The benefits of doing a walking holiday solo

For many of us, vacationing alone feels unnatural. Who will you share all the fun moments and memories with? How are you not going to get bored with your own thoughts only? 

While all of these questions are valid, travelling solo can be a unique and profound experience for your mental health and spirituality. Even better, a solo walking holiday, where you surround yourself with tranquil nature and only focus on the rhythm of walking… Here are the top reasons you should consider it. 

The unmatched freedom

If you asked anyone about the main benefits of their solo holiday, they will tell you it’s freedom. Without anyone else to worry about, you have absolute freedom to make every single decision, from which route to walk through to what time to go to sleep each night. Fancy an early start to catch the sunrise? Do it! Want to stop over at a beautiful historic village on your walking holiday in Croatia? The time is yours! There is no need to compromise or accommodate someone else’s pace and preferences. You can make all the spontaneous detours you want, if you want. Now, this is not to say that learning how to compromise is bad - the point is that we don’t often get to experience a freedom of this level when travelling with others. It’s a kind of luxury that you can really indulge in during a solo trip. 

Meaningful personal reflections

Walking alone is a powerful tonic for the mind. As you place one foot in front of the other, in complete quietness, it will become a meditative experience away from the relentless chatter of daily life. Stripped of all distractions, you will tune into the natural world and, crucially, into yourself. The solitude can be very difficult at first, but it also creates the mental space for much-needed self-reflection. Problems that have been on your mind for a long time, but you didn’t have time for them. Feelings that need to be untangled, which you bottled away a long time ago. Many solo pilgrims come out of this journey having found new spiritual connections or perspectives on life, bringing a happier and more mindful outlook onwards.

Building resilience and confidence

A walking holiday involves successfully navigating a trail and dealing with any challenges on your own. From managing your motivation to keep going to reading a map correctly and problem-solving when any unexpected hurdles arise - you learn to trust your own judgment and skills. As such, the journey helps build a sense of self-reliance and belief in your abilities, which many of us may lack in such situations. This will also translate directly into your everyday life, as you will bring a new-found confidence back into your work or relationships. 

One step at the time…

Doing a walking holiday solo is by no means an easy experience. In fact, for many, it can be incredibly nerve-wracking and out of their comfort zone. However, it’s an opportunity to gain amazing rewards and benefits, turning a simple holiday into a transformative life experience.