Solo-ish addresses ‘loneliness epidemic’ with trips curated to help travelers travel for themselves, not by themselves
October 8th, 2024 – G Adventures has been a champion of solo travel for over 30 years, with more than 50 percent of its global travelers opting to join a small group adventure on their own. Now, the pioneer of community tourism is taking its solo offering to the next level with the launch of Solo-ish Adventures – G Adventures’ first travel style created exclusively for solo travelers.
Acknowledging what some have called the ongoing ‘loneliness epidemic’ and celebrating traveling solo as a mindset, Solo-ish caters to travelers who have a desire to go at it alone, and are seeking personal growth, connection and safety as they travel. Available to book now, Solo-ish features 13 trips in some of G Adventures’ most popular destinations, including Costa Rica, India, Peru, South Africa and Vietnam. All trips will harness the power of community tourism, ensuring local interactions and maximum benefit to local people in terms of money staying in the destination.
Yves Marceau, VP of product at G Adventures, says solo travel has gathered huge momentum in recent years, with over half of G Adventures’ global travelers currently booking as solo travelers.
“The barrier to travel for a lot of solo people was the fear of being bored or alone, surrounded by other couples as a third wheel, or a general fear of traveling solo in a new and unfamiliar location. Traveler mindsets are changing, however. We’ve seen a rise in the more mature traveler, who is no longer willing to wait for a partner, friends or family to book an adventure. Whether it’s a life-changing event, a desire for something new, or just an itch to go out and experience the world, solo travelers are one of the fastest growing demographics in the travel industry.
“Many are still seeking the connection that comes with a group, and this is where Solo-ish shines. With no upper age limit, Solo-ish is open to everyone who wants to experience the adventure of a lifetime, while making some truly special friendships and memories along the way.
“The team has drilled down into the mindset of solo travelers to create itineraries unlike anything else currently on offer. Fun-filled dinner parties and surprise experiences help bring the group closer together in the first few days of the tour, while respecting solo travelers’ desire for free time and space. With safety front of mind for many solo travelers, especially our solo female travelers, Solo-ish trips go above and beyond to ensure people feel safe and supported so they can focus on exploring and making local connections to a country and its people,” says Marceau.
Kicking off with a dinner party and culinary experience on day one, the group will bond and get to know each other over some delicious local dishes. A ‘We Day’ on day two focuses on driving connections between travelers, the CEO and local communities with experiences such as a Taekwondo lesson in South Korea, a visit to a G Adventures supported cafe in Athens that supports the homeless community and a morning spent whizzing around the streets of Hanoi.
The third ‘G Day’ cements friendships with incredible ‘pinch me moments’ only available on a G Adventures trip including kayaking with penguins in Cape Town, a dinner in Jaipur’s Amber Fort and ziplining through the forests of La Fortuna in Costa Rica. For an extra splash of purple, a surprise experience is added to every G Day, pushing travelers to embrace the unknown and step out of their comfort zone.
Setting itself apart from other solo offerings in the market, unique highlights of the Solo-ish travel style include:
- Itineraries crafted to drive connection quickly among the group and local communities, with the first three days ‘front-loaded’ with experiences designed to turn a group of strangers into a close-knit crew.
- Free time to recharge, including a ‘Me Day’, giving travelers the freedom to explore on their own.
- Female-only CEOs (chief experience officers, aka guides) who are dedicated to creating a safe, fun and empowering environment for all travelers, at the same time promoting more opportunities for women in travel.
- Complimentary arrival transfers to help travelers feel taken care of from the moment they arrive in their destination.
- Trips designed for solo travelers aged 18 and above, with no upper age limit, meaning travelers are just as diverse as the places they visit.
- Up to 50 per cent off ‘My Own Room’ for travelers wanting their own space, with no single supplements as standard for those who are happy to share with a traveler of the same gender.
- Trips will harness the power of connection via communal cooking to drive friendships, with hands-on culinary experiences and dinner parties included on the first day of every itinerary as well as a surprise moment along the way.
Solo-ish itineraries available to book now include:
- Solo-ish India – Take a walk on the wild side with this 12 day adventure through the heart of Rajasthan. Tracking wildlife in Jhalara Reserve and Ranthambore National Park, cruising along the Chambal River spotting Indian wolves and crocodiles, marveling at iconic sites including the Amber Fort and Taj Mahal and getting to know local communities in Jaipur, this action-packed adventure is perfect for solo travelers wanting to see as much of the Golden Triangle as possible in a short space of time. The Me Day in Jaipur offers solo travelers the option to take a hot air balloon ride over the pink city, visit local temples, witness locals and monkeys washing in one of the seven holy springs or kick back in a local cafe with a cup of chai. Priced from $1,399 per person*
- Solo-ish South Africa – For solo travelers eager to discover the incredible wildlife, landscapes and food that South Africa has to offer, this 10 day trip has it all. From sunrises over Table Mountain, full days exploring the backstreets of Cape Town, time to sip a glass of wine at a local vineyard, and three full days in Kruger National Park with safari, ziplining, horseback riding and bush walk on offer, plus plenty of free time included, travelers can opt to be as social or as solo as they want on this epic African adventure. Priced from $3,199 per person*
- Solo-ish Vietnam – Arriving in Hanoi, travelers will hop aboard a cyclo and zip around the city before enjoying a hands-on cooking class together, rustling up some local favorites including Vietnamese rice pancakes, spring rolls and the famous Pho dish. The G Day sees travelers cruising through stunning Ha Long Bay on a traditional junk boat, tucking into fresh seafood and spending the night anchored under the stars. Journeying down the coast, the group will explore historic sites in Hue, take a noodle making class with the G Adventures-supported Oodles of Noodles project which supports former street youth in Hoi An and cruise along the Mekong to the local Cai Thia community where they group will stay in a local homestay, learn to make rice paper and tuck into a delicious meal cooked by their hosts. Priced from $1,499 per person*
Solo-ish Adventures are available to travel on from March, 2025. For more information on please visit: www.gadventures.com/solo-ish
About G Adventures
Founded in 1990 by social entrepreneur Bruce Poon Tip, G Adventures is the pioneer of community tourism and leader in small group travel, offering more than 750 life-changing trips in 100 countries on all seven continents. G Adventures’ award-winning trips support communities, giving travellers meaningful exchanges with local people, cultures, landscapes and wildlife, while offering them the freedom and flexibility to explore on their own. G Adventures’ responsible approach to travel is demonstrated through its ‘G for Good’ social impact commitments, which include travel guidelines for children, wildlife and Indigenous people. The operator also has more than 100 community tourism projects built into its trips around the world, developed together with its non-profit partner, Planeterra, which was also founded by Bruce Poon Tip. In 2018, G Adventures was the first travel company to introduce an industry-leading ‘Ripple Score’ assessment which measures how many of a traveler’s dollars stay in the local economy, and in 2023 it announced its Trees for Days initiative which supports local environments and communities through tree-planting, with one tree per G Adventures’ traveler being planted per day. For more information on G Adventures, please visit www.gadventures.com.