What is it really like, to travel solo in South America?
Hola! My name is Ellie and in 2022 I started travelling solo in South America!
It was something I never thought was for me or that I was capable of doing. I have always loved to travel but always felt I needed a companion. I was in a relationship for 10 years and although we went away a lot, I only ever travelled with my partner or occasionally with work colleagues. But now I have 7 months (and counting) experience travelling alone in South America, so for my very first blog, I wanted to share a truthful account of what it is really like! I hope that if you are feeling the itch to do it, yet something is holding you back, that this can give you some helpful information and the courage to send you on your way!
First things first. It may not be for everyone, but for me, it has been the best decision (and challenge) of my life so far. With the courage to do something that scares you, comes a constant reminder of what you are capable of and with this, confidence. New found confidence and independence opened up a new freedom of living that I had never experienced before. I didn’t need anyone or anything because I learnt to trust myself and that I could do almost anything completely on my own. Of course I value company and friendship hugely and meeting people is an enormous part of travelling but I am not reliant on it.
South America as a continent is simply enormous but so incredibly varied and beautiful it is the most thrilling place to explore. Each and every country has its own highlights. But I think it can be subject to scrutiny for not being safe to travel but in reality it is just not the case. It of course requires a level of diligence and common sense and yes crimes happen as they do everywhere but I couldn't have been happier I chose South America as my first continent solo.
So, what is it really like to travel on your own in South America and what should you consider!?
How easy is it really to meet people?
Positivity rules!
Managing budget
Packing for more than 4 months
What are the actual pitfalls of being solo
Fear is the only thing holding you back (how to feel safe solo)
How easy is it really, to meet people?
If you really want to meet people the number 1 tip is to stay in hostels. From personal experience, hotels really don’t have the same energy and I think this applies to everywhere not just South America.
I was 35 when I left and I had never stayed in a hostel before in my life, let alone in a dorm room. I had this view that hostels would be dirty and insecure (I had heard horror stories before). But still I wanted to try the true travel experience and oh how pleasantly surprised I was! South America had some amazing hostels to offer!
Now with the apps available such as booking.com and hostelworld.com, it is super easy to type in a town or city and find the best hostels for location, vibe, value etc. My standards were really just that it must be clean and must be secure. However like hotels, they are held accountable for their standards via public review and some really are luscious. I'm talking hot tubs, saunas, pools, roof top bars, breakfasts included, dorms with curtains on the beds and private shelves with charging sockets. I've provided a few pictures of some of my favourites below.
But hostels really are the key to meeting like minded people. I usually start with sharing a dorm as some of the people I met in my dorm rooms have become wonderful friends and short term travel companions. I recommend looking for 4 or 6 person dormitories (mixed or single sex only, to your preference). For me any bigger was too much for disturbances (especially if sharing a bathroom) or if heaven forbid, you have snorers!
Sit in the bar of a hostel, comfortable with your own time and don’t feel scared to say hi to people. I met so many wonderful people this way. One of the best introductions and friendships I made was with a girl from Buenos Aires who simply started talking to me in the reception of our hostel in Brazil while we were waiting for a bus. I ended up staying with her when I got to Argentina and we are still in touch now. Be open, you will find most travellers are!
Book on group excursions. I again made some real friends for life here and you often get such a lovely mix of demographics and ages. A day trip or even group tours for 4 or 5 days are great. I really love G adventures for a solid experience and great tour guides but often did tours with local companies too. All were an excellent way of meeting people and being able to do things in a group.
So to summarise, I learnt the saying “Travel alone but never lonely” because it was so true to my journey. But of course it’s not always about meeting people, I have thoroughly enjoyed my own company on my travels and really appreciate who I am from this experience.
Positivity Rules!
I don't find it hard to feel positive when the world is offering you such wondrous things to do and see, so you may find positivity comes naturally while travelling. But if it doesn't, I recommend trying to apply it. Remember always that you have a wonderful opportunity in front of you, take an approach to try as many new things as possible and if things don't go quite right, there is always an opportunity that comes from a bad experience.
I learnt a new way of looking at life, a million miles from the conformity of my job, and that is to really live in the moment and accept what will be, will be. I still make active decisions but I don't force anything. Things somehow just fell into place and if it felt right I did them. If it didn’t work out I just thought, well perhaps that's not right for me right now, move on and try something else. Let the universe take you on a little ride and trust in it! I think sometimes in our jobs or busy lives we can forget to just live and enjoy the ride.
Managing Budget
The new rich in life is to be rich in experiences, so I had, like a lot of travellers, saved up a chunk of money before I went and I had no qualms in spending it- which of course has it's limits. Admittedly booking a one way flight and going with the flow means you need to be free with the budget so it can be the more costly way to do it but I felt it was worth it for the natural flow of things. I did still find helpful ways to make the pennies last a little longer:
Book night buses not flights. Flights, if last minute (going with the flow) are undoubtedly more pricy and actually South America is so big and flights are so costly, most people use the buses as the main form of travel. Night buses are the cheaper option and you can choose safe and comfortable buses on www.busbud.com. My experience is many of them are much more comfortable and designed for sleeping than any bus I've been on in the UK. Treat yourself to a flight now and again or if there is no other way.
Stay in hostels and where possible dorms not private rooms. They can be as cheap as $8 a night. If you want space try a private room in hostel rather than a hotel, you still get the hostel vibe but have your own space at night. A private room with shared bathroom is often cheaper.
Local food is more often than not super cheap so you can get a lot of bang for your buck, but choose wisely, as what is good for the local’s stomachs often isn't good for our own.
Ask around when booking tours, as you can often get more competitive prices.
I am now looking for new ways to make a living and continue my travel, so watch this space, I can update in real time how this goes!
Tips for packing for more than 4 months
So…….. I took a backpack that is also on wheels- and for me, it was a dream! This is because actually, more often than not you CAN wheel it! There are instances where I undid the straps and put it on my back, such as crossing a beach to get to a boat or walking to a hostel on a gravel or dirt track, but this bag has been so reliable and a real friend on all my travels so far: I will share it here: Link: https://www.ospreyeurope.com/shop/gb_en/sojourn-60-1
You can get two versions, 60L and 80L, for 7 months I took the 80L. It’s pricy but definitely a bag for the long haul and I can see myself using it for a long time.
If a backpack with wheels isn’t for you, I think an actual backpack is better than box/wheely suitcase, so if you don’t opt for the combi backpack with wheels, a backpack is the next best option! Packing cubes are a game changer!
For South America my main learning on packing was that it isn’t actually that warm. I did not pack the right things on arrival as I had really planned for warm weather. The reality was a lot of countries are in the rainy season for half of the year like Peru and Ecuador and any further south or in the Andes with altitude, you get colder temperatures and even snow. I had googled temperatures and thought it would never be less than 10 degrees. How wrong I was. You need warm clothes for the evenings as it’s cooler and the odd pair of jeans to throw on is a life saver. I ended up buying a trusty pair of jeans out there but I recommend packing at least 1 pair. I also took a windproof rain jacket but ended up buying a winter coat.
The rest, I packed carefully with a few staple items and cannot believe how the mindset adapts to just keep wearing and re-wearing what you’ve got. It was kind of refreshing not to care too much about what I threw on. A long way off from the days of going to office where I’d empty my wardrobe in the morning trying on different combinations of clothes to wear. A few staples I wore/used a lot are:
Leggings - just a really easy and comfy option
A soft material, long maxi skirt
Jeans (as per reasoning above)
My walking trousers (yes, they zip off at the knee- cringe)
Shorts (soft material not denim)
T-shirts and vest tops
A good warm hoodie or two
A lightweight micro fibre towel
The odd nice dress or top to feel nice on a night out
Comfy trainers
Walking shoes
Flip flops (or sliders are better as can be worn with socks and great for camping)
I also took makeup as you do want to look nice!
The reality is after a certain amount of time away it’s nice to treat yourself to the odd new thing there anyway.
What are the actual pitfalls of being solo? (honest opinion coming right up!)
Putting suncream on your back. Unless you are a flexi ninja, there is a patch in the middle of your back you will never be able to rub suncream on smoothly without the help of another. It was suggested I simply ask someone for help, but in reality unless you know the person fairly well (at least first name basis) it feels like a very odd thing to do. So I accepted to either keep it covered or let it burn.
Going to the toilet at the airport, you may always have to take your stuff with you and lose your seat. Travelling with someone, you can leave your bags while the other guards them. If it’s not busy, it’s not an issue but it can be a pain if you have a long wait and the airport is crowded. Again if you feel comfortable you can always ask some one to watch your stuff.
My first birthday alone without my close family and friends in a foreign country was different. I found myself very emotional at the messages from loved ones. It’s not a pitfall so to speak, as other ways made it very special indeed, but worth being aware of.
It is more expensive to be solo. Fact. The cost of a private room is of course better if shared by two and trust me, after a while in dorms you will want a private room now and again for you own space and peace of mind.
Feeling safe abroad, alone- (see next section about feeling safe while travelling solo)
So let’s be honest, if those are the only struggles they are not the end of the world at all, and were so utterly cancelled out by all the other amazing things going on.
Finally, fear is the only thing that will hold you back.
Fear of something unknown
Fear of being alone
Fear for your safety
Fear of leaving your home, family, job
The list can go on and on and on…......
I know we have all heard this before but it is true. You are capable of anything that you put your mind to but you have to take the leap and just do it. I felt sick with nerves the day I left London and honestly thought ‘what on earth have I done, quitting my secure, well paid office job to do this? I told myself, I can just come back, and get another job. But the reality was, once I got there I felt more alive in a way that I never have before. ‘Feel the fear and do it anyway’.
Safety is of course however, a real thing to be conscious of, especially if you are on your own. I was! But the reality is all places everywhere in the world can be dangerous. Bad things happen everywhere but they can be heightened in places where you may stand out as a tourist. My mantra was: if I didn’t feel safe I didn’t do it.
Yes sometimes in cities I didn’t feel safe to go out alone at night. So I didn’t. And more often than not you go to the hostel bar instead and meet people you can go out with there anyway. If I found a good group of people I felt comfortable with, then I would head out for a party or a night out. There is some truth in the saying ‘safety in numbers’. You can be less of a target.
Some useful safety tips I learnt:
Always know the number of the emergency services for the country you are in
Don’t take an obvious bag out on a night out, use a money belt under your clothes
Wear a cross shoulder bag for valuables in the day time that can’t be removed easily. Don’t EVER leave your valuables unattended. There is rarely a photo of me from my travels without my wearing my cross shoulder bag!
A solo travellers best friend is the waterproof money belt, a bit geeky but so handy, you can find easily on Amazon.
Use common sense, don’t walk around with your phone in your hand on streets or at road crossings. Check it quickly and put it away if you have to
There is an awesome app in South America called Rappi, very similar to Uber Eats and Deliveroo- it’s a life saver if you just don’t feel like going outside for food you can get it delivered directly to your room! Uber eats also works in a lot of countries
Uber for taxis is more reliable in different places than others so ask a local, a receptionist at a hostel is a good option. Airport taxis can be expensive but if you don’t know the safety of Uber in a new place, they are often the better more secure option if on your own
Book tours and group excursions, these are really the safest way to do and see things
Always tell a trusted friend or family member your movements so someone knows where you are and where you are going.
If you have enjoyed or found this blog helpful please do continue to follow, as I will be posting my solo travel adventures here, simply hoping to inspire other budding travellers to find the same confidence and joy I have! Equally if you have any questions you can DM on my Insta channel and i'd be happy to help: talking_in_pictures.
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