Best guided tours for solo travellers

Solo travellers are well catered for with a range of guided holiday options around the world, including tours through Thailand and Malaysia. Photo / Getty Images

Guided groups are a great way for first time solo travellers to get around, writes Alexia Santamaria

Solo travel is gaining popularity year on year. No longer seen as the domain of the lonely or unsociable, many people are choosing to travel alone so they can do exactly what they want to do, when they want to do it, and meet new people along the way.

If you're keen to head off on a solo adventure for the first time, but are a little daunted by the thought of doing it all by yourself, there are plenty of options that give you the benefits of travelling solo without the stress. Here are some trips to get you thinking.

Asia

Fancy exploring the sights, sounds and smells of Thailand and Malaysia but don't know where to start? A Costsaver tour is the perfect way to do it. Days of scheduled sightseeing are intermingled with free afternoons (and whole days) to do as you please.

Explore the must-dos like the Grand Palace in Bangkok, the Floating Markets of Damnoen Saduak, Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands, Petronas Towers and so much more with your guide and spend the rest of the time exploring shops, back streets and roadside food stalls on your own or with new friends from the tour.

If you’re the active type, a guided kayak tour with Tribal Adventures in the Philippines might appeal. With 7641 islands all surrounded by dreamy white-sand beaches and dramatic volcanic landscapes, the Philippines is one of Southeast Asia’s best-kept secrets.

Tribal Adventures have plenty of trips around Northern Palawan, where you'll explore Coron Island's secret lagoons, sheer limestone cliffs and meet Tagbanua tribespeople. The trip is done with a support boat and solo participants have the option to enjoy the use of a motorised sailing Admiral catamaran at no additional cost.

Europe

If you’re a woman travelling alone and would prefer to travel with other women, Insight Vacations have an incredible Venice and Croatian Coast women-only tour. This 13-day option takes you along Croatia’s stunning coastline, stopping in rustic towns and villages and meeting the inspiring women who live, work and lead the communities in that part of the world.

From a Farm-to-Table lunch in Barban, hosted by three generations of the same family, to hearing more about a female biologist’s conservation project, there are so many interesting experiences to be had. Insight also runs women-only trips in other destinations around the world.

Solo-travelling wine lover? Avalon Waterways has you sorted with their Grand France (wine appreciation) tour. Riverboat trips are perfect for solo travellers as you have so many options. Hang out in your amazing cabin with the doors wide open watching the world float by, explore cities on your own, or choose from multiple included and extra excursions with your fellow travellers.

On this vinous trip you can do anything from guided tours of Giverny (Home of Claude Monet and inspiration for some of his most famous works), bike rides along the Seine, visits to a chardonnay cellar, wine tastings on board, culinary tours of Lyon, exploration of Beaujolais, hikes in vineyards, tours of the Valrhona Chocolate factory or a guided tour to Chateauneuf du Pape. Cheers to that!

Get active in the Grand Canyon with a guided holiday with Intrepid Travel, perfect for solo travellers. Photo / 123RF

America

If you’re the kind who likes to keep moving on a holiday (and not just moving your glass or shifting your reading position), Intrepid Travel’s six-day Winter Hiking and Camping in the Grand Canyon: Rim to Rim could be just the ticket. You’ll head down the famous canyon’s South Kaibab Trail, up the North Kaibab Trail to the North Rim and back to the South Rim via the spectacular Bright Angel Trail.

You’ll sleep under the stars, see beautiful waterfalls, Native American ruins, box canyons, rare flowering plants, meet and squirrels and coyotes and so much more. You’ll use top-of-the-line tents and gear, which is all provided. Dinners will be made by your guide and since this is a small group (and in the quieter season) you’ll have a Grand Canyon experience so different to those who battle the summer masses.

Africa

G Adventures have plenty of small group options for solo travellers. Try their 12-day Explore Southern Africa Tour where you’ll journey from Cape Town to Kruger National Park via the magnificent Panorama Route, one of the world’s most picturesque drives. You’ll visit Soweto township (once home of Nelson Mandela), have dinner with a local family in a Zimbabwean village, try to spot the “big five” and be gobsmacked by the beauty that is Victoria Falls.

Australia

There are numerous guided tour options in Australia perfect for solo travellers, from walking holidays in the Northern Territory, small-ship cruises through Western Australia's Kimberley, or iconic train trips through the centre of the country.

Guided holiday specialist AAT Kings has itineraries across Australia, so the tricky part will be deciding which one to choose first. For those wanting to enjoy the best food and wine our transtasman neighbour has to offer, how about the 11-day Tastes of Southern Australia coach tour from Sydney to Adelaide, where you’ll experience gourmet food, dreamy landscapes, and cities full of cultural highlights. Plus, you’ll be travelling with a group of like-minded guests, so you’re bound to make new friends along the way.

Itinerary highlights include driving the Great Ocean Road to the Twelve Apostles, a tour of Kangaroo Island, Melbourne's laneways, and beautiful wine regions including the Barossa and McLaren Vale.

So don’t wait around for your friends and family (or even partner) to want to travel with you. There are plenty of solo options on every mode of transport from train to bike to ship to coach. See new places, meet new people and do it on your terms.