Recently updated on August 14th, 2023 at 11:38 am
It can be frustrating when your other half doesn’t share all the same interests as you. Even more so when one of your passions is travel – after all, isn’t exploring the world something you’re supposed to do as a couple? Is it ok to travel alone even if you’re in a relationship? Read on to discover how it really is possible to travel without your partner.
Attitudes to solo travel are changing. After two years in a pandemic and so many of our big dreams being put on hold, many of us are rethinking the way we see the world. And that means relooking at how we travel and who we travel with. So, your partner doesn’t want to visit the same places as you? Maybe it’s time to take the leap and (after talking to them about it first, of course – we’re not looking to ruin relationships here) go it alone.
Make sure you talk about travelling solo first
It’s likely that your partner is already aware that you don’t share the same love of travel. But if you’re thinking of embarking on a bout of solo travel, your first step should be to sit down and explain your plans to your partner. Make it clear that you don’t resent them, the last thing you want is to go off on a trip and leave behind bad blood. You need to set off on your new adventure with positivity and the knowledge that all is good at home.
Explain that solo travel is a positive thing for your relationship – you get to fulfil your dream of seeing the world, while your other half gets to focus on something they want to do while you’re away. The likelihood is this isn’t for a long stretch of time – 7, 10, 14, even 30 days out of a relationship isn’t long in the great scheme of things. See it as a chance to recharge your relationship batteries when you travel without your partner.
Get inspired: The top 10 ‘travelling solo’ myths debunked
Understand your solo travel options
Once you’ve talked your partner through why you want to travel solo, the next step is to understand your options – and there are a lot available to solo travellers. While the most obvious is to book yourself a single person trip, this isn’t your only option. A guided tour can offer you the best of both worlds (more detail below) and you could also try travelling with a friend or family member who has the same travel interests as you (make sure you explain this to your partner as they might be peeved that you’re travelling with someone else after you’ve said you want to go it alone!).
With a friend, you don’t have to stick together like glue – you can still explore solo travel and take single experiences and excursions. For female travellers in particular, travelling with a best female friend or in a group of women is very freeing and can feel very different to travelling with your partner.
Get inspired: Reasons to travel solo by Trafalgar guests who’ve done it
Why guided tours are great for solo travellers
Guided tours are a great option for solo travellers and can provide you with the best of both worlds, especially for those travelling solo for the first time. While you’ll get the freedom to explore and see the world without your partner for the first time, you will have the support of destination experts 24/7 so that you’re not totally on your own. There’s also the option of having a bunch of ready-made travel friends on hand to share the experience with and to relax with in the evening if you do fancy a chat. And who knows, you might even make a lifelong travel soulmate.
On a Trafalgar tour you get all that, plus an experienced Travel Director who will be there to ensure you feel safe and comfortable and who will look out for you every step of the way.
Get inspired: Find out more about travelling solo with Trafalgar
Find experiences that you and your partner can do together
It may not be that your partner doesn’t want to travel at all… maybe you just want to see different parts of the world. If so, there are ways to ensure you can still have a travel buddy even if you want to go to different places. Try to choose destinations that are close with connecting borders, or why not plan to meet up in a neighbouring country or city? That way you can each do one part of your trip solo before you meet up halfway.
Alternatively, many holiday companies operate split destination tours that cover more than one country with a handful of days in each – this could be a great compromise if you can find one that visits the places you both want to go. You could even try solo experiences and excursions that let you spend days apart doing different things, before meeting up for dinner together in the evenings.
Get inspired: Explore multi-destination trips with Trafalgar
Have you travelled solo while you’ve been in a relationship? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below.