Top 10 active breaks for solo travellers

Helen Warwick    ash, Top 10 Adventure Sports Travel Lists     active holidays, adventure holidays, adventure holidays US, France, RTW, scotland, solo travel, Sweden

All your friends coupled up? Can’t find a single travel chum to get away with from the nine-to-five daily grind? An adventure on your lonesome may in fact be one of the most rewarding trips you’ll ever choose to do.

Chilling out near Stockholm Image: Helena Wahlman/imagebank.sweden.se

Going it alone may be slightly scary, but it’s guaranteed to be an unforgettable escape for all the right reasons. And operators have realised the demand for single persons is enormous, so today there is a huge amount of choice— and it’s increasing. Make sure you choose a trip where the itinerary and activities have been created especially for solo travellers with single rooms included in the price.

Whether you embrace the luxury of time alone or take comfort in numbers, we’ve rounded up the top 10 active breaks for solo travellers…

Diving off the Gili Islands, Indonesia

Taking the plunge? There are few better places to dive than in the coral-encrusted waters of the Gili Islands, two hours by boat from Bali. A hub of backpackers, divers, and honeymooners, its underwater activity is a huge draw, from turtles to manta rays, many within metres of the shore. Whether you’re a beginner or a PADI-qualified diver, there are several professional schools and all kinds of courses taught. Why not try freediving — Gili Trawangan is home to one of the region’s only breath-hold diving centres.

Solo wintersports, with après–ski to follow. Image: Flickr/ Zach Dischner

Wintersports in Swedish Lapland

Head to the crystallized landscapes of Lulea in Swedish Lapland, 70 miles below the Arctic Circle, for a long weekend of wintersports fuelled by succulent reindeer steaks and cloudberries. In Sweden, it doesn’t matter that the sun rises around 10am and sets just five or six hours later: husky sledding, snowmobiling, ice-breaker experiences and ice-drilling for fish are all on the agenda. And with NASA’s prediction the Northern Lights will be at their most spectacular in 50 years this year, what better way to bond with your new travel companions than sipping hot coffee beneath the incredible Aurora Borealis.

Camel trekking in Morocco

Live like a local while staying in traditional Bedouin tents on an exotic camel trekking tour of Morocco’s Erg Chebbi dunes. The action starts the minute you leave Marrakech in 4x4s with your new travel chums, before exploring oasis palmeries, ancient Berber villages and Kasbahs. The highlight? Hauling yourself on to a camel for a sunset ride.

Paragliding in France

Taking a solo break means you can really throw yourself into an activity and learn a new skill. If you have a head for heights and the urge to soar high above the ground attached to a tiny canopy, travel to the 107metre-high Grand Dune de Pyla near Arachon on France’s southwest coast — it’s Europe’s biggest pile of sand and one of the best places to learn paragliding.

Kayaking, great group fun for the solo traveller. Image Flickr/tomwardill

Kayaking in Scotland

Take to the seas and kayak past ancient castles, curious seals and below soaring eagles on kayaking holidays and adventures along Scotland’s west coast. It’s a real taste of Scotland, if you don’t mind getting wet and mucking in on a small group tour.

Trekking the Inca Trail, Peru

It’s hardly surprising Peru’s Inca Trail to the lost civilisation of Machu Picchu is still on the bucket list of many a traveller; the four-day hike takes you into what feels like a forgotten wilderness, past hidden Inca ruins and beneath starry skies. Group tours are your best bet, of which there are varying standards. Just make sure you have an English-speaking guide if Spanish isn’t your strong point and enough coca leaves to chew to give you the edge over the altitude, which reaches a dizzying 4,215m. Permits are also a must, so Inca Trail trips must be booked several months in advance.

Yoga in Ibiza, Spain

The White Isle’s reputation as a chilled location for wellness retreats is ever growing and a raft of teachers have been rolling out their yoga mats in recent years across the island. Wake up with sunrise and stretch your limbs on the honeyed sand while looking out onto the turquoise water.

Canyoning in the United States

The Midwest state of Utah is a veritable feast of adrenalin-pumped activity. You only have to watch Hollywood film 127 hours — where mountain climber Aron Ralston traps his arm behind a boulder while negotiating a canyon — to get an idea about the vast terrain and its attraction for adventure sports aficionados. Twinning canyoning and camping is the ideal trip for solo travellers looking to meet like-minded individuals while hanging from a rock face.

Shark diving, then story telling Image: Flickr/ Barnaby

Shark diving in South Africa

Flying to Cape Town for an underwater adventure will have you returning with tales of close encounters with great white sharks as you cage dive in one of the world’s hotspots for the epic predator. Make sure you book through an ethical company as the quality of outfitters varies greatly for this adrenalin-pumping experience.

Rock climbing in Sardinia

Shouting encouragement while struggling up a rock face will have you friends with strangers in no time. Head to the undiscovered climbing mecca of Cala Gonone on the eastern side of the island where outfitters are making use of the famous crags surrounding the island. And from here it’s up to you — whether you scale a steep wall and attempt to tackle a fierce overhang on hard limestone.

About the author

Helen Warwick wrote 3 articles on this blog.

• Blog

Related posts:

1. The North Highland Way: 10 Adventures in Scotland
2. Yosemite: Free solo climbing in Adams country
3. Volcano Trekking Adventures & More!

If you enjoyed this article please consider sharing it!