Go Ahead Tours
Best for: Beginners
For your first solo adventure, you’ll want to pick a tour group that will handle all the details. Go Ahead Tours offers specific tours for solo travelers that include private rooms, meals, a tour director, 24-7 support, local guides (to top sights and hidden gems) and everything else you’ll need. The group size is around 14 to 20 people, so it’s not too overwhelming—but not so small that there’s a risk you won’t click with anyone.
“Group travel is a really good way to get started in solo travel, particularly if you’re feeling anxious or aren’t sure where to start,” says Ray, whose favorite solo trips have been to Spain. “We see a lot of widows, for example, who may have only traveled with their husbands and want to build confidence and new friendships on groups.”
Although there isn’t a specific age range, Go Ahead Tours tends to skew a little older, with most travelers over 35. Solo travel tours are offered to Europe as well as more far-flung places like Japan, Thailand and Kenya.
Women Travel Abroad
Best for: Female travelers
This minority-owned tour company specializes in women traveling alone, and with just six to 10 women per trip, you’re guaranteed a small group. Who knows, you might just find a new bestie! You’ll even get a chance to chat with your group in pre-trip connection calls.
With the feel of a close-knit community and an understanding of the dangers of solo female travel, WTA focuses on safe travel. In addition, all boutique hotel rooms are guaranteed private. WTA definitely doesn’t skimp on creature comforts, but with one up-front price and no single supplements, you may find the trip is more budget-friendly than you think. Global-tour destinations range from Asia to Europe to South America.
“A benefit with women-only trips is the feeling of safety that’s created: Many men will never truly appreciate the potential dangers we face, and women feel safer with other women,” Ray says. “When we feel safe, we can push our boundaries and fuel our freedom and independence. Surrounding yourself with women on a group trip can be empowering and educational.”
FTLO Travel
Best for: Singles
This solo tour company’s initials stand for “For the Love of Travel,” and it aims to make its global trips fun and energetic for busy travelers ages 25 to 39.
The company notes that 60% of those who go on its trips say they are “single and ready to mingle,” but there’s no pressure if you’re just there to meet new people, chill out with cool folks and create new memories. FTLO is also open to diverse travelers, including the LGBTQ+ community, and offers trip categories based on vibes, such as beachy, foodie, active and historical.
Just You
Best for: Making friends
This tour company exclusively designs trips for solo travelers, so it is an expert at bringing unique, curated experiences to like-minded individuals of varying ages. The flexibility of the tours encourages group members to form friendships, and while that’s not required, it’s certainly a great perk.
“I really like traveling solo, but being put into a group of other solo travelers gives me a chance to step out of my comfort zone a bit and make new friends while discovering new places,” says Blaine, whose favorite solo trip was hiking the Dolomites in Italy.
Although the majority of Just You travelers are women, the company says it is seeing more men joining the fun. Hotel rooms are always private with no single supplements, and destinations include Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and South America. The company is based in the U.K., so the booking process might be a little more complicated (prices on the website are in pounds, for example), but the group welcomes travelers from all over.
Exodus Adventure Travel
Best for: Adventure
Want to go cycling in Albania, or walk the coast of Portugal? This tour company specializing in adventure travel has dedicated trips exclusively reserved for solo adventurers, so you can explore far-flung destinations through active pursuits—think: hiking, biking, wildlife viewing and more—with other fun-loving solos. However, you will have a roommate unless you pay for a single upgrade when available.
Although the solo-only offerings are a bit limited, all Exodus tours cater to individual travelers, with about half of participants traveling alone on all trips. Reviews note that the tours are exceptionally well organized. Bonus: The company will help you book flights as well.
G Adventures
Best for: Budget travel
G Adventures is one of the most popular tour companies around, and now it has introduced its new “Solo-ish” tours: Affordable travel for solo vacationers to 35 destinations, such as Morocco, India and Peru. The first three days of your trip are dedicated to getting to know your fellow travelers, with a dinner party, an outing with the local community and even a surprise activity. But don’t worry: If you crave alone time, it offers a Me Day, where you’re free to do your own thing.
“G Adventures offers more than 700 different itineraries, and with a nonprofit foundation called Planeterra that partners with local communities to support social and economic development, G Adventures’ approach to small-group travel is intimate and sustainable,” Blaine says.
This is a great option for budget-conscious travelers looking to get to know a new bestie: Rooms are generally double occupancy, so you’ll be paired with someone of the same gender. Or you can splurge for the My Own Room option. G Adventures attracts younger, active travelers, but the number of older participants is growing.
Flash Pack
Best for: Midlife travelers
When looking for tour groups, the founders of Flash Pack saw there were many for the 20-something Gen Z travel crowd and the over-60 retirees but not much in between. So they started this solo tour company with immersive, experiential global trips divided into specific middle-age ranges: 30 to 49 and 45 to 59.
“Traveling solo in midlife is what I consider perfect timing: In midlife—I’m there myself—we’re at this juncture and inundated with questions about what direction our life is going, and there’s nothing better than having new surroundings and opening yourself up to new possibilities,” says Brown, who loves traveling solo in cities such as Vienna and Bologna, Italy. “I always say that when you travel, you are no longer surrounded by what is familiar, and that familiarity is a comfort, but that comfort is also a barrier that stops other ideas and solutions from getting through.”
Flash Pack’s pricing has no hidden fees; the only downside is that accommodations are based on double occupancy, so you’ll be sharing a room or opting to upgrade if you want one all to yourself. But the company matches up roommates based on who they think will get along and says it has an 8.6 out of 10 rating for getting it right. In fact, Flash Pack claims that 80% of participants stay in touch after their trip.
Road Scholar
Best for: Educational experiences
With a focus on lifelong learning, Road Scholar specializes in fun and educational trips for older adults. “When researching a tour operator, make sure they cater to the type of traveler you are: For example, not every destination or every operator is set up for accessible travel,” Blaine says. Road Scholar’s focus on older travelers fits that bill to a T.
Destinations near and far range from Chicago and New Orleans to Bhutan and Costa Rica, and each trip also has an activity rating, so you can be sure it’s right for your mobility level. And while solo travelers are welcome on all Road Scholar excursions, it has also recently started offering “Go Solo” trips, which are exclusively for people traveling alone. All rates are based on single occupancy in all-private rooms, so you don’t have to worry about sharing or extra costs.
Other Way Round
Best for: Cultural immersion
This tour company focuses on authentic travel, diverse groups, local food and sometimes remote locations. Geared toward 30- and 40-somethings, OWR aims to provide a high-quality experience without venturing into luxury travel. For example, lodging is mostly three- and four-star hotels, and carefully selected eateries may include everything from family-run restaurants to street food.
“I’ve found that locals become more friendly toward me when traveling solo, and not in a weird way—people generally enjoy connecting one-on-one,” Brown says. “Locals tend to do a lot alone, like going out to eat. By doing this, you’ll fit more into the local scene as a solo traveler.”
The OWR vibe is active, friendly and flexible, with an understanding that experiencing different cultures can sometimes mean different standards than we’re used to. Groups are small, with an average of 10 travelers, and accommodations are usually shared unless you pay for an upgrade to a private room. Destinations include everywhere from Kenya and India to Brazil and Japan.
Solos
Best for: Older adults
This U.K. company has been curating solo senior travel for people over 50 for 40 years. “One common misperception is that solo travel is only for the young,” Ray says. “Most solo travelers are women over 50, and with longevity trends, this market is only going to grow. It’s never too late to get started in solo travel.” Good news: Solos is now available to U.S. travelers!
With 250 trips across over 60 countries, Solos offers something for everyone: Highlights include “Solos Exclusives,” in which entire small hotels are exclusive to your group, and holiday-themed travel to European Christmas markets and New Year’s celebrations around the world. Other specialized solo trips include sports-themed jaunts such as golf, skiing and tennis; adventure, active and bucket-list trips; and even cruises. Best of all, all rooms are guaranteed private with no single supplement.
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Sources:
- Carolyn Ray, CEO and editor of JourneyWoman; email interview, March 2026
- Becky Blaine, managing editor of newsletters at The Points Guy; email interview, March 2026
- Samantha Brown, host of Samantha Brown’s Places to Love on PBS; email interview, March 2026
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