national parks, exploring the gold mines of Ouro Preto and touring Brasilia. Accommodation is 60% camping and 40% hotels and hostels. From £1,025 for 16 nights (plus £340 kitty) including board and most meals, excludes flights, next departure 6 November, dragoman.com

Tour of Sicily

In addition to its existing “no single supplement” holidays, this year Jules Verne has started solo group tours for single travellers . The nine destinations are France, Italy, Albania, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, India, Botswana and Peru. There are themed trips and tours as well as holidays based in one place. Its Treasures of Sicily holiday has stays in Catania, Agrigento, Palermo and Taormina, plus visits to ancient Siracusa, coastal Cefalù (pictured), Mount Etna and the Valley of the Temples. One-week trip from £1,095, including B&B, flights, local travel and guides, next solo departure 1 November, vjv.com

Savings for cyclists, Belarus

Nearly 50% of people on Explore’s small group trips are solo travellers. Those who book by 2 July get their own room at no extra cost, saving up to £530. This is an annual special offer for bookings made between 1 June and 2 July – outside that period, solo travellers can share a twin room for no extra charge, or pay a single supplement. One unusual trip among more than 60 on offer is a exploration of Belarus by bike, taking in the capital, Minsk, Unesco-listed castles and a self-sufficient eco-village. Belarus trip from £599 for four nights including some meals and board, excludes flights, explore.co.uk

Yoga in Ibiza

Your average retreat offers a couple of classes a day and lots of downtime, but this action-packed week at the Cala Blanca beach resort, eastern Ibiza, has almost 200 yoga and fitness sessions to keep solo travellers extremely busy. Lots of guests attend on their own and there are initiatives to get everyone chatting, from sharing tables in the restaurant to conversation benches and even (cringe) hug spots. And Primal Beat , a new retreat just for men, starts this autumn (6-13 October). From £775 for seven nights all-inclusive (classes, food, shared room) but excluding flights. Three- to six-night breaks available from £365. Single occupancy extra (from £425). Next retreats 14-21 October and 14-21 April 2019, yogafitretreats.com

Swimming in Slovenia

Solo swimmers are very welcome on Strel’s swimming adventures – 40%-50% of participants are lone travellers. The swim tours take place in Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, Turkey and the US. The Slovenia Lakes and Rivers trip has a real variety of aquatic challenges, including swimming across Lake Bled, stopping for a breather on its island with its 17th-century church, going for a dip at the base of the Kozjak waterfall, swimming down the River Soča, and tackling the length of Lake Bohinj (4km). Swimmers stay in the four-star Hotel Jezero on the banks of Lake Bohinj. £510 for three nights including shared room B&B, excludes flights. Single occupancy an extra £61, strel-swimming.com

Family fun in Morocco

After finding that 16% of its family bookings were made by single parents, Intrepid Travel has this year started running adventurous trips specifically for solo parents and their children . There are six destinations so far: Costa Rica, Thailand, India, Egypt, Vietnam and Morocco. Its Morocco tour takes in Marrakech, Berber villages, the Altas mountains and an afternoon camel-trekking on a beach by the Atlantic. The company has also expanded its range of adult solo-only tours this year, adding Peru and Bali. Morocco trip from £336 for seven nights (kids from £297 ) including B&B and some meals, excludes flights. Next departure 28 July, intrepidtravel.com

Foodie weekend in Turin

Solos was founded in 1982, making it the UK’s first specialist holiday company for single travellers. Today it has five hotels exclusively for solo guests, and holidays from tennis breaks to ski trips. One of its city breaks is a foodie trip to Turin, Italy’s chocolate capital and the birthplace of the Slow Food movement. The itinerary includes a walking tour of the city, and chocolate-tasting and vermouth-making experiences. Other Solos city breaks with a food focus include Bilbao (for pinxtos) and Lisbon (custard tarts). Turin from £605 for three-night weekend including B&B plus one dinner and flights, solosholidays.co.uk

Painting and drawing in France

GoLearnTo has a huge range of holidays with no single supplements, including cooking, wellbeing, language, sport and creative pastime breaks. Its French painting holiday, based at a farmhouse with extensive gardens and two pools, is particularly good value, with at least 30 hours of tuition, pre-dinner champagne, all meals and a day on location at Penne d’Agenais, a medieval hilltop village. After lessons, guests can borrow bikes to cycle to the River Lot for wild swimming. From £820 for seven nights all-inclusive with shared room , next departure 8 September, golearnto.com

The Trans-Mongolian from Moscow to Beijing

Solo passengers are a common sight on long-distance trains such as the Trans-Mongolian. Lots of Russian, Mongolian and Chinese people take this route alone, as do western tourists – it is perfectly safe and a good way to meet fellow travellers. It also offers excellent value: from £492 for a 5,000-mile journey, with incredible scenery and a bed for six nights. The Man in Seat Sixty-One website is a great source of information for this and other long-distance rail journeys, such as London-Istanbul (four nights, from £241) or New York-San Francisco (three nights, from £140). Trans-Mongolian from £492 for six nights for a bunk in a four-berth sleeper

Climbing in Spain

Well over half of Bristol-based Rock and Sun’s customers are solo travellers. And Spain’s Costa Blanca is home to, in its words, “an endless amount of limestone”, offering a huge variety of rock climbing experiences for all levels of ability. Accommodation is in a spacious villa in the Jalon valley, handy for shops and restaurants. From £740 for seven nights including shared accommodation, some meals, coaching and transfers, rockandsun.com

Coastal walking, the Channel Islands

Ramblers Walking Holidays has a selection of trips with no single room supplement. Its week-long trip to Guernsey takes walkers to the island’s best stretches of rugged coast, along clifftop paths with fine views out to sea and historic sights ranging from second world war German-built fortifications to megalithic tombs over 4,000 years old. Inland, Guernsey is crisscrossed by quiet, picturesque footpaths and a there’s also a day trip to car-free Sark, a short ferry ride away. From £799 for seven nights including half-board accommodation, bus and boat fares, flights and transfers, ramblersholidays.co.uk

Hike, bike and kayak in Vietnam

The customers on trips with G Adventures are roughly 40% solo travellers, and its hike, bike and kayak Vietnam holiday keeps everybody active from the first day, when guests cycle from Ho Chi Minh City to the famous Cu Chi tunnels. After a flight north, there’s more cycling in the cities of Hue and Hoi An, plus trekking in the rural Mai Chau valley and an afternoon kayaking among the amazing limestone karsts of Halong Bay. From £841 for nine nights including all activities, entrances fees, one internal flight and some meals. International flights extra, gadventures.co.uk

Independent cycling in Lithuania

The website of the non-profit Lithuanian Cyclists Community has several independent cycling itineraries around the Baltic state. One of the most appealing is the Lithuanian Seaside Cycle Route . Its suggested itinerary can be followed independently, but for a little more support with accommodation and routes, try local operator Baltic Bike Travel . From €499 for seven nights including shared B&B accommodation (single room from €698), local transport and luggage transfers, bbtravel.lt

Learn to kitesurf in Morocco

Sitting right in the path of the north-easterly trade winds, breezy Essaouira, halfway down Morocco’s Atlantic coast, offers perfect kitesurfing conditions from April to September. Kite Worldwide offers a beginner’s package with guide, 12 hours of tuition, and launch and landing service. Participants should come away with a basic VDWS qualification. From £911 for seven nights including flights from Luton to Essaouira, B&B accommodation in a riad, all equipment and two dinners, kiteworldwide.com

Browse The Guardian’s selection of self-guided and escorted holidays designed for solo travellers on the Guardian Holidays website

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• Adventure travel

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Solo vacations: the 36 best places to travel alone in 2024.

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From beach retreats to artsy escapes, take your next solo trip to somewhere spectacular.

Perth, Australia

Beaver Creek, Colorado

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Asheville, North Carolina

Tuscany, Italy

Santa Barbara, California

New York City

Seville, Spain

Naples, Florida

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Portland, Oregon

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Galápagos Islands

Charleston, South Carolina

Athens, Greece

New Orleans

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Florianópolis, Brazil

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Accessibility Links

10 of the best tour companies for solo travellers

Discover the best tour companies for solo travellers, from luxury flashpacking to holidays for single parents.

S ingle supplements, hidden extra charges, being made to share a room — sometimes solo travellers feel as if they’re being penalised. Not any more. We’ve put together a list of the top tour operators that offer solo traveller holidays and have adventurous trips ideal for meeting new people and immersing travellers in local culture, no matter their age. And solo doesn’t always have to mean single. Perhaps your partner is unable to travel at the same time or has different interests, perhaps you’re a single parent, or a teenager looking for life-defining experiences. Heck, even if you do have a travel buddy, the trips offered by these tour companies make solo travel look so good you’ll be tempted to leave them at home.

Main photo: on the shore of Lake Pehoe in Patagonia (Getty Images)

1. G Adventures

Best for local culture Founded in 1990 by Bruce Poon Tip when he was just 22, G Adventures connects travellers with local people in the countries they visit and is now the world’s largest small-group adventure travel company. Tours are hosted in over 100 countries and run the gamut from classic and 18–30 tours to wellness, rail and local living tours that base travellers with a host family. Most of the trips do not have a single supplement and accommodation is based on a twin-share basis with another traveller of the same sex. What sets G Adventures apart is its focus on putting money back into local communities and supporting indigenous peoples, women and youth through its non-profit partner, Planeterra Foundation. It supports more than 80 community development projects globally and 90 per cent of travellers visit a social enterprise project on their tour.

2. Intrepid

Best for sustainability Carbon neutral since 2010, an early adopter of carbon offsets, and with its own not-for-profit foundation, Intrepid was started in 1989 by two Australian friends, Darrell Wade and Geoff Manchester. Thirty years on, 50 per cent of its customers are single travellers and it lives up to its name by heading particularly far-flung areas of the globe, including Samoa, Papua New Guinea and the tiny African country of Djibouti. Intrepid also ventures into the Polar regions too, including voyages on the ice-strengthened Ocean Endeavour, which takes 200 passengers.

Best for travellers short on time When the 1970s hippie trail across Asia was in its heyday, John Gillies and David Burlinson drove an overland truck into the Hindu Kush — word spread and they built three more trucks to take groups from London to Kathmandu. That spirit of adventure still informs Exodus trips and solo travellers are eligible to join, with the most popular destinations for singles including Vietnam , Sri Lanka and Costa Rica . They also provide Exodus Edits — bite-size, adventure-packed trips for people in their thirties and forties that are designed to eat into annual leave as little as possible and allow travellers to take multiple shorter trips in a year.

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4. explore.

Best for adventure Explore! is a trusted adventure travel company with tours in all seven continents spanning everything from cycling the Amalfi coast to jungle hikes in Jamaica . Roughly half of its customers travel solo, alongside a mix of couples or friends travelling together. The average group size is 12 and trips are graded from “relaxed”, with more free time, to “full on”, with less downtime. While solo travellers can join all tours, Explore! also provides exclusively solo traveller tours that are broken down into categories for those in their thirties, forties, fifties and sixties, as well as self-guided walking and cycling holidays that solos can undertake.

Best for 18-35s In the summer of 1962 New Zealander John Anderson began to organise tours of Europe out of his minivan and Contiki was born. The backpacking spirit is still alive and strong, with the company catering exclusively to 18 to 35-year-olds and visiting a list of destinations that spans six continents. Seventy per cent of their travellers join trips solo and there’s a strong emphasis on “social travel” — group sizes can range from anywhere between 12 and 52 people — to help people forge lasting friendships. As an added bonus, trips can be paid for in instalments and cancelled free of charge.

6. One Traveller

Best for mature travellers One Traveller is a family-run company that hosts holidays exclusively for mature single travellers, ranging in age from 50 to fit 80-year-olds. Group sizes are larger (on average around 25) and the company provides strong European and Asian offerings, as well as a handful of destinations further afield such as Japan , Chile and Morocco , plus ocean cruises and UK holidays. “Scenic” and “Relaxed” tours cater to those with lower fitness levels and most tours include Vox audio guides for those with a hearing impairment.

onetraveller.co.uk

7. Solos Holidays

Best for private rooms What started as golfing holidays for players whose partners didn’t want to join them has grown into tours for solo travellers on six continents. Holidays are organised by activity: from golf, skiing, tennis and treks to city breaks and cultural “discovery” tours that range from two nights to two weeks and are aimed mainly at travellers aged 40 and above. Unlike many operators, Solos ensure travellers always have sole use of either a single or double/twin room with no extra fees; there is no sharing of twins or single supplements.

solosholidays.co.uk

• Best golf hotels in Europe

8. Flashpack

Best for posh backpacking Married couple Radha Vyas and Lee Thompson founded Flashpack in 2014 after seeing a gap in the market between off-the-rack tours for single 20-year-olds and those aged 50-plus — they designed adventurous tours with a touch of luxury for travellers in their thirties and forties. Trips are classic itineraries interspersed with “can’t-do-it-by-yourself” experiences such as learning to make pastel de nata in Lisbon or canyoning through hidden caves in Slovenia . And with 80 per cent of “Flashpackers” keeping in touch after the trip, it’s great for making lasting friends.

flashpack.com

• Best destinations for solo female travellers

9. Rabbie’s

Best for the UK Although Rabbie’s has now started trips within Europe, Robin Worsnopp started his company in Scotland in 1993 with a single Sherpa van. Some trips — especially in the UK — are day trips but increasingly there are also longer versions. Most prices in the UK don’t include accommodation (although Rabbie’s can book hotels for their guests) and welcome children, while European overnight tours include hotels. What’s universal is Rabbie’s fleet of driver-guides and 16-seater minibuses that can head into offbeat and single-track territory with ease. The London to Edinburgh Adventure winds its way through Stratford-upon-Avon, Conwy in Wales , Whitby, the Lake District and the borderlands of Cumbria and Scotland .

rabbies.com

10. We Road

Best for budget For those in their twenties, thirties and forties, you’ll start getting to know your fellow travellers via WhatsApp two weeks before. Trips are divided into specific themes, including beaches, speedy trips and trekking — all with co-ordinators that you can message directly. At between eight and 15 people, group sizes are small. The “360” holidays aim to cover as much ground as possible (backpacks rather than suitcases are recommended). The Japan 360 trip ticks off all the main cities of Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka plus bamboo forests, bullet trains and the Buddhist temples of Kamakura.

weroad.co.uk

Additional reporting by Sarah Turner

• Best cruise lines for solo travellers • Best destinations for solo travellers

Take me there

Inspired to do some solo travelling, but yet to book your trip? Here are the best options with Jet2Holidays and Tui . Alternatively, try a solo tour with one of our preferred partners here .

Sign up for the Times Travel Newsletter here .

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Singles Holidays Over 30

Solo travel is on the rise, and people in their 30s have really been embracing this trend. Whether you want to explore a new part of the UK or head for the sun , browse our solo holidays for over 30s to plan your perfect trip. This decade of your life is the perfect time to explore the world, and doing it alone means you can choose where you go and what you do, without having to worry about anyone else. Plus, singles holidays for over 30s will help you grow your confidence and meet people.

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Discovering Solo Female Travel in My 30s

by Teresa Schumacher | Jul 2, 2020

In this post Teresa Schumacher tells us about her journey towards discovering Solo Female Travel in her 30s and shares her experience of travelling with other solo females travellers during a tour of Colombia with Other Way Round.  

A Group of Female Solo Travellers

A cool night has fallen over the city but the room is warm, bright and filled with laughter.

I’m  seated in a restaurant in Medellin, Colombia, surrounded by other solo travellers in their 30s and 40s, and we are about to embark  on a two week tour of Colombia with Other Way Round Travel .

Though we began the evening as  strangers, it doesn’t take long for the initial tension that is standard for this type of gathering to evolve  into an easy togetherness as we get to known one another.

Soon the shy sideways smiles, polite  questioning, and requests to pass the salt, please are replaced by boisterous laughter and jokes shared  amongst friends.

If you were to be sitting at a nearby table, or merely passing by, the first thing you might notice about this gathering is the disproportionate number of women sitting here.

In fact, other than Steve , founder of Other Way Round Travel, and tour guide Julian, the remainder of the group is female.

“I’ll be honest, I was a bit surprised when I found out that the entire group would be women this time!” Steve says, laughing.

His tour is designed for adventurous travellers aged 25-45, with a focus on an immersive, authentic travel experience.

A type of experience that, it turns out, is becoming increasingly more appealing to women travelling alone.

Take a look at emerging travel statistics and you will find that women are traveling more than ever before, more often solo, and with a focus on cultural experiences and adventure travel.

Tonight I am seated between Kate, a music teacher from northern England and Pavla, a yoga aficionado from Czech Republic.

Across from me sit Jo, a detective from just outside of London, and Marcela, an expert on climate policy who was born and raised in Medellin.

This is a group of women from all walks of life, with different upbringings and personal lives.

All brought together in this place far from home by a love for traveling, and perhaps living, a bit off the beaten path.

(Read also: Group Holidays for Solos Over 30 )

Solo Female Travel at 30

On my thirtieth birthday, someone told me that my life was over.

It was meant as a joke, told by a guy I didn’t know very well, and it wasn’t the first time I had  heard something like that.

Girls are often brought up to see the Year Thirty as an unspoken deadline we all  must meet.

Degree-check.

Husband-check.

Children-check.

It’s an age that supposedly marks the end to  our youth, a time when our life’s meaning is solidified and there’s little room for new aspirations or  dreams.

When I got home that day I looked in the mirror and examined the 30 year old face staring  back.

I noticed a little furrow in my brow, testament to the various worries and heartaches I’d experienced  over the years.

I admired the few lines starting to creep in at the corners of my eyes, proof of three  decades of smiles and laughter.

I looked into my eyes, thought of all the things they’d seen.

Here was a  woman who had survived her twenties-a decade rife with insecurity, self-doubt, and listening to others tell  her what life should be about.

Here was a woman who had made it through veterinary school, a first  generation doctor. A woman with an education, a career, and a future ahead of her.

I got my first tattoo that night. Gypsy Soul.

Etched in my forearm in unapologetic defiance of  what I was versus what this world thought I ought to be.

My life wasn’t over, I was saying.

It was just  beginning.

A Different Path…

My twenties were spent in a classroom.

I grew up watching my parents, both professional musicians, struggle to make ends meet, and while their career choices made for a colourful and interesting childhood for me, it also taught me to crave stability.

I viewed school as a path toward this stability, and so the years past and my accomplishments grew-bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, doctorate in veterinary medicine.

By the time I decided I was done I had a stack of achievements a mile high, accompanied by an unsettling sense that life had simply passed me by while I was hunched over a stack of books, absorbing endless facts about a world I had yet to see.

Yet when I at last emerged into the “real world” I found that my friends were all settling down, starting families, buying homes and setting up their 401K accounts. I thought I had to do the same.

I started working as an ER veterinarian, bought a home, became a responsible adult.

But I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was still missing from my life.

So I decided to book a trip.

Scarred from years of subsisting off of ramen noodles and stale pizza, I scoured the internet for the cheapest international flight I could find.

I didn’t even care where I went, I just wanted to see something new.

That something turned out to be Italy, since there was a deal on flights to Rome that summer.

I booked tickets for myself and my boyfriend, renewed a passport that hadn’t been used in almost a decade, and started counting down the days.

(Read Also: 38 Practical Tips for Solo Female Travellers )  

Some Things Need to Be Experienced First Hand

When we first stepped into the bustling streets of Rome, I found myself instantly captivated by the novelty of it all.

How was it possible that this world had been here all along, and I was only now being introduced?

We visited the Colosseum and the Pantheon and I imagined the endless trail of footsteps that had walked these paths before me.

We tossed coins in the Trevi Fountain, ate our weight in gelato, and stood for hours with our heads tilted to the ceilings in the Vatican, admiring centuries of stories told through art.

We took a train to Pompeii, a ghostly place I had read about as a child but couldn’t quite fathom until I touched those faded walls and saw those skeletons, trapped forever in a single moment so long ago.

We took a boat to the island of Capri and I jumped in the Tyrrhenian Sea, felt the tangy salt on my skin, little fish nibbling at my toes.

We drove through an autumn sunset in Tuscany and when the light hit the changing color of the leaves, I realized there was no way I could take a photograph that could capture this beauty.

Some things just have to be experienced firsthand.

At night we would fill our bellies with pasta and retire to our rooms, lights out by ten, anxious to get an early start the next day because there was so much more to see.

We’d fall asleep to the sounds of a younger generation outside toasting to their youth, and we’d dream of new adventures awaiting us at dawn.

We made jokes about getting old and lacking the stamina we once had, both secretly grateful that we no longer felt obliged to stay out and party the night away.

A More Confident Me

I thought back to that girl in her twenties, weighed down by insecurity, doubt, and an endless sense of obligation, and I realised that, had she had the opportunity to travel, I think she still would have missed out.

Her commitment to others would have won every time and she would have found herself staying out late, letting others make decisions, always trying to appease rather than thinking “what do I want to do?”

She wouldn’t have had the courage to strike up conversation with other travellers, or to step off the beaten path to pursue unique, more immersive experiences.

She would have lacked the curiosity to look below the surface and find deeper meaning in her experiences.

She would have had to scrounge together the cash for a flight and housing but wouldn’t know the first thing about budgeting once she got somewhere.

I harboured no regrets about waiting until my 30s to start traveling.

The Challenges of Being Female in Your 30s

I returned from Italy feeling more alive than I had in years.

But the high I was riding couldn’t last forever, and soon I was forced to face personal issues that I had been battling (and ignoring) for some time.

A few weeks later I found myself seated in a doctor’s office, faced with a stack of cards.

The fertility specialist, a graying, nondescript man with a small smile that might have passed as empathetic, told me to pick a suit, any suit, and then began laying down cards to show me my odds of conceiving a child.

After months of debilitating symptoms, endless appointments, and vague test results, I was told that I had endometriosis, and if I wanted to start a family (a decision I needed to make soon, because that biological clock was ticking!)

I would be facing a long, arduous path of tests and expensive medical treatments.

Like so many other women in their 30s today, I had always been taught to strive for it all.

Career, family, security and freedom.

But I was learning quickly that sometimes that’s just not possible. I left the doctor’s office that day knowing I had to make a choice.

I chose to book another trip.

Just one, I thought, to help me clear my head and think about my future.

This time I went to Colombia , a country I knew little about, leaving the destination up to fate when I spun my little desktop globe and saw where my finger landed.

It would be a decision that changed my life.

It Feels Like Home

During that trip I had the inexplicable sense that I wasn’t visiting a new place, I was merely arriving home.

I fell in love with all of it-the people, the culture, the music, the scenery and wildlife.

For the first time in a long while, I felt that I belonged.

I spent my last night at the Cafe Havana in Cartagena, famous for its live salsa music, where I encountered other solo female travellers and we spent the night dancing with abandonment.

I felt the rhythm of the music in my bones and marvelled at this beautiful place I had encountered just by chance.

I realized that night that I never wanted to choose travel as a means for escaping a life that didn’t fit.

I returned home again, this time with a renewed sense of self and purpose.

I declined the fertility treatments, a decision that was both difficult and liberating.

I went to Paris that spring with my cousin.

I spent the summer driving through the southern states of the US.

I explored Vietnam in the fall. All the while writing stories, taking photographs, absorbing all I could from my surroundings.

I would return home to re-fuel, reset, and of course, earn money to fund the next trip.

It was a good balance.

( Read also:   What You Need to Know About Group Travel In Your 30s & 40s )

Women Travelling Solo, But Not Alone

When my father passed away, a few days after I returned from Vietnam, the life I had so carefully carved out for myself came crashing down, and I needed something to right my axis once again.

I returned to the place that had first captured my heart just under a year before, this time as part of a group tour with Other Way Round Travel .

I flew into Medellin with my head held high but feeling alone and broken inside.

I was desperate for a change of scenery but afraid that at any moment my fragile facade might crack, exposing how weak and vulnerable I was inside.

At dinner that night the woman seated across from me smiled and introduced herself. Jo, the detective from the UK.

She asked me how old I was, “ if you don’t mind my asking”.

Thirty-five I told her.

Me too! she said.

She asked me if I had kids, and I told her no … but I did have a dog.

Jo smiled widely and told me that she had two. Dogs, that is.

In that moment a friendship was born, and for the first time in a long while, I didn’t feel so alone.

It seems that the world is always telling us how to be women –

what to do with our lives

where to go and how to look when we get there

when to explore and when its time to settle down and grow some roots

But some of us aren’t destined for the beaten path. Some of us are a bit like weeds, forever blowing in a precarious but exhilarating wind.

Gypsy souls.

For us, life may turn out a little different than expected. I have learned that this is ok, that we aren’t alone on this journey.

And it certainly doesn’t end at 30.

(Read also: Solo Travel in Your 30s – here’s 5 alternatives to staying home )

Wow, what a beautiful and inspiring article! I’m 35 and started to solo travel at 33, the plan is to keep traveling once Covid is over. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us!

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Namibia Discovery

13 days from 4144.

Travel from Cape Town in South Africa to Namibia’s Windhoek through coastlines, sand...

Highlights of Thailand

10 days from 2057.

Experience Thailand’s greatest hits on a 10-day comfort adventure through Bangkok,...

Best of Costa Rica

10 days from 2746.

Take a Costa Rican adventure starting in San Jose, visiting Copey, Manuel Antonio...

Classic Cambodia & Vietnam

20 days from 4181.

Get to know Vietnam and Cambodia, each with their own uniquely enchanting culture and...

Shackleton's Antarctica, South Georgia & Falklands Explorer (Ocean Endeavour)

21 days from 24400.

Embark on a 21-day Intrepid expedition including the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia...

Best of South Australia & Red Centre

9 days from 4045.

See the best of South Australia and Red Centre on this comfortable journey through...

Classic Sri Lanka

8 days from 1481.

Explore wonders of nature and humanity – often both at once – on this 8-day adventure...

Best of Alaska

10 days from 5430.

Explore the rugged landscape of icy Alaska. From Anchorage, circle the Kenai Peninsula...

Classic Barcelona to Madrid

7 days from 2695.

Travel south along the coast of Spain, leaving Barcelona, travelling through Valencia...

Best of Argentina & Brazil

7 days from 2475.

Experience the best of everything Argentina and Brazil have to offer on this fantastic,...

Classic Galapagos: Central Southern Islands (Grand Queen Beatriz)

10 days from 7840.

Sail the aquamarine waters of the Galapagos’s central southern islands taking in...

Classic Madrid to Lisbon

9 days from 3820.

Take a trip through Portugal, starting in Spain’s capital, Madrid and heading through...

Best of Cairns, Great Barrier Reef & Daintree

5 days from 1962.

From Cairns, take a trip to explore Port Douglas, Daintree Rainforest, the Great...

Ultimate Galapagos: Central Islands (Grand Daphne)

10 days from 6627.

Spend 10 unforgettable days on board the Grand Daphne, discovering the central islands...

Best of Northern Territory

8 days from 4240.

Tour through the Australia’s Red Centre and Top End, visiting Uluru, Kings Canyon,...

Explore China

12 days from 3240.

Spend 12 days exploring northern China from Shanghai to Beijing, including Luoyang, the...

Best of Uluru & Kings Canyon

4 days from 1950.

Discover Australia’s Red Centre on an adventure to the spectacular sights of Tjoritja ...

Amazing Southern Africa

22 days from 8471.

Jump onboard an exhilarating journey from Cape Town to Victoria Falls through the...

Best of the South: Atlanta to New Orleans

14 days from 6055.

Explore the deep South on your way to New Orleans on a twelve-day small group tour...

Classic Canadian Rockies

7 days from 3595.

See all the highlights from the Canadian Rockies, including Lake Louise, Spirit Island,...

Best of Australia

12 days from 6290.

Experience the full range of Australia’s natural wonder, with visits to the Blue...

Best of South Australia

5 days from 1890.

Explore the famous wine region of South Australia including Barossa Valley and Clare...

Best of Perth, Margaret River & Rottnest Island

5 days from 1420.

See the best of Perth, including the Margaret River region and its wineries, Fremantle...

Our Original tours 

Vietnam express southbound, 10 days from 1132.

Take a tour of Vietnam from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, with stops to cruise the Mekong...

Sydney to Cairns Adventure

14 days from 4580.

See the natural wonders of Queensland and New South Wales on an adventure through the...

Classic Costa Rica

15 days from 1842.

Travel to Costa Rica and discover a tropical playground of immense natural beauty....

Beautiful Bali

9 days from 908.

Travel to Bali and experience this oasis off the coast of Indonesia. Bali's Ubud, Mt...

Best of Sri Lanka

15 days from 2408.

Discover the must-sees, must-eats, and must-meets of gorgeous Sri Lanka on this 15-day...

Inca Trail Express

7 days from 1369.

Travel to Peru to discover Peru's ancient civilisation. Trek or train to Machu Picchu,...

Vietnam Express Northbound

10 days from 1203.

Travel through Vietnam from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi. Visit the Mekong Delta, cruise...

Rome to Amalfi

8 days from 2224.

Travel to Italy on a tour from Rome to Amalfi and explore the best of the region....

Best of Vietnam & Cambodia

18 days from 2121.

Travel into the heart and soul of South East Asia on this tour of Vietnam and Cambodia....

Iceland Discovery

8 days from 3052.

See Iceland on this eight-day tour that travels to Reykjavik, the Golden Circle,...

Best of Morocco

15 days from 1140.

Discover the best of Morocco on an action-packed trip exploring Marrakech, Fes, the...

Athens to Santorini

8 days from 2543.

Travel from ancient Athens to the spectacular island of Santorini on this wonderful...

Sacred Land of the Incas

15 days from 2742.

Visit the Sacred Land of the Inca and delight in Peru's culture with two weeks through...

Everest Base Camp Trek

15 days from 1396.

Embark on the trek of a lifetime to Everest Base Camp on this tour. Fly into Lukla and...

Egypt Adventure

8 days from 1099.

Visit Egypt and adventure along the River Nile through the land of the pharaohs, from...

Explore Jordan

8 days from 1187.

Travel to Jordan and tour Amman, Madaba and the inspiring desert landscape of Wadi Rum....

Classic Rajasthan

15 days from 1344.

Travel to India and visit the Rajasthan region. Tour from Delhi to Pushkar through...

Guatemala to Belize

10 days from 1275.

Wander the cobblestone streets of Antigua, float along the waters of the Rio Dulce, and...

India's Golden Triangle

8 days from 743.

Take an action-packed eight-day tour through the essential sights and bites of India’s...

South Korea Highlights

9 days from 3141.

Take a dive into all that South Korea has to offer, from Seoul to Sokcho, Andong and...

Best of Italy

14 days from 4122.

Immerse yourself in classic culture, history and incredible sights on this Best of...

Cambodian Traveller

Travel from Vietnam to Thailand on a South East Asian adventure that explores Cambodia...

North Morocco Adventure

8 days from 788.

This tour of North Morocco from Casablanca to Marrakech will capture your heart....

Inca Trail Express from Lima

8 days from 1505.

Travel to Peru and retrace the steps of the Inca. Follow traditions from Lima to Cusco,...

Classic Hikes of Patagonia

15 days from 8900.

Embark on all the classic hikes of Patagonia – including the Torres del Paine base hike...

Thailand & Laos Adventure

13 days from 1832.

Travel from Bangkok to Vientiane on a tour through Thailand and Laos. Visit Thailand's...

Japan: Land of the Rising Sun

13 days from 5078.

Discover Japanese culture on this 13-day tour. Travel with a local from Tokyo to Kyoto...

Cycle Vietnam

15 days from 2537.

Jump in the saddle for a two-wheeled adventure tour of Vietnam. Take in cultural...

Morocco Encompassed

17 days from 1743.

Explore Morocco on this in-depth tour with Intrepid. Spend 17 days exploring Marrakech,...

Inca Trail & Amazon Adventure

12 days from 2487.

Travel from the heights of the Andes to the exotic Amazon rainforest on this best of...

South Korea Real Food Adventure

8 days from 2888.

Slurp, crunch and spoon your way into the heart of South Korean cuisine, snacking at...

Turkey Highlights

8 days from 1513.

See the highlights of Turkey on this eight-day adventure. Start in Istanbul and visit...

Costa Rica Experience

9 days from 1521.

Encounter the natural beauty of Costa Rica, from La Fortuna’s volcano and Monteverde’s...

South Morocco Discovery

10 days from 773.

Discover Morocco's southern highlights on this well paced adventure including Marrakech...

Best of Galapagos

10 days from 3386.

Discover amazing wildlife and natural beauty in the Galapagos Islands.

China Highlights

8 days from 1571.

Take a trip through epic China and see the Terracotta Warriors, the Great Wall,...

Central Asia: Five Stans Express

24 days from 5444.

Join a 24-day adventure through Central Asia from Ashgabat, to Tashkent, to Bishkek and...

East Africa Highlights

10 days from 3935.

Travel through East Africa from Kenya to Tanzania, stopping at the Masai Mara, the...

Discover Egypt & Jordan

15 days from 2916.

Take an adventure holiday through Egypt and Jordan. Visit Cairo, the Pyramids of Giza,...

Explore Colombia

10 days from 2200.

Travel to Colombia on a ten-day Intrepid. Stroll the cobblestone streets of Cartagena...

The Maritimes: Prince Edward Island to New Brunswick

6 days from 2380.

Experience the seaside charm of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick on this 6-day...

Sabah Adventure

11 days from 2317.

This Sabah Adventure tour through the Borneo wilderness will truly capture your...

Balkan Adventure

15 days from 2567.

Travel across historic Eastern Europe from Hungary to Croatia. Visit cultural sights...

Western USA National Parks Loop

5 days from 1872.

Set off on a five-day adventure through some of the USA’s most epic scenery, including...

Botswana Highlights

9 days from 2430.

Discover the culture, wildlife and waterways of Botswana on this upgraded adventure...

Scenic Vietnam

15 days from 1671.

Journey from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City on this Vietnam adventure. Trek in the quiet...

Best of Turkey

15 days from 2338.

From Istanbul to Ephesus, Pamukkale to the coast, and Cappadocia to the Anatolian...

Best of Spain

15 days from 3767.

Kick off a colourful Best of Spain tour in Madrid and visit some of Spain's highlights....

Madagascar Adventure

14 days from 3056.

Embark on a wildlife and jungle-filled adventure through Madagascar visiting...

Central Asia Explorer

17 days from 3735.

Soak up Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan on this 17-day tour that begins in Bishkek and visits...

Walk the Camino de Santiago

7 days from 1403.

Over seven days, join a local leader and small group of likeminded travellers to walk...

Greece Sailing Adventure: Cyclades Islands

10 days from 2414.

See the best of the Cyclades on this 10-day Greece sailing adventure. From Athens to...

Land of Belize

8 days from 1590.

Dive into Belize’s natural and cultural wonders on this slow-paced adventure through...

Classic Peru

9 days from 2471.

Visit South America and travel to Peru. Visit Lima, Cusco and Lake Titicaca, tour the...

Annapurna Circuit Trek

15 days from 1280.

Go trekking in Nepal on an adventure that takes you around the Annapurna Circuit. From...

Portuguese Camino

10 days from 2390.

Be challenged and be fulfilled on this coastal Camino, starting in Porto and walking...

Montenegro Sailing Adventure from Dubrovnik

8 days from 2291.

Sail into the sublime waters of Montenegro, departing from Dubrovnik and exploring...

Europe Christmas Markets: Munich to Budapest

8 days from 2460.

Experience the festive markets of Central Europe. Go Christmas crazy in the market...

East Africa Safari & Coast

13 days from 4955, our basix tours , hiking in the canadian rockies, 8 days from 2440.

Hike the Canadian Rockies, exploring Lake Louise, Yoho National Park, Emerald Glacier...

Maya Encounter

17 days from 1348.

Find authentic adventure on this experience through Mexico, Belize and Guatemala....

Okavango Experience

10 days from 1820.

Tour through Johannesburg, Maun, Chobe, the Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls on a ten...

Explore Southern Africa

18 days from 3595.

Spend some time exploring Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe with included safari...

Uluru & Kings Canyon Adventure

4 days from 900.

Discover the history, culture and incredible landscapes of Australia’s Red Centre on a...

Canadian Rockies

15 days from 3245.

Discover the Canadian Rockies on this 15-day adventure tour with Intrepid that hits...

Mexico Unplugged

15 days from 1705.

The incredible cultures and colours of Mexico await on this 15-day adventure through...

Gorillas & Game Parks

16 days from 3612.

Encounter the wildlife of Kenya and Uganda on this adventure including a gorilla trek...

Explore Egypt

15 days from 1410.

Explore Egypt with a trip to Cairo, the Nile, Aswan, Luxor and Alexandria. Pyramids,...

Highlights of Italy

8 days from 1474.

See the best of Italy – Venice, La Spezia, Cinque Terre, Florence and Rome – in eight...

Cape Town to Vic Falls

22 days from 3017.

Spend three weeks exploring South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, from Cape...

Kenya Wildlife Safari

8 days from 1352.

Experience Kenyan wildlife on an eight day trip travelling from Nairobi to Lake...

Central American Journey

17 days from 1512.

Travel from Guatemala to Costa Rica, through gorgeous Monteverde, La Fortuna, Leon,...

Jordan & Egypt Uncovered

22 days from 2625.

Explore Jordan and Egypt with a trip to Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum, Cairo, the Nile, Aswan,...

Indian Getaway

11 days from 595.

Get the most out of 11 days in India on this trip exploring the best of Delhi, Varanasi...

Iceland Express

5 days from 1480.

Tour green Iceland on a five-day trip visiting Reykjavik, the Golden Circle, Vik,...

Japan Express

9 days from 2128.

See Japan in nine days on a trip visiting Tokyo, Nikko and Kyoto. Say konnichiwa to...

Kakadu, Katherine & Litchfield Explorer

4 days from 798.

Tour the best bits of Australia’s Top End, exploring Kakadu National Park, Litchfield...

Road to Zanzibar

12 days from 1908.

Experience the beauty of the Ngorongoro and Serengeti, Usambara Mountains and Zanzibar...

Patagonia: Torres del Paine Classic W Trek

6 days from 2810.

Hike the W Trek in Chilean Patagonia and discover the wild beauty of Torres del Paine...

Costa Rica & Panama Discovery

12 days from 1212.

Hit San Jose, Sarapiqui, Puerto Viejo, Bocas del Toro, Boquete and Panama City on this...

The Masai Heartlands

15 days from 3384.

Uncover Kenya and Tanzania on a 2 week trip with Serengeti safaris, Ngorongoro, Nakuru,...

Serengeti Trail

8 days from 1887.

Roam the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Amboseli National Park to spot Africa's Big...

Vic Falls to Kruger

9 days from 1422.

Take on a safari adventure through Hwange National Park, Matobo National Park, Kruger...

North China Getaway

12 days from 1224.

Discover China’s northern hotspots with Intrepid on a 12-day trip to Beijing, the Great...

Gorillas, Game Parks & Beaches

27 days from 5964.

Go deep in East Africa on this epic trip, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zanzibar.

Essential South Korea

9 days from 1459.

Take a journey through South Korea, starting in Seoul and heading to Jeonju, Wanju,...

Best of Argentina, Uruguay & Brazil

10 days from 2466.

Travel from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro on a ten-day trip, including Iguazu Falls...

North India Revealed

22 days from 844.

See the essentials of India’s north on a 22-day trip through Delhi, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur,...

One Week In Costa Rica

8 days from 760.

Head to the Caribbean coasts of Costa Rica with a fun-filled adventure to San Jose,...

Turkey Explored

18 days from 1896.

Go deeper than Derinkuyu on an 18-day Turkey trip beginning and ending in Istanbul,...

Jordan & Egypt Express

9 days from 1112.

Follow in the footsteps of prophets on an adventure tour through Jordan and Egypt....

Simply Sri Lanka

8 days from 680.

Discover idyllic Sri Lanka from Negombo to Colombo on this eight-day Lonely Planet...

Best of Brazil

8 days from 927.

Experience Brazil’s coast on an eight-day adventure. From Rio to Ilha Grande, see jaw...

Galapagos Discovery

9 days from 2111.

See the Galapagos Islands on an eight-day adventure including Isla Isabela, Isla Santa...

Kruger, Coast & Cape

22 days from 2882.

Embark on a 22 day Southern African odyssey through wildlife-rich game parks, idyllic...

Kilimanjaro: Marangu Route

8 days from 3696.

Conquer Mt Kilimanjaro on the picturesque Marangu Route, hiking with porters on an...

Mount Toubkal Trek

7 days from 587.

Trek through Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains exploring Aroumd and Imlil and then climb...

Trek the Cradle Mountain Overland Track

6 days from 1668.

Tackle one of Australia’s greatest treks, among some of its most incredible scenery, on...

Tanzania Family Safari

8 days from 2280.

Experience the people, culture and wildlife of Kenya and Tanzania on a small group...

Mount Toubkal Winter Trek

7 days from 855.

Set off on a seven-day adventure through the Atlas Mountains, joining an expert guide...

Central American Adventure

33 days from 3086.

Tour jungle ruins and Caribbean coastline on a 33-day adventure to Mexico, Belize,...

Galapagos Experience

7 days from 1222.

As far as face-to-face wildlife encounters go, the Galapagos wildlife experience rivals...

Essential Italy

10 days from 1774.

Visit Venice, Verona, Parma, Cinque Terre, Pisa, Florence and Rome with like-minded 18...

Kilimanjaro: Machame Route

9 days from 4425.

Travel to Tanzania on a nine-day trip taking in Kilimanjaro along the Machame Route....

Vic Falls to Cape Town

22 days from 2941.

Discover the unique and contrasting lands of Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and South...

Turkey Uncovered

14 days from 1403.

Discover the best of Turkey on a 14-day trip exploring Istanbul, Gallipoli, Fethiye,...

Amazing Central America

28 days from 2988.

Spend 28 days visiting Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and...

Peru Essentials

21 days from 2699.

See Peru in-depth on a trip from Lima to La Paz. Trek the Inca Trail and marvel at...

Cambodia Adventure

12 days from 840.

Hit Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City then take a trip through Cambodia, visiting Angkor Wat...

Kakadu, Katherine & Litchfield Family Adventure

4 days from 1280.

Set out on a camping safari through captivating Kakadu National Park. Experience the...

Garden Route Adventure

14 days from 1664.

See Africa from Durban to Cape Town on a 14-day adventure. Tour Tsitsikamma, Addo...

Best of East Africa

20 days from 4685.

Step out onto the Serengeti and keep your eyes out for rhinos, lions, leopards and a...

Vietnam Discovery

15 days from 1159.

Discover Vietnam’s east coast on this 15-day tour, uncovering the hidden delights of...

Vanuatu Expedition

8 days from 3110.

Embark on an expedition to the beautiful islands of Vanuatu where you can trek to the...

Delhi to Goa

15 days from 940.

Discover India in all its glory on this 15-day spice-filled adventure from Delhi...

Mount Toubkal Long Weekend Trek

5 days from 560.

Challenge yourself to this ambitious hiking trip and climb to the summit of Mount...

Central America Encompassed

31 days from 3506.

Take an epic adventure to Central America through Mexico’s hotspots like Chichen Itza,...

Wild Western USA

11 days from 2740.

Travel from LA via Joshua Tree, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Yosemite, Sierra Nevada to...

South India Revealed

16 days from 826.

See the landscapes of South India on a 16-day adventure from Varkala to Goa via Kerala...

The perks of solo travel with Intrepid

Authentic experiences with a local leader

Stuffy coaches, flag-touting tour guides and ‘seeing the sights’ isn’t our vibe. We prefer culturally-rich experiences – led by a local – that take you behind the scenes of a destination. Our itineraries are packed with unique insights into local life. We're talking hands-on pastry-making classes with local Macedonian women, watching a traditional dance performance on the sand dunes in Pushkar or sleeping in a lush eco-resort in the Amazon.

Small groups of ready-made friends

We’ve found that it’s not always about the places you go but the people you meet along the way. Our trips are designed for people of all ages and with all sorts of life stories. With an average group size of 10, you'll get to know each other beyond the pleasantries over long dinner conversations and shared experiences. With a little luck, the friendships you make on your trip may last long after you’ve unpacked your suitcase at home.

Safety, logistics and convenience

As exciting as traveling is, it often involves a fair bit of planning. While we're sure you're well equipped to handle any situation, the beauty of traveling with us means we'll do the heavy lifting and take care of the nitty-gritty details so you can focus on what you're here to do: travel! From navigating border crossings to booking bus tickets, bridging language barriers to cultural do's and don'ts, sit back and enjoy yourself while your leader takes care of everything.

Pick your own style of travel

We understand that people travel for different reasons. That’s why we’ve created a range of  travel themes and styles  to suit every Intrepid traveler. From our Basix style with simple accommodation and plenty of free time to our Premium trips featuring our best stays, experiences and leaders (with our Original and Comfort styles in between), choose what suits you and get ready for an unforgettable experience.

Tour reviews

Do i need a covid-19 vaccine to join an intrepid trip as a senior.

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises). However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travelers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Learn more about Intrepid's COVID-19 policy

Who are Intrepid travelers?

Intrepid adventures are for travelers with a yearning to get off the beaten track. Whether you're traveling solo, with a group of friends, or are aged 18 or 70, there is an Intrepid adventure to suit your interests and comfort level. Each Intrepid adventure has a physical and cultural grading to help you decide if the trip is right for you. No special skills are required for most adventures, just a sense of adventure and a curiosity about the world. Even on our camping adventures no previous experience is required; our tents are easy to set up, even for first-time campers. 

Are there age restrictions on your trips?

For the majority of our trips the minimum age is 15. An adult must accompany all children under the age of 18. Our Overland Adventures have a minimum age of 18. Younger children can join us on our Family trips and Short Break Adventures, but check each trip for its minimum age, which is located on the trip’s overview page on the website. Most of our trips don’t have a maximum age limit, but a Self-Assessment Form is required for all passengers 70 years and over. 

How many people will be on my trip?

Good things come in small packages, which is why we keep our group sizes down. This means we’re small enough to remain flexible as we thread our way through communities without intimidating the locals. On most of our trips you’ll be part of an intimate group of 12-16 people, though our group sizes are on average 10 people. Our Overland trips are in purpose-built vehicles that can carry up to 24 travelers. Group sizes are displayed on each trip’s overview page on our website. 

I’m traveling alone – is that OK?

This is the beauty of the Intrepid style of travel: many of our travelers join because they are traveling solo and want to meet and share experiences with like-minded people.

Learn more about solo travel

I have a disability – can I join an Intrepid trip?

Intrepid is committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. We ask that you carefully consider whether you are physically and mentally able to complete the itinerary you have chosen, recognizing that on many trips you will be required to carry your own bags and use public transport. 

Where we can we will make reasonable adjustments to the operation of our trips to facilitate the requirements of disabled travelers – such as booking ground floor accommodation, or having our leaders communicate important directions in writing as well as verbally. Many travelers with disabilities have been able to enjoy our trips by traveling with a friend or companion who can assist with specific needs. If joining a group trip is not practical we may be able to provide you with a private departure. Please contact our sales team for further information on any of our itineraries. 

Learn more about accessible travel with Intrepid

Do I need to buy travel insurance?

Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips if you’re traveling internationally. Minimum coverage may differ from trip to trip, so make sure you check the Travel Insurance section in your Essential Trip Information. You will not be permitted to join the group until your leader has sighted your insurance policy number and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number – it’s really important there are no barriers to getting emergency assistance for you. 

Will I have my own room?

It's your call. Rooming on our trips is organized on a twin-share basis, but most of our trips also have the option to pay an extra fee for your own room. Just let us know at the time of booking and we'll arrange it for you. 

For twin-share rooms, we pair up solo travelers with another traveler of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. As a responsible tour operator, we strive to create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone. In the case that your gender identity differs from what's indicated on your passport, please contact us so that we can discuss rooming options with you. 

On a small selection of itineraries some accommodations are booked on an open-gender, multi-share basis. In those instances it will clearly be stated in your Essential Trip Information. 

How does group time work?

Whether you’re traveling alone or with a partner, our trips have a set itinerary. But within that there’s time set aside for your own exploration (if you want to – no pressure). Depending on how you're feeling, you may want to have some downtime, ask your guide for a few tips then head out alone, or hang out with the group and see where the day takes you. 

What makes a small group tour better than a coach tour?

The main difference between a small group tour and a coach tour is the size of the group; our tours have 10 travelers each (on average) while coaches can hold up to 60 people. This means that you'll never have to vie for your leader's attention on a small group tour because you'll automatically have it.

Learn more about the differences between a small group tour and a coach tour

Read more about solo travel

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• International

March 26, 2024 - Baltimore Key Bridge collapses after ship collision

By Helen Regan , Kathleen Magramo , Antoinette Radford, Alisha Ebrahimji , Maureen Chowdhury , Rachel Ramirez , Elise Hammond , Aditi Sangal , Tori B. Powell , Piper Hudspeth Blackburn and Kathleen Magramo , CNN

Our live coverage of the Baltimore bridge collapse has moved here .

Crew member on DALI said everyone on board was safe hours after bridge collapse, official says

From CNN’s Amy Simonson

A crew member on the DALI cargo ship sent a message hours after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed Tuesday saying everybody on board was safe, according to Apostleship of the Sea director Andy Middleton.

Middleton, who spent time with the captain of the DALI Monday, told CNN’s Laura Coates he reached out to a crew member after hearing about the incident Tuesday morning. 

He said there were 22 members aboard the ship from India who were setting sail earlier Tuesday morning and were heading toward Sri Lanka.

“I was able to reach out to a crew member very early this morning around 5:30 (a.m. ET) or 6 (a.m. ET) and get a message to them asking if they were OK,” he said. “That crew member responded within just a few minutes advising that the crew was safe, and everybody that [was] on board was safe.”

Middleton was told by the ship's captain Monday that the vessel was going to take a longer route to avoid risks along the Yemen coast.

“When I was out with the captain yesterday, we were talking while we were driving, and he advised that they were sailing down and around the tip of South Africa in order to avoid the incidents that are going on off the Yemen coast, and it was a safer way to go,” he said.

Middleton said the  Apostleship of the Sea  is a ministry to seafarers with members that spend time in the port and on the vessels as a friendly face to the seafarers that visit the Port of Baltimore, “taking care of their needs to make sure that they're reminded of their God-given human dignity when they're here in Baltimore.”

Search operation ends in "heartbreaking conclusion," Maryland governor says. Here's the latest

From CNN staff

Six people, who were believed to be part of a road construction crew, are presumed dead after Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning. The collapse came after a 984-foot cargo ship hit the bridge's pillar.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore told reporters Tuesday evening it's a "really heartbreaking conclusion to a challenging day."

Late Tuesday, it was discovered that two of the construction workers who went missing after the bridge collapsed were from Guatemala , the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said late Tuesday.

Here's what you should know to get up to speed:

• The victims: Eight people were on the bridge  when it fell, according to officials. At least two people were rescued — one was taken to the hospital and was later  discharged , fire official and the medical center said.
• The incident: Video shows the moment the entire bridge structure falls into the water, as the ship hits one of the bridge's pillars. CNN analysis shows that the  ships lights flickered  and it veered off course before it hit the bridge. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said the crew on the ship were able to issue a "mayday" before colliding into the bridge, which allowed the authorities to stop incoming traffic from going onto the bridge.
• Response efforts: Earlier, dive teams from various state and local agencies were brought in to assist in search-and-rescue operations, according to Maryland State Police Secretary Col. Roland L. Butler Jr.. The mission started with 50 personnel and continued to grow before the Coast Guard announced Tuesday evening that it was suspending its active search-and-rescue operation and transitioning to a "different phase."
• The investigation: Authorities are still working to establish exactly how the crash occurred. The National Transportation Safety Board will look into  how the bridge was built  and investigate the structure itself. It will "take time to dig through" whether the bridge had ever been  flagged for any safety deficiencies , NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said.
• Rebuilding the bridge: US Sen. Chris Van Hollen said the path to rebuilding the bridge will be "long and expensive." Senior White House adviser Tom Perez told reporters Tuesday “it’s too early” to tell how long it will take to rebuild the bridge. President Joe Biden said Tuesday he wants the federal government to bear the full cost of rebuilding the collapsed bridge, noting that it will not wait for the company who owns the container ship DALI to shoulder the costs. Funding could come from the Federal Highway Administration as well as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, but it may require additional funding from Congress.

2 of the missing construction workers from bridge collapse were from Guatemala, foreign ministry says

From CNN’s Allison Gordon, Flora Charner and Amy Simonson

Two of the construction workers missing from the bridge collapse in Baltimore were from Guatemala, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement late Tuesday.

Those missing included a 26-year-old originally from San Luis, Petén. The other is a 35-year-old from Camotán, Chiquimula, the statement said.

The ministry said both were part of a work team “repairing the asphalt on the bridge at the time of the accident.”

The statement did not name the two people missing, but it said the country’s consul general in Maryland “went to the area where the families of those affected are located,” where he hopes to be able to meet with the brothers of both missing people.

The consulate   also issued a statement Tuesday saying its consul general in Maryland "remains in contact with local authorities," and also confirmed that two of those missing "were of Guatemalan origin.”

Six people, who were believed to be part of a road construction crew, are presumed dead after Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning when a cargo ship hit the bridge's pillar.

State and federal officials have not released information about the identities of any of the six missing workers.

Underwater mapping of bridge collapse area to begin Wednesday, Baltimore fire chief says

From CNN's Jennifer Henderson

Search operations near the Key Bridge collapse have shut down for the night due to dangerous conditions, but the process of underwater mapping with many local, state and federal dive teams will begin Wednesday, Baltimore City Fire Chief James Wallace told CNN’s Anderson Cooper Tuesday night.

Wallace said the portion of the Patapsco River is “tidal influenced, so it goes through tide cycles just like the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay does.”

The water depths in the area under the bridge vary from 40 feet to more than 60 feet, Wallace said. The deeper the divers go, the colder the temperatures they encounter, and the visibility is zero, he added.

 Wallace said when crews arrived Tuesday morning, the surface water temperatures of the Patapsco River were about 47 degrees with an air temperature of 44-45 degrees.

Here's what you should know about the historic Francis Scott Key Bridge

The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday after a massive container ship lost power and crashed into the iconic Baltimore bridge, sending people and vehicles into the frigid Patapsco River.

Six people, believed to be part of a road construction crew, are presumed dead and the Coast Guard has ended its active search and rescue mission.

Here's what you should know about the historic bridge:

• How old?: The Francis Scott Key Bridge, also referred to as just the Key Bridge, opened to traffic in March 1977 and is the final link in the Baltimore Beltway, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA.) It crosses over the 50-foot-deep Patapsco River, where former US attorney Francis Scott Key found inspiration to write the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner, the MDTA says.
• How long?: The bridge was 1.6 miles long when standing, MDTA reports.
• Traffic volume: More than 30,000 people commuted daily on the bridge, according to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.
• How much did it cost?: The bridge cost $60.3 million to build, MDTA says. Since its collapse, President Joe Biden said he’s committed to helping rebuild the bridge as soon as possible.
• About the port: Baltimore ranks as the ninth biggest US port for international cargo. It handled a record 52.3 million tons, valued at $80.8 billion, in 2023. According to the Maryland state government, the port supports 15,330 direct jobs and 139,180 jobs in related services.
• About the ship: The bridge collapsed after a container vessel called Dali collided with one of its supports. Dali is operated by Singapore-based Synergy Group but had been chartered to carry cargo by Danish shipping giant Maersk . The ship is about 984 feet long , according to MarineTraffic data. That’s the length of almost three football fields.

Baltimore woman says bridge collapse was "like a piece of family dissolved"

From CNN's Kit Maher

For longtime Baltimore resident, Ceely, who opted not to share her last name, seeing footage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse  Tuesday was deeply personal.

“I was very heavy-hearted,” Ceely told CNN. “Very tearful, thinking about the families whose loved ones may be in the water and just remembering when the bridge was constructed, and it was just like a piece of family dissolved.”

Ceely was at a prayer group Tuesday morning when she saw the news. She recalled being afraid when she first crossed the bridge while in Ford Maverick in 1975, but grew to like it because it saved time on the road.

“It was a main artery just like a blood line. It was a main artery to the other side of town. It was awesome. It beat going through the city all the time,” she said.

Elder Rashad A. Singletary , a senior pastor who led Tuesday night’s vigil at Mt. Olive Baptist Church told CNN that many church members watched the bridge's construction.

"It’s a part of the community. A lot of our individuals in our congregation drive that bridge to go to work, and so now it’s really a life changing moment,” he said.

"Heartbreaking conclusion to a challenging day," Maryland governor says as Coast Guard ended search operation

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

More than 18 hours after the collapse of the Baltimore bridge, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said it was a heartbreaking conclusion after the Coast Guard ended the search-and-rescue operation for the six people who were on the bridge when it collapsed.

It's a "really heartbreaking conclusion to a challenging day," he said.

"We put every single asset possible — air, land and sea" to find the missing people, he told reporters on Tuesday evening. "While even though we're moving on now to a recovery mission, we're still fully committed to making sure that we're going to use every single asset to now bring a sense of closure to the families," the governor added.

6 people presumed dead after Baltimore bridge collapse, Coast Guard says. Here's what we know

As the sun sets in Baltimore, six people are presumed dead after a major bridge collapsed overnight Tuesday, according to the Coast Guard. The Francis Scott Key Bridge came down around 1:30 a.m. ET after a cargo ship collided with it.

The Coast Guard said it has ended its active search-and-rescue operation for the missing construction workers who were on the bridge when it collapsed.

• What we know: Eight people were on the bridge when it fell, according to officials. At least two people were rescued — one was taken to the hospital and has been discharged . The Coast Guard has been searching for six other people. But, around 7:30 p.m. ET, the Coast Guard said it has transitioned to a “different phase” of operation, now it did “not believe we are going to find any of these individuals alive,” Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath said.
• About the ship: The bridge collapsed after a container vessel called Dali collided with one of its supports. The vessel is operated by Singapore-based Synergy Group but had been chartered to carry cargo by Danish shipping giant Maersk . The US Embassy in Singapore has been in contact with the country’s Maritime and Port Authority, a State Department spokesperson said.
• The investigation: The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the collapse. A team of 24 experts will dig into nautical operations, vessel operations, safety history records, owners, operators, company policy and any safety management systems or programs, said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy. A voyage data recorder will be critical to the investigation, she added. 
• Vehicles on the bridge: Officials are also working to verify the numbers of how many cars and people were on the bridge, Homendy said. Gov. Wes Moore said the quick work of authorities in closing the bridge had saved lives . Radio traffic captured how authorities stopped traffic and worked to clear the bridge seconds before the impact . Maryland State Police Secretary Col. Roland L. Butler Jr. said there is a “ distinct possibility ” more vehicles were on the bridge, but authorities have not found any evidence to support that.
• Looking ahead: NTSB will look into how the bridge was built and investigate the structure itself, including if it was flagged for any safety deficiencies , Homendy said. The federal government has also directed its resources to help with search and rescue, to reopen the port and rebuild the bridge, Vice President Kamala Harris said . Earlier, President Joe Biden said t he federal government will pay to fix the bridge.
• The economy: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg warned the collapse will have a serious impact on supply chains . Until the channel is reopened, ships will likely already be changing course for other East Coast ports. Ocean carriers are already being diverted from the Port of Baltimore, where the bridge collapsed, to the Port of Virginia to “keep trade moving."

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Regions & Countries

What the data says about abortion in the u.s..

Pew Research Center has conducted many surveys about abortion over the years, providing a lens into Americans’ views on whether the procedure should be legal, among a host of other questions.

In a  Center survey  conducted nearly a year after the Supreme Court’s June 2022 decision that  ended the constitutional right to abortion , 62% of U.S. adults said the practice should be legal in all or most cases, while 36% said it should be illegal in all or most cases. Another survey conducted a few months before the decision showed that relatively few Americans take an absolutist view on the issue .

Find answers to common questions about abortion in America, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Guttmacher Institute, which have tracked these patterns for several decades:

How many abortions are there in the U.S. each year?

How has the number of abortions in the u.s. changed over time, what is the abortion rate among women in the u.s. how has it changed over time, what are the most common types of abortion, how many abortion providers are there in the u.s., and how has that number changed, what percentage of abortions are for women who live in a different state from the abortion provider, what are the demographics of women who have had abortions, when during pregnancy do most abortions occur, how often are there medical complications from abortion.

This compilation of data on abortion in the United States draws mainly from two sources: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Guttmacher Institute, both of which have regularly compiled national abortion data for approximately half a century, and which collect their data in different ways.

The CDC data that is highlighted in this post comes from the agency’s “abortion surveillance” reports, which have been published annually since 1974 (and which have included data from 1969). Its figures from 1973 through 1996 include data from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and New York City – 52 “reporting areas” in all. Since 1997, the CDC’s totals have lacked data from some states (most notably California) for the years that those states did not report data to the agency. The four reporting areas that did not submit data to the CDC in 2021 – California, Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey – accounted for approximately 25% of all legal induced abortions in the U.S. in 2020, according to Guttmacher’s data. Most states, though,  do  have data in the reports, and the figures for the vast majority of them came from each state’s central health agency, while for some states, the figures came from hospitals and other medical facilities.

Discussion of CDC abortion data involving women’s state of residence, marital status, race, ethnicity, age, abortion history and the number of previous live births excludes the low share of abortions where that information was not supplied. Read the methodology for the CDC’s latest abortion surveillance report , which includes data from 2021, for more details. Previous reports can be found at  stacks.cdc.gov  by entering “abortion surveillance” into the search box.

For the numbers of deaths caused by induced abortions in 1963 and 1965, this analysis looks at reports by the then-U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, a precursor to the Department of Health and Human Services. In computing those figures, we excluded abortions listed in the report under the categories “spontaneous or unspecified” or as “other.” (“Spontaneous abortion” is another way of referring to miscarriages.)

Guttmacher data in this post comes from national surveys of abortion providers that Guttmacher has conducted 19 times since 1973. Guttmacher compiles its figures after contacting every known provider of abortions – clinics, hospitals and physicians’ offices – in the country. It uses questionnaires and health department data, and it provides estimates for abortion providers that don’t respond to its inquiries. (In 2020, the last year for which it has released data on the number of abortions in the U.S., it used estimates for 12% of abortions.) For most of the 2000s, Guttmacher has conducted these national surveys every three years, each time getting abortion data for the prior two years. For each interim year, Guttmacher has calculated estimates based on trends from its own figures and from other data.

The latest full summary of Guttmacher data came in the institute’s report titled “Abortion Incidence and Service Availability in the United States, 2020.” It includes figures for 2020 and 2019 and estimates for 2018. The report includes a methods section.

In addition, this post uses data from StatPearls, an online health care resource, on complications from abortion.

An exact answer is hard to come by. The CDC and the Guttmacher Institute have each tried to measure this for around half a century, but they use different methods and publish different figures.

The last year for which the CDC reported a yearly national total for abortions is 2021. It found there were 625,978 abortions in the District of Columbia and the 46 states with available data that year, up from 597,355 in those states and D.C. in 2020. The corresponding figure for 2019 was 607,720.

The last year for which Guttmacher reported a yearly national total was 2020. It said there were 930,160 abortions that year in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, compared with 916,460 in 2019.

• How the CDC gets its data: It compiles figures that are voluntarily reported by states’ central health agencies, including separate figures for New York City and the District of Columbia. Its latest totals do not include figures from California, Maryland, New Hampshire or New Jersey, which did not report data to the CDC. ( Read the methodology from the latest CDC report .)
• How Guttmacher gets its data: It compiles its figures after contacting every known abortion provider – clinics, hospitals and physicians’ offices – in the country. It uses questionnaires and health department data, then provides estimates for abortion providers that don’t respond. Guttmacher’s figures are higher than the CDC’s in part because they include data (and in some instances, estimates) from all 50 states. ( Read the institute’s latest full report and methodology .)

While the Guttmacher Institute supports abortion rights, its empirical data on abortions in the U.S. has been widely cited by  groups  and  publications  across the political spectrum, including by a  number of those  that  disagree with its positions .

These estimates from Guttmacher and the CDC are results of multiyear efforts to collect data on abortion across the U.S. Last year, Guttmacher also began publishing less precise estimates every few months , based on a much smaller sample of providers.

The figures reported by these organizations include only legal induced abortions conducted by clinics, hospitals or physicians’ offices, or those that make use of abortion pills dispensed from certified facilities such as clinics or physicians’ offices. They do not account for the use of abortion pills that were obtained  outside of clinical settings .

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The annual number of U.S. abortions rose for years after Roe v. Wade legalized the procedure in 1973, reaching its highest levels around the late 1980s and early 1990s, according to both the CDC and Guttmacher. Since then, abortions have generally decreased at what a CDC analysis called  “a slow yet steady pace.”

Guttmacher says the number of abortions occurring in the U.S. in 2020 was 40% lower than it was in 1991. According to the CDC, the number was 36% lower in 2021 than in 1991, looking just at the District of Columbia and the 46 states that reported both of those years.

(The corresponding line graph shows the long-term trend in the number of legal abortions reported by both organizations. To allow for consistent comparisons over time, the CDC figures in the chart have been adjusted to ensure that the same states are counted from one year to the next. Using that approach, the CDC figure for 2021 is 622,108 legal abortions.)

There have been occasional breaks in this long-term pattern of decline – during the middle of the first decade of the 2000s, and then again in the late 2010s. The CDC reported modest 1% and 2% increases in abortions in 2018 and 2019, and then, after a 2% decrease in 2020, a 5% increase in 2021. Guttmacher reported an 8% increase over the three-year period from 2017 to 2020.

As noted above, these figures do not include abortions that use pills obtained outside of clinical settings.

Guttmacher says that in 2020 there were 14.4 abortions in the U.S. per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. Its data shows that the rate of abortions among women has generally been declining in the U.S. since 1981, when it reported there were 29.3 abortions per 1,000 women in that age range.

The CDC says that in 2021, there were 11.6 abortions in the U.S. per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. (That figure excludes data from California, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey.) Like Guttmacher’s data, the CDC’s figures also suggest a general decline in the abortion rate over time. In 1980, when the CDC reported on all 50 states and D.C., it said there were 25 abortions per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44.

That said, both Guttmacher and the CDC say there were slight increases in the rate of abortions during the late 2010s and early 2020s. Guttmacher says the abortion rate per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44 rose from 13.5 in 2017 to 14.4 in 2020. The CDC says it rose from 11.2 per 1,000 in 2017 to 11.4 in 2019, before falling back to 11.1 in 2020 and then rising again to 11.6 in 2021. (The CDC’s figures for those years exclude data from California, D.C., Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey.)

The CDC broadly divides abortions into two categories: surgical abortions and medication abortions, which involve pills. Since the Food and Drug Administration first approved abortion pills in 2000, their use has increased over time as a share of abortions nationally, according to both the CDC and Guttmacher.

The majority of abortions in the U.S. now involve pills, according to both the CDC and Guttmacher. The CDC says 56% of U.S. abortions in 2021 involved pills, up from 53% in 2020 and 44% in 2019. Its figures for 2021 include the District of Columbia and 44 states that provided this data; its figures for 2020 include D.C. and 44 states (though not all of the same states as in 2021), and its figures for 2019 include D.C. and 45 states.

Guttmacher, which measures this every three years, says 53% of U.S. abortions involved pills in 2020, up from 39% in 2017.

Two pills commonly used together for medication abortions are mifepristone, which, taken first, blocks hormones that support a pregnancy, and misoprostol, which then causes the uterus to empty. According to the FDA, medication abortions are safe  until 10 weeks into pregnancy.

Surgical abortions conducted  during the first trimester  of pregnancy typically use a suction process, while the relatively few surgical abortions that occur  during the second trimester  of a pregnancy typically use a process called dilation and evacuation, according to the UCLA School of Medicine.

In 2020, there were 1,603 facilities in the U.S. that provided abortions,  according to Guttmacher . This included 807 clinics, 530 hospitals and 266 physicians’ offices.

While clinics make up half of the facilities that provide abortions, they are the sites where the vast majority (96%) of abortions are administered, either through procedures or the distribution of pills, according to Guttmacher’s 2020 data. (This includes 54% of abortions that are administered at specialized abortion clinics and 43% at nonspecialized clinics.) Hospitals made up 33% of the facilities that provided abortions in 2020 but accounted for only 3% of abortions that year, while just 1% of abortions were conducted by physicians’ offices.

Looking just at clinics – that is, the total number of specialized abortion clinics and nonspecialized clinics in the U.S. – Guttmacher found the total virtually unchanged between 2017 (808 clinics) and 2020 (807 clinics). However, there were regional differences. In the Midwest, the number of clinics that provide abortions increased by 11% during those years, and in the West by 6%. The number of clinics  decreased  during those years by 9% in the Northeast and 3% in the South.

The total number of abortion providers has declined dramatically since the 1980s. In 1982, according to Guttmacher, there were 2,908 facilities providing abortions in the U.S., including 789 clinics, 1,405 hospitals and 714 physicians’ offices.

The CDC does not track the number of abortion providers.

In the District of Columbia and the 46 states that provided abortion and residency information to the CDC in 2021, 10.9% of all abortions were performed on women known to live outside the state where the abortion occurred – slightly higher than the percentage in 2020 (9.7%). That year, D.C. and 46 states (though not the same ones as in 2021) reported abortion and residency data. (The total number of abortions used in these calculations included figures for women with both known and unknown residential status.)

The share of reported abortions performed on women outside their state of residence was much higher before the 1973 Roe decision that stopped states from banning abortion. In 1972, 41% of all abortions in D.C. and the 20 states that provided this information to the CDC that year were performed on women outside their state of residence. In 1973, the corresponding figure was 21% in the District of Columbia and the 41 states that provided this information, and in 1974 it was 11% in D.C. and the 43 states that provided data.

In the District of Columbia and the 46 states that reported age data to  the CDC in 2021, the majority of women who had abortions (57%) were in their 20s, while about three-in-ten (31%) were in their 30s. Teens ages 13 to 19 accounted for 8% of those who had abortions, while women ages 40 to 44 accounted for about 4%.

The vast majority of women who had abortions in 2021 were unmarried (87%), while married women accounted for 13%, according to  the CDC , which had data on this from 37 states.

In the District of Columbia, New York City (but not the rest of New York) and the 31 states that reported racial and ethnic data on abortion to  the CDC , 42% of all women who had abortions in 2021 were non-Hispanic Black, while 30% were non-Hispanic White, 22% were Hispanic and 6% were of other races.

Looking at abortion rates among those ages 15 to 44, there were 28.6 abortions per 1,000 non-Hispanic Black women in 2021; 12.3 abortions per 1,000 Hispanic women; 6.4 abortions per 1,000 non-Hispanic White women; and 9.2 abortions per 1,000 women of other races, the  CDC reported  from those same 31 states, D.C. and New York City.

For 57% of U.S. women who had induced abortions in 2021, it was the first time they had ever had one,  according to the CDC.  For nearly a quarter (24%), it was their second abortion. For 11% of women who had an abortion that year, it was their third, and for 8% it was their fourth or more. These CDC figures include data from 41 states and New York City, but not the rest of New York.

Nearly four-in-ten women who had abortions in 2021 (39%) had no previous live births at the time they had an abortion,  according to the CDC . Almost a quarter (24%) of women who had abortions in 2021 had one previous live birth, 20% had two previous live births, 10% had three, and 7% had four or more previous live births. These CDC figures include data from 41 states and New York City, but not the rest of New York.

The vast majority of abortions occur during the first trimester of a pregnancy. In 2021, 93% of abortions occurred during the first trimester – that is, at or before 13 weeks of gestation,  according to the CDC . An additional 6% occurred between 14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy, and about 1% were performed at 21 weeks or more of gestation. These CDC figures include data from 40 states and New York City, but not the rest of New York.

About 2% of all abortions in the U.S. involve some type of complication for the woman , according to an article in StatPearls, an online health care resource. “Most complications are considered minor such as pain, bleeding, infection and post-anesthesia complications,” according to the article.

The CDC calculates  case-fatality rates for women from induced abortions – that is, how many women die from abortion-related complications, for every 100,000 legal abortions that occur in the U.S .  The rate was lowest during the most recent period examined by the agency (2013 to 2020), when there were 0.45 deaths to women per 100,000 legal induced abortions. The case-fatality rate reported by the CDC was highest during the first period examined by the agency (1973 to 1977), when it was 2.09 deaths to women per 100,000 legal induced abortions. During the five-year periods in between, the figure ranged from 0.52 (from 1993 to 1997) to 0.78 (from 1978 to 1982).

The CDC calculates death rates by five-year and seven-year periods because of year-to-year fluctuation in the numbers and due to the relatively low number of women who die from legal induced abortions.

In 2020, the last year for which the CDC has information , six women in the U.S. died due to complications from induced abortions. Four women died in this way in 2019, two in 2018, and three in 2017. (These deaths all followed legal abortions.) Since 1990, the annual number of deaths among women due to legal induced abortion has ranged from two to 12.

The annual number of reported deaths from induced abortions (legal and illegal) tended to be higher in the 1980s, when it ranged from nine to 16, and from 1972 to 1979, when it ranged from 13 to 63. One driver of the decline was the drop in deaths from illegal abortions. There were 39 deaths from illegal abortions in 1972, the last full year before Roe v. Wade. The total fell to 19 in 1973 and to single digits or zero every year after that. (The number of deaths from legal abortions has also declined since then, though with some slight variation over time.)

The number of deaths from induced abortions was considerably higher in the 1960s than afterward. For instance, there were 119 deaths from induced abortions in  1963  and 99 in  1965 , according to reports by the then-U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, a precursor to the Department of Health and Human Services. The CDC is a division of Health and Human Services.

Note: This is an update of a post originally published May 27, 2022, and first updated June 24, 2022.

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Key facts about the abortion debate in America

Public opinion on abortion, three-in-ten or more democrats and republicans don’t agree with their party on abortion, partisanship a bigger factor than geography in views of abortion access locally, do state laws on abortion reflect public opinion, most popular.

About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

Architectural Digest

The 11 Best Long Range Electric Cars on the Market (2024)

Posted: December 12, 2023 | Last updated: December 12, 2023

We know electric vehicles are the future of automotives. But what is less known is what are the best electric cars on the market? The largest anxiety that potential buyers of electric vehicles (EV) face is the amount of distance these cars can travel on a single charge. Though the average American drives fewer than 40 miles per day, the ability to take a longer road trip, to visit friends or family, or go on a vacation, is akin to a national right. A recent survey by Bloomberg suggests that we want around 300 miles of range to alleviate our anxieties , which is about one third more than the global average.

Just five years ago, many of the most popular EV options (outside of Tesla)—like the Nissan Leaf, Mini Electric, VW E-Golf—achieved only around 100 miles of range. Fortunately, many automakers are now building EVs that can traverse several times that span before requiring more juice. And these vehicles come in many shapes, sizes, and price points, so there should be something for everyone.

Here are 11 of our favorite EVs with over 250 miles(ish) of range, presented here in increasing order of capability. (Range and price are for the specific highest range model noted. Other options may be available.)

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Porsche Tycan GTS

Maserati Gran Turismo Folgore

Genesis GV60 Electrified Advanced

Polestar 2 Long Range RWD

BMW i7 xDrive60

Mercedes EQS 450+

Rivian R1S MaxPack Dual-Motor AWD

Cadillac Escalade iQ

Lucid Air Grand Touring

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How the Key Bridge Collapsed in Baltimore: Maps and Photos

By Weiyi Cai ,  Agnes Chang ,  Lauren Leatherby ,  Lazaro Gamio ,  Leanne Abraham and Scott Reinhard

On Tuesday, a major bridge in Baltimore collapsed into the water seconds after it was struck by a cargo ship, sending vehicles on the bridge into the river below. The ship lost power and issued a mayday call shortly before it hit the bridge.

The ship, a 948-foot-long cargo vessel called Dali, was about a half hour into its journey toward Colombo, Sri Lanka, when it hit a main pillar of the bridge. All crew members are safe, according to the ship’s owners.

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A mayday call from the ship gave officials enough time to stop traffic at both ends of the bridge. The waters where the bridge collapsed are about 50 feet deep. By Tuesday morning, six construction workers who had been fixing potholes on the bridge remained missing as divers and other emergency workers on boats and helicopters continued to search for them. Two others had been rescued, and one was in the hospital.

Francis Scott

Patapsco River

The ship left the Port

of Baltimore around

1 a.m. on Tuesday.

Where impact occurred

Direction of the ship

The ship hit the

bridge at 1:28 a.m.

The ship hit the bridge at 1:28 a.m.

Where impact

Source: Spire Global

The New York Times; satellite image by Google Earth

The lights of the ship flickered on and off as it lost power in the minutes before the ship changed bearing and hit the bridge.

Ship approached from

the Port of Baltimore

Road repair crews

Ship changed heading

as it neared pillar

Ship hit pillar

Southern and central spans

of bridge began to collapse within

seconds of impact

Northern span began to

collapse seconds later

Within 30 seconds of impact,

the central part of bridge had

entirely collapsed.

Source: StreamTime Live via YouTube

Timestamps are from StreamTime Live video.

The New York Times

The Francis Scott Key Bridge was opened in 1977 and carried more than 12.4 million vehicles last year. The bridge was one of the three major ways to cross the Patapsco River and formed part of Baltimore’s beltway.

The Port of Baltimore is a major trade hub that handled a record amount of foreign cargo last year. It is an especially important destination — the nation’s largest by volume last year — for deliveries of cars and light trucks.

Ship impact

To Chesapeake Bay

Sources: Maryland Port Administration, OpenStreetMap, MarineTraffic

Note: Ship positions are as of 2:46 p.m. Eastern time.

Overall, Baltimore was the 17th biggest port in the United States in 2021, ranked by total tons, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The bridge collapse brought marine traffic there to a standstill, with seven cargo or tanker ships stranded in the harbor as of Tuesday afternoon.

Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency for Maryland and said that his office was in close communication with Pete Buttigieg, the U.S. transportation secretary. The White House issued a statement saying that President Biden had been briefed on the collapse.

Erin Schaff/The New York Times

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