Solo travel is more expensive than couples travelling together. The world of holidays is largely designed around two people sharing a room with two people paying for a guided tour. Planning is the way to save your dollars while embarking on your solo travel journey.
CHOOSE TOUR COMPANIES WISELY
Tour companies such as Intrepid Travel and G Adventures, and cruise lines such as Adventure Canada are now accommodating for and encouraging solo travel. In some cases, they waive the single supplements for a certain number of solo travellers (on a first-come, first-served basis). In other cases they’ll play matchmaker so solo travellers can share a room and pay the lowest rate.
Australia & New Zealand Tours – BOOK HERE
CHECK DEALS PAGE
Janice Waugh, founder of Solo Traveler, has made headway in the industry by featuring companies with no (or very low) single supplements on her regularly updated solo travel deals page. You can also sign up to receive these deals via email.
Travel Deals on Contiki – VIEW ALL
BOOK EARLY
The earlier you book, the better. Tour companies often have limited discount spots for solo travellers, and they sell out quickly.
BOOK LAST MINUTE
Alternatively, you can book last minute. It’s risky, but if there’s still space, they may be willing to give it to solo travellers without single supplements to fill remaining spots.
CALL AND ASK
If there is not a solo traveller discount advertised, don’t despair. Simply phone to ask for a deal. It never hurts to ask!
TRAVEL IN THE SHOULDER SEASON
Your best chance for solo travel discounts are with shoulder season bookings. Companies are more willing to slash prices, since they’re not as likely to fill up.
BOOKING ACCOMODATION
Booking a dorm bed in a hostel will give you the best rate as a solo traveller, but that’s not everybody’s style. For hotels, the cost of a room is a flat charge, with no consideration given to how many people are occupying it. This inherently makes it more expensive for solo travellers who aren’t splitting the cost with a friend or spouse. Here are some suggestions to keep the cost of accommodation reasonable
OTHER WAYS TO SAVE
Single supplements and double-occupancy hotel rates are the two biggest gouges on a solo travel budget. But armed with these extra tips, you can make the most of your travel adventures.
TOURS AND ACTIVITIES
‘We frequently hear from solo travellers who cannot take a day tour because a two-person minimum hasn’t been met by the tour provider,’ says Waugh. This isn’t a cost issue, but it is a hassle. Consider doing a free walking tour. You’ll meet other travellers and get a local inside scoop, plus some customized recommendations from your guide.
Check Tours and Activities on Get Your Guide – BOOK NOW, PAY LATER
CLASSES AND MEETUPS
There are cooking classes, language learning groups and couch-surfing meetups. Waugh likes Global Greeter Network for meeting locals and learning about a destination.
Classes & Workshops Worldwide on TripAdvisor – CHECK & BOOK
OPPORTUNITIES TO CUT YOUR BUDGET
Now for the good news: according to Waugh, solo travellers have some extra opportunities to save money! Flights are an example: ‘Not all economy seats are the same price. If there’s only one seat left at the lowest rate, a solo traveller will pay that rate.
If a couple books two seats at a time and there’s only one seat left at the lowest rate, they’ll pay the higher rate for both seats. Also, last minute theatre tickets are much easier to get single seats for. And remember, even if you aren’t offered a discount, don’t be afraid to ask; you never know.’
Make solo travel on a budget easier with these tactics for avoiding the single supplement.
“No Single Supplement” is the key term that solo travelers look for when buying a packaged vacation. Read this post for more tips on how to find them: No Single Supplement: How to Find Trips without a Solo Penalty.
FIND FREE ACCOMMODATION AND MAKE SOLO TRAVEL ON A BUDGET POSSIBLE
Hotels and other accommodations are often the greatest expense for a trip. Why not try one of these free accommodation options for cheap solo travel?
- House sitting. House sitting is a free exchange of services. The house sitter gets a place to stay and the house owner has someone to take care of their home, the mail, the garden, and even pets while they’re away. Taking care of animals is often a key factor for house sitting so, if that’s not your thing, you may want to try our second option below. For information on how to become a successful international house sitter check out The House Sitting Academy program.
- Home exchange. This can save you a lot of money and let you live like a local. Home Exchange has 65,000+ worldwide listings. I joined HomeExchange.com last year and was amazed. You earn points just for signing up. I have since stayed 4 nights in New York City with those points and booked an exchange for a month in the center of Bordeaux, France, all for the US$175 membership fee.
CONNECT WITH LOCALS FOR FREE
Why just look at a destination? Why not dig a little deeper and get a real sense of what it is like to live there, the politics, social customs, and more?
- Book a free local greeter. I’ve used local greeters in New York, Paris, Chicago, Tokyo, and other cities. To find a greeter, you can use the International Greeter Association site. Book the greeter online and in advance as it is often volunteers who have to make the arrangements for you. If you are going to a large city, search the city name and “free greeter” to find their local network.
- Use Meetup.com to find people who have similar interests. Meetup.com is a website that is organized by city and by interests. There are meetups in cities all over the world on as many topics as you could possibly imagine. They’re not just great travel freebies, they’re also cool free events to enjoy at home. I joined a hiking meetup in Hong Kong. I enjoyed the company of locals and they seemed to enjoy having a new face in the group.
- Join a local running, walking, or cycling group. These clubs will often welcome guests from out of town to join them for a walk, run, or cycle for free. It’s a great way to hang out with locals for a while.
ENJOY THE WORLD’S TOP CITIES WITH THESE TIPS FOR CHEAP SOLO TRAVEL
- Use city passes. These are available in major cities like London, Paris, New York, Toronto, Chicago, Dublin, Rome, San Francisco and others. Click any of those links and search for your destination to see if there is a discount city pass for you.
- Book your experiences where the deals are. Many attractions offer discounts for booking online and in advance. You can also look at sites like Groupon for deals on food and drink, attractions, and more by destination. Just search for your city and see what comes up.
TRY THESE FREE SOLO TRAVEL EXPERIENCES THAT ARE HARD TO BEAT
- Take a free guided walking tour. Most major cities have free walking tours. Some, like Paris, offer a number of free walking tours. Sandeman’s has free tours in many European cities. Simply Google “free walking tour” and your city of choice. A tip for the guide is important.
- Get an app for free self-guided tours. There are many free travel apps that offer self-guided tours of cities. GPSmycity.com has self-guided walking tours for over 1,000 cities. Interested in history? Check out Historypin.org. If you’re driving rather than walking, try RoadSideAmerica.com.
Check self-guided tours on WeGoTrip – VIEW ALL HERE
- Go to the museums when they’re free. Paying museum admissions can really add up but most museums have times when their doors open to all for free. A simple Google search will find the list for your destination.
- Find the calendar of free events. Every city has a calendar of free events online or in their local arts paper. Google it and you’ll likely find lots of options for activities.
STAY IN TOUCH AS YOU TRAVEL FOR FREE
- Find great information, quiet time, and free Wi-Fi in libraries. Libraries, even ones in countries where English is not the primary language, are great sources of information. They always have information about what’s free in the city, free computers and Wi-Fi.
- Stay in touch with home for free. As long as you have access to Wi-Fi, you can use apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Signal to contact home at no cost.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ADVERTISED DEALS
Waugh’s site, solotravelerworld.com, is updated monthly with deals from tour operators who offer low (less than 20 per cent) or no singles supplements.
Other operators who offer solo pricing include cruise companies Ponant and Coral Expeditions. As part of the latter’s Solo Traveller Program, guests can either be matched with another single traveller or opt for its 30-day solo standby programme, where they’ll be notified a month prior to departure if there’s a spot available with no supplement.
Meanwhile, some newer cruise ships – including Oceania Cruises’ new Vista ship, which debuted in May 2023 – are being designed to include dedicated staterooms sized and priced for solo travellers.
CELEBRATE THE MOMENTS WHEN SOLO TRAVEL IS FINANCIALLY ADVANTAGEOUS
As a single traveller, you have a one-up when it comes to last-minute discounted tickets. For events, there’s no need to worry about finding two seats together, and when it comes to flights, if there’s only one airline seat left in a particular tier, it’s all yours. (As a bonus, solo travellers are also more likely to get upgraded.)
“I think the secret of successful solo travel is all in the planning: doing your research, comparing prices and what’s offered by tour companies, and using price comparison websites for choosing an airline,” says Mylne.
Fortunately, it’s easier to make those planning and budgetary decisions when there’s no need to compromise with a partner or travel mate. There’s power in knowing that choosing how and where to spend your hard-earned savings is your decision – and your decision alone.
TRY TO NEGOTIATE
Tour companies ultimately want bums on seats. That’s why Janice Waugh, author of The Solo Traveler’s Handbook recommends calling a company to see if it will swing you a deal.
“Why not see if you can get the supplement reduced? You don’t know what situation the company is in,” suggests Waugh, who began travelling solo after her husband passed away when she was 49.
Likewise, waiting until the eleventh hour to book your trip is a gamble, but can often work out in your favour.
“Sometimes a last-minute booking – and having the nerve to ask a company to waive the supplement – can work if the tour is not filling up,” says Mylne.
Last-Minute Deals on BackPacker Deals – CHECK & BOOK HERE
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