This visitor submit is by Erin Hynes, a Toronto-based journey blogger and podcaster.
In my expertise, the considered heading out to a spot I’ve by no means been earlier than, utterly alone, will be daunting. Regardless of that, each time I’ve challenged myself to journey solo, the rewards have been wonderful.
We not often spend high quality time with ourselves at house. Work, mates, screens, and social media maintain us busy. However once we journey solo, there are total days and nights spent solely with ourselves.
Together with these moments alone, there are numerous alternatives to get out of your consolation zone and meet new folks whereas solo touring. I used to be at all times a shy individual, however staying solo in hostels helped me recover from my worry of constructing new mates.
In these methods, solo touring creates a novel alternative to get to know your self in a means that we frequently don’t have time — or the headspace — for at house.
Whether or not you’re fascinated with taking the plunge into touring alone for the primary time otherwise you’re already skilled, podcasts about solo journey are a terrific useful resource.
You’ll hear inspirational tales, useful ideas, and even find out about how you can be a extra acutely aware and accountable vacationer.
I like the podcast medium, as a result of it’s so good for storytelling and studying. Audio is nice for journey, too! I at all times sit up for popping in my earbuds to hearken to a podcast whereas on a protracted bus trip or flight.
Learn on to find out about 14 podcasts which you can tune into for the perfect solo journey inspiration.
On this podcast by Condé Nast Traveler, editor Lale Arikoglu chats with female-identifying visitors about their distinctive and private journey tales. Many are solo vacationers, and so I discover that a lot of the episodes have ideas and tales weaved in.
A very nice episode is titled “How I Visited Each Nation within the World.” Lale interviews Jessica Nabongo, who in 2019 turned the primary documented Black girl to go to each nation on the planet, from Iceland to South Sudan to Japan.
Jessica’s story in itself is unimaginable, particularly given she traveled to 89 of these nations utterly solo. However she additionally shares compelling insights about what she realized about herself in the course of the journey.
Being a fan of podcasts about journey, in fact I needed to make my very own! I host Curious Tourism, which covers journey by a responsible-tourist lens. The objective of the present is to discover how journey will be higher for folks, and higher for the planet. A number of episodes cowl facets of solo journey intimately.
We regularly focus on the subject by the attitude of the episode’s visitor. For instance, episode #75 options Charlotte Simpson, who’s recognized on-line because the Touring Black Widow. After shedding her husband of 31 years, Charlotte determined to begin touring solo in order that she might begin constructing a “new regular” for herself, and see the world. On this episode, she shares her journey, what she’s realized from it, and useful ideas for solo vacationers.
Hosted by blogger Jackie Nourse, this podcast is an invite to journey. Episodes are a mixture of visitor tales, and matters, however you’ll discover a lot targeted on solo journey. Typically, the tales are uncooked and really private, which is refreshing!
In episode #157, visitor host Sherry Ott interviews Vicki Hill, a seasoned automobile camper, who shares her concepts on how you can get began with this widespread new technique to journey. She additionally discusses how you can car-camp alone and get previous your fears of solo tenting.
Amanda Kendle launched this podcast again in March 2016. In each episode, she interviews fellow vacationers about their experiences, and so they share a few of their greatest tales. The present touches on numerous matters, like how you can meet locals overseas, getting misplaced, and classes realized from journey.
In episode #148, Amanda talks to 3 individuals who have accomplished plenty of solo journey in all elements of the world. Alastair Humphreys talks about his stroll throughout India, Justin Watson discusses how he thought solo journey could be tough however overcame that worry, and Michela Fantinel relates one in all her first solo journey experiences in New York Metropolis. All three visitors agree: together with some solo time in your journey combine is totally worthwhile.
Ticket 2 Anyplace is hosted by two mates, Leah and Trizzy, who each get pleasure from a love of journey, which they steadiness journey with their full-time jobs. They share ideas, recommendation, and anecdotes on how you can benefit from your travels, and how you can use your trip days to get essentially the most out of your weekends.
Leah has been solo touring for over a decade, however in episode #65, Trizzy relates all the main points about her first-ever solo journey to Scotland and London. This episode is ideal for a first-time solo traveler, as a result of it covers what to carry and how you can pack, security, and gives ideas for the highway and stable recommendation for your first solo travels.
In his weekly episodes, host James Hammond shares tales, ideas, information, and observations. In lots of episodes, he additionally chats with attention-grabbing folks, like a man who spent a number of months solo touring overland by Congo.
In episode #5, James debates “must you journey solo or not?” He compares solo journey with what it’s prefer to be with a accomplice or mates, protecting the professionals and cons of every. It’s a must-listen for anybody who’s debated the thought of occurring a visit alone.
On She Goes is a journey and life-style podcast made for ladies of colour, by ladies of colour. Sadly, this podcast is now not publishing new episodes, however there’s a backlog of over 100 improbable episodes which might be price listening to.
On She Goes delves into a variety of matters, together with touring whereas Black, illustration in mainstream media, getting paid to journey, ancestry, and extra. In season 4, episode #2, the subject is a New York Instances article titled “Adventurous. Alone. Attacked.” They unpack how the article frames fear-mongering about solo journey, amongst different facets.
The objective of the Solo Feminine Traveler podcast is to assist ladies broaden their world by solo journey. Host Lu believes that it may be transformative and empowering, and makes use of the podcast to indicate listeners how.
The present is a mixture of episodes by Lu alone and visitor interviews that characteristic tales and insights from ladies world wide who’ve launched into their very own solo journey adventures.
Within the episode titled “Solo Journey’s Path to Self-Exploration,” Lu chats with Colleen, a journey blogger, mother, and psychologist, who discusses how solo journey reworked her relationship with herself and different folks. Plus, she talks about how solo journey will help folks to embrace their instinct, join with strangers, and create new bonds.
She Explores, hosted by Gale Straub, helps listeners discover inspiration within the outdoor! The present is a mixture of interviews, in-the-field recordings, and listener submissions protecting a variety of matters, from solo climbing and tenting to conservation, motherhood, and outside fairness.
Within the episode titled “ Be Alone,” Gale interviews Nicole Antoinette, who solo-hiked all 800 rugged miles of the Arizona Path. She discusses how her first through-hike got here to be, and the way she persevered even when being completely alone on the path was powerful.
Newbie Traveler has been on the air since 2005! Host Chris Christensen was named the “greatest unbiased journey journalist” by Journey + Leisure for his work on this weekly present, which covers locations from Morocco to South Korea, with a give attention to culturally wealthy experiences.
In episode #355, Chris chats with Janice Waugh, who relates her experiences solo touring as a girl, notably internationally. However she didn’t got down to be a solo traveler: after the dying of her husband, she gained the braveness to get again out on the highway, alone. Now, years later, Janice explains the way it’s totally different, and in some ways, higher.
Let’s Go Collectively is a podcast by Journey + Leisure, hosted by Kellee Edwards, an award-winning journey skilled, licensed pilot, scuba diver, tv host, and world adventurer.
Kellee interviews a various vary of vacationers who share their distinctive journey experiences. Some previous visitors embrace the primary documented Black girl to journey each nation on the planet (Jessica Nabongo, see above) and a quadriplegic who climbed Machu Picchu, amongst others.
In episode #14, Kellee chats with Glo, an influencer and blogger who’s traveled solo to over 80 nations. They discuss in regards to the difficulties of solo journey for ladies, and unpack the perceptions of Black ladies who traverse the world on their very own.
The Worst Traveller is a weekly podcast hosted by Tom Web page, who says he doesn’t at all times do issues the easiest way, however he does them his means — therefore the identify of his podcast. Each episode contains journey tales wherein, in fact, issues might typically go flawed.
Many episodes give attention to Tom’s personal journey experiences. Within the episode titled “How I Journey So Gentle… Identical Garments for 1 Month,” he discusses his expertise in India, the place he wore one outfit and carried no baggage. Should you’re eager about extra excessive solo journey, that is the present for you.
Black Girls Journey Podcast, hosted by Wanda Duncan, highlights the tales of Black ladies who’re making journey a precedence. Wanda interviews vacationers from this group of daring ladies and their numerous tales. She additionally chats with short-term vacationers based mostly in a rustic, long-term vacationers, and digital nomads.
Within the episode titled “ Create Your Personal Retreat,” Wanda talks in regards to the significance of relaxation and self-care, and the way solo vacationers can plan restorative and private retreats.
Woman in regards to the Globe is hosted by Lisa Imogen Eldridge, a solo journey addict who has been to 142 nations — 110 of those solo.
The podcast contains episodes protecting locations akin to Vietnam, Puerto Rico, and Portugal. Different episodes additionally delve into how solo journey modifications you, the perfect locations to journey alone, how to save cash on the highway, and extra. The present is a mixture of vacation spot interviews, tales about life-changing journeys, and ideas for how you can journey the world solo.
In episode #98, Lisa chats with Sara Braca, who turned to solo journey after going by a divorce. Sara relates her private story, and the 2 focus on how solo journey will help folks to heal when they’re popping out of a damaged relationship.
Begin Listening to Solo Traveler Podcasts
This listing of solo journey podcasts contains lots of my private favorites. These reveals encourage me to journey to new locations, embrace my independence, and solo journey with confidence. I hope they encourage you, too!
Concerning the writer: Erin Hynes has been touring for over a decade, each solo and together with her accomplice. She’s traveled to nations throughout six continents. Erin writes the journey weblog Pina Travels and hosts the journey podcast Curious Tourism, the place she interviews journey business thought leaders and specialists about accountable tourism.