Your Travel Specialist On: Solo Travel

By MAUREEN JONES (Star Patcher)

We have a lot of clients we help with finding the right tour and destination as a solo traveler. There are several cruise lines who now wave the single supplement on certain dates, and they do an excellent job of making sure you meet people.

In my job as a travel writer for several magazines and organizations, I have been on many trips on my own and always enjoyed myself.

I always join up with a tour which I am evaluating. I definitely wouldn’t go to any part of the world on my own, without an organized guided tour. You can save as much as 40% by joining a packaged tour. A great benefit is that you get into places before the crowds. As an example, there was only six of us with a guide, and we got taken into the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel an hour before anyone else. It was such a pleasure and there must have been 500 in a queue outside waiting to get in.

Embarking on a journey alone often emboldens your sense of adventure. There are several companies, such as Backroads, offering a selection of active journeys with the independent adventurer in mind. With the seamless approach to solo sojourns, your focus can be on simply enjoying yourself and wondering what the next adventure holds in store. We look at a few destinations that lend themselves especially well to solo travel paired with a few motivating factors to get your wheels spinning for your next active adventure.

In Italy, reap the harvest of Tuscany’s hilly countryside with a wine tasting and traditional meal at a historic family owned farmhouse near Pienza. Enjoy hearty Sienese cuisine served family style. Along the way, meet acclaimed author and wine expert Dario Castagno who can teach you how to pair the perfect chianti with Tuscan fare. Closer to home, taste your way through California’s Napa and Sonoma Valleys as you pedal through pastoral landscapes of grapes ripening on the vine.

One of my favorite places is Alaska. You can hike glaciers, and kayak with otters among sheltered coves. Camping with newfound friends under star filled skies. Another wonderful place to visit is Ireland, with days of biking to see castles with lots of history and folklore.

The allure of jungle clad destinations beckons the inner adventure. Trek through the rainforest atop an elephant in Thailand where you can later sample the country’s tropical fruits at a local market. Pedal thru rice paddies, witnessing Buddhist temple rituals. Set your sights on colorful Costa Rica as you fly through the treetops on a zip line.

We can recommend nearly 100 dedicated Singles Solo Trips which depart every week throughout the year and explore more than 30 destinations. Be paired with a roommate to save on private room charges or opt for total autonomy from an extensive list of room options. Let us help you determine just the right vacation to keep you on the move

Go on our website – www.allhorizonstvl.com – and look at three trips, i.e. Multisport Costa Rica, Multisport Alaska, or Biking Tuscany.

Maureen Jones

• Other columns from Maureen:
• Your travel specialist on: Five reasons to invest in travel insurance
• Club Med- An ideal place for a family holiday
• Canadian Rockies From Every Angle
• Your travel specialist on: Ashford Castle - An Irish Gem

Maureen Jones is president of All Horizons Travel at 160 Main Street, Los Altos. Members of her staff are experts in business travel, cruises, and all types of leisure.