51 Uplifting Travel Alone Quotes To Inspire Your Solo Travel Adventures
If you are in need of some encouragement to take the leap and go for your amazing (I assure you it will be) solo adventure, these travel alone quotes will certainly do the work.
I have been traveling alone all my life. I started by going snowboarding in the Alps on my own because my friends were not interested, then I went to England to learn the language on my own and from there I learned to be comfortable traveling on my own.
I even got to a point when now I prefer traveling alone to with other people the majority of the time, with very few exceptions.
And if you are afraid of traveling alone, you should just embrace your fear and travel anyway. That’s what I do and it always results in amazing experiences with incredible people I met along the way.
When you travel alone you are more open to making new friends and connecting with other people. It’s inevitable. We talk about solo traveling pros and cons in this other post if you want to clear your mind.
If you are not sure yet, read these below travel quotes from solo travelers and authors. I am sure they will help clear your mind.
I have included travel quotes that inspired other solo travelers like me and their thoughts about solo traveling. I am sure you will love reading it as I did.
Travel Alone Quotes
“When the traveler goes alone he gets acquainted by himself.”
Liberty Hyde Bailey
Glossing over the outdated pronouns, this will resonate with many solo travelers as solo travel really does push you out of your comfort zone, and in doing so, you learn so much about yourself.
There is no familiar friend or partner to lean on. You need to make decisions and connections with strangers.
My first solo travel trip was to Kenya when I was 18. I had finished school a month earlier and turned up to Heathrow airport alone. I knew no one.
But one month later I returned a totally different person – more aware, more capable, more understanding. Was I a different person? Well, not really. I had just started learning more about myself and the world around me.
Fast forward over 20 years and my solo travel trips are very different. I am now a mum with a husband and two lively boys. Work and family life are insanely busy, and it’s easy to lose oneself in the daily routine.
Whilst we travel a lot as a family, I also (on very rare occasions) travel alone. And when I do travel alone, this is when I am away from the daily distractions and allow my mind to wander.
There is more time for me, and slowly I start reconnecting with myself again through travel.
Contributed by Jenny from Explore Essaouira
“The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before.”
–Albert Einstein
Chasing waterfalls in popular solo travel destinations like Iceland is pretty easy because many places in this country have been explored by other travelers.
If you are only ticking off from your travel bucket list insta-famous spots, you will be missing some of the best places far away from the tourist crowds. I love this quote because it encourages me to discover less-known areas.
Do something unique and look out for a new destination to explore. Indulge yourself in the peaceful sound of the best-hidden waterfalls in Wales that not many people have seen before.
Try to be spontaneous, because most secret places are usually discovered unexpectedly.
Everyone has individual goals and needs so following similar roads as others might not guarantee the same travel experience.
When traveling solo, you don’t have to do the same things as a group of people. Be yourself and discover new locations, because the world is wide!
Contributed by Paulina from the UK Every Day
“I am never happier than when I am alone in a foreign city; it is as if I had become invisible”
– Storm Jameson
For me, both traveling and being alone can provide such an escape, so when the two are combined, it can be absolute bliss.
I particularly love traveling to big cities where you can easily become invisible amongst the hustle and bustle of the crowd around you.
Feeling invisible can sound scary and undesirable, but sometimes it is exactly what you need. Something about being in the presence of something bigger than yourself can provide a unique type of peace.
It’s great to take this time by yourself to become immersed in new cultures and experiences and learn about the world outside of your typical bubble.
Being alone means you can make your own schedule and meet only your own expectations for your trip, so take advantage of this!
Don’t worry about entertaining someone else, and allow yourself to become invisible.
Contributed by Alex from TravelsAndBaffles
“If you are waiting for someone to travel with you, you may end up waiting a lifetime.”
–Unknown
Even though I am happily married, I consider myself a solo traveler. My husband has little interest in exploring our home state or going on trips.
Me? I live to travel and find new things. So 99% of the time I am on my own, road-tripping solo.
There are times I cry in the car, having a pity party because I have no one to share the experiences with. But as the years have progressed, I have found joy in these solo trips.
I can go at my own pace, see and do things that I want, and make a sudden U-turn if I see something of interest; all without the stress of having to first consult with another person.
If I had kept waiting for my husband to come with me on my travels, I would still be sitting in the house without having experienced the world.
Contributed by Tabitha Bailar from Travel Compositions
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
My parents gave me this Dr. Suess book as a high school graduation gift. It inspired my wanderlust. I traveled often throughout college, even on my own, from spending a week solo in London at age 19 to road-tripping the US for six weeks at age 21.
Solo travel at a young age empowered me to look further afield for adventures. When I became a digital nomad in my 30s, I didn’t feel nervous about heading straight to a part of the world where I didn’t speak the language or even understand the alphabet.
Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar were all top on my travel list.
I even made a home base in Kuala Lumpur for nine months.
It’s funny to think that a children’s book can be so motivational for one’s adult life, but this quote truly has helped shape my life path.
Contributed by Brodi Cole of Our Offbeat Life
“The mountains are calling and I must go”
John Muir
John Muir also called the Father of our National Parks was a legendary outdoor enthusiast and his quote about the ‘mountains are calling’ is irresistible to any outdoor adventure lover.
In this simple line, John Muir has captured the sheer power the great wilderness holds and should be explored by everyone whenever possible.
I planned a trip to the Canadian Rockies and Banff National Park, Canada to experience the majestic beauty of the mountains.
Banff National Park is a great place to visit solo, you really don’t need company to visit Banff, it’s a soul-warming and therapeutic experience in itself.
Icefields parkway scenic drive just took my breath away with its jaw-dropping scenery at every turn, the turquoise blue lakes and snow-covered mountain peaks.
There were so many vistas to explore along the way.
Wildlife was abundant in Banff, I saw a black bear just grazing on the side of the road on Icefields parkway!
I also saw elk, moose, bighorn sheep, and goats. I spent hours hiking the mountains and admiring the views of the valley and gorgeous blue lakes.
The town of Banff was bustling with shops and restaurants and provided the comfort of people around when needed.
But most of all I thoroughly enjoyed the mountains by myself and feeling humble in front of its grandeur.
Contributed by Anu Agarwal from Destination Checkoff
Loving life is easy when you are abroad. Where no one knows you and you hold your life in your hands all alone, you are more master of yourself than at any other time.
– Hannah Arendt
If you’ve ever traveled alone, then it’s likely you’ll know the exhilarating sense of autonomy and freedom it can give you. And that’s exactly why this quote resonates with me so much.
When I began traveling solo in my early 20s, I quickly realized the transformative power being alone and away from everything and everyone you know can have.
What, at first, seems like a terrifying experience, quickly becomes fun, normal and even easy – an empowering realization that clearly showed me how our greatest obstacle is almost always fear.
From traveling solo to becoming a full-time nomad and then living on 4 different continents, the resilience solo travel has taught me about standing on my own 2 feet and striving to live the life I want, has been invaluable.
This resilience has also helped me in some difficult travel moments too – from getting caught in a military coup in Bolivia, to being battered by a storm when sailing the Mozambique Channel and even breaking down in Australia’s remote Arnhem Land – to know you have the capability to deal with the ups and downs of life alone and to master yourself during them, is what makes loving life easy!
Contributed by Steph Parker from Big World Small Pockets
“Traveling alone doesn’t always mean you’re alone. Most often, you meet marvelous people along the way and make connections that last a lifetime.”
By Jacqueline Boone
One of the most beautiful parts of traveling alone is how I seem to, almost serendipitously, meet just the right people at the right time.
Some of my fondest travel memories as a world traveler are the times when I stayed up late swapping stories with strangers over tea or glasses of wine.
Or the other time that I got lost hiking in the desert with two other women, all of us hoping we’d find our way back to the trailhead before sunset (we did!).
The moments seem small, but they provide a sense of purpose and belonging that we’re all craving in our lives and searching for in our adventures.
Whether the people you meet are friends for the hour or lifelong companions, their impact on you, the solo traveler, is largely the same.
These connections can restore your faith in humanity, your sense that this big world is actually full of wonderful people who love the things that you love and find little ways to improve the lives of the people around them.
At any time, if we’re open enough, the solo traveler can meet marvelous, inspiring people who, for however brief a moment, see us for our very best selves.
Contributed by Amber from Amber Everywhere
“Traveling alone will be the scariest, most liberating, life-changing experience of your life. Try it at least once!”
Being scared doesn’t always have to be a bad thing and solo travel teaches you just that. When I look back today I often realize that the scariest times of my experiences were often the ones that helped me grow the most.
I was very scared during my first-ever solo travel experience but the fear disappeared more and more every day and slowly turned into excitement.
The change took some time but before I could even notice I was suddenly filled with confidence and the knowledge that I could handle any situation I might come across in the future.
When you’re completely responsible for yourself with no one else there to look out for you suddenly each decision becomes a lot more important than previously, especially when you’re by yourself in a strange country.
But if you’ve never tried it you’ll never know what you’re actually capable of.
That initial fear will be worth the lifetime of confidence and incredible memories you’ll have in the future so make the jump and try solo travel at least once.
Contributed by Victoria from Guide Your Travel
“Solo travel not only pushes you out of your comfort zone, it also pushes you out of the zone of others’ expectations.”
– Suzy Strutner
Traveling alone is definitely an experience that pushes you out of your comfort zone, but what I wasn’t expecting is that it would also push me out of the zone of others’ expectations when I decided to leave for South East Asia by myself.
Back in 2019, some friends but in particular my parents and relatives were not expecting me to leave the UK, the country where I currently live, to go traveling and volunteer in Malaysia for more than 6 months.
In fact, when I first mentioned that I had the desire to leave for this experience abroad, they wanted to change my mind and open my eyes to the risks of traveling alone as a female in countries so far away from what we’re more familiar with in Europe.
I left anyway and traveled to different Asian countries by myself and proved to them, I can travel alone.
Whilst exploring and experiencing so much, they also realized all the new things I was learning on the road and how enthusiastic I was about them.
That actually opened their mind about solo traveling and that is absolutely possible if you really want to do it.
Contributed by Maddalena from Venice Travel Tips
“The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready.”
– Henry David Thoreau
Humans spend so much time waiting, for that job interview, for the DMV line, for that text from a new crush.
There’s something so liberating and empowering when you decide to take the bull by its horns and set out for the world on your own.
Solo traveling is often seen as daunting, but I see it as no need for compromising. Solo travel allows you to move at your own pace, explore undiscovered interests, and open more doors to the new people that may come into your journey.
Like on my first solo trip to Costa Rica, there may be some tears, fears, and learning you brought too much luggage.
But what came out of it was a lifetime of crazy bucket list ideas and realizing that you are never actually alone, if you don’t want to be.
So buy that plane ticket, pack your bags, and don’t wait because the best time may never come.
Contributed by Catherine from Nomadicated
“I think one travels more usefully when they travel alone, because they reflect more.”
Thomas Jefferson
While I usually travel with my husband (and even my dog!), I always make a point to go on at least one solo adventure every year, which has ranged from a solo hiking trip to Bryce Canyon National Park to a multi-week backpacking trip around Poland.
I’m a busy person- I work as a corporate attorney and also work full-time on my travel blog- and, even in the most picturesque places, I have a really hard time disconnecting and not constantly being in my head, thinking about what tasks I have on my plate for the day.
But when I’m plopped in an unknown foreign destination by myself, it’s so much easier for me to take a step back, reflect, and simply be in the moment.
For example, eating dinner alone at a tiny cafe in Italy, it’s easy to truly focus on the incredible dish I’m having or simply people-watch the friendly locals interacting around me.
When I experience something and don’t immediately have someone with me to dissect it with, it’s more impactful and resonates more deeply.
There’s definitely something to be said about the “Eat, Pray, Love” kind of self-discovery or healing solo trips- I truly never feel more attuned with myself than when I’m adventuring on my own.
Contributed by Jessica of Uprooted Traveler
More solo travel quotes
Solo travel is all about exploring the world and one’s own-self.
Unknown
“The inner journey of travel is intensified by solitude.”
– Paul Theroux
Solo travel not only pushes you out of your comfort zone, it also pushes you out of the zone of others’ expectations.”
– Suzy Strutner
“Loneliness adds beauty to life. It puts a special burn on sunsets and makes night air smell better.”
– Henry Rollins
“Traveling alone will be the scariest, most liberating, life changing experience of your life. Try it at least once.”
– Unknown
“To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.”
Freya Stark [British Explorer]
“The steward just asked me if I was not afraid to travel alone, and I said, “Why, it is life.”
Emily Hahn, Congo Solo; Misadventures Two Degrees North
“Some journeys can only be traveled alone.”
― Ken Poirot
I guess I’m too selfish to travel well with other people.”
— Alice Steinbach
‘Anything we fully do is an alone journey.’
— Natalie Goldberg
The man who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The man who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been before.’
– Alan Ashley-Pitt
When you’re traveling with someone else, you share each discovery, but when you are alone, y have to carry each experience with you like a secret, something you have to write on your heart because there’s no other way to preserve it.
— Shauna Niequist – Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life
Great people do things before they’re ready. They do things before they know they can do it. Doing what you’re afraid of, getting out of your comfort zone, taking risks like that — that’s what life is. You might be really good.
—Amy Poehler
Embrace those parts of yourself that you’ve skillfully avoided until now. That’s your true adventure.
Gina Greenlee – Postcards and Pearls:Life Lessons from Solo Moments on the Road
…what I’m getting at is like the distinction between tourist and a traveler. The tourist experience is superficial and glancing. The traveler develops a deeper connection with her surroundings. She is more invested in them — the traveler stays longer, makes her own plans, chooses her own destination, and usually travels alone: solo travel and solo participation, although the most difficult emotionally, seem the most likely to produce a good story.
― Ted Conover
Karen, her elbows folded on the deck-rail, wanted to share with someone her pleasure in being alone: this is the paradox of any happy solitude.
― Elizabeth Bowen, The House in Paris
The soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone.”
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
I was born for the ocean, for the road, and I longed to build my reputation as a fearless nomad, forever roaming the country with a suitcase and my guitar. Light as the wind itself, a romantic mystery passing through people’s lives, leaving them with moments of magic, wondering where I might be now.
― Charlotte Eriksson, Everything Changed When I Forgave Myself: growing up is a wonderful thing to do
Go quietly, alone; no harm will befall you.
― John Muir
Don’t put off your adventures while you wait for available friends to join.
― Francis Shenstone, The Explorer’s Mindset: Unlock Health Happiness and Success the Fun Way
“It’s weird,” I said. “In one way I feel almost crushed by all the freedom, but the longer I travel, the more I feel like I’m exhaling after holding my breath for years. It’s like I’m breathing normally again.”
― Kristine K. Stevens, If Your Dream Doesn’t Scare You, It Isn’t Big Enough: A Solo Journey Around the World
Traveling solo is an incredible – life changing – journey, which I can recommend anyone to undertake. It’s the fear of being alone that prevents many people from daring to take the step to go on that journey. But as with many things, within that fear you’ll discover the greatest triumphs.
― Jellis Vaes
I like being alone when there’s no one around. It’s a nice freedom to be the only one there, humming and coping, following my impulse. Being by myself in a public place is different, though, and requires a certain sturdiness. It brings in the element of self-consciousness.
― Jill Frayne, Starting Out In the Afternoon
For my part, I travel not to go anywhere but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.”
— Robert Louis Stevenson
The beauty of traveling solo is that you wonder unexpectedly, but almost certainly into the direction you were meant to go.
― Shannon Ables
“If I had to insult anyone, I would say, “If you’re the last person on earth, I will still do solo traveling”
― Bhavik Sarkhedi
“If you tell yourself that you need more riding experience, more mechanical prowess, more tools, a better bike, and try to cover every single contingency you might face before setting out for a weekend on the bike by yourself, you’ll likely never take a solo trip.”
― Tamela Rich, Hit The Road: A Woman’s Guide to Solo Motorcycle Touring
Don’t be scared to walk alone. Don’t be scared to like it.
— John Mayer
Great people do things before they’re ready. They do things before they know they can do it. Doing what you’re afraid of, getting out of your comfort zone, taking risks like that — that’s what life is. You might be really good.”
– Amy Poehler
If you make friends with yourself you will never be alone.
– Maxwell Maltz
“Embrace the beauty of your solo journey.”
— Mandy Hale
Don’t ever accept anyone else’s preconceived limitations. If there’s something you want to do, there isn’t any reason you can’t do it.
– Amy Dodson
If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel – as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them – wherever you go.
– Anthony Bourdain
I would say that applies to any age.
A person needs at intervals to separate themselves from family and companions and go to new places. You must go without familiars in order to be open to influences, to change.”
– Katharine Butler Hathaway
Some journeys take you farther from where you come from, but closer to where you belong.”
– Ron Franscell
That’s most likely to happen when you are on your own.
I learned my strengths and my weaknesses. I experienced the exhilaration of the ups and the despairs of the lows and most of the feelings in between… I learned courage and I learned it myself
– Ann Stirk
If you have to wait for someone to travel with you, you may end up waiting a lifetime!
Unknown (but that could easily have been me)
I wondered why it was that places are so much lovelier when one is alone.
– Daphne Du Maurier
As a woman I have no country. As a woman my country is the whole world.”
– Virginia Woolf
To awaken alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world. You are surrounded by adventure. You have no idea of what is in store for you, but you will, if you are wise and know the art of travel, let yourself go on the stream of the unknown.
– Freya Stark
Traveling solo does not always mean you’re alone. Most often, you meet marvelous people along the way and make connections that last a lifetime.
— Jacqueline Boone
“I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.”
— Maya Angelou
“I didn’t know where I was going until I got there.”
Cheryl Strayed
“Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively, unless you can choose a challenge instead of a competence.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt
It seemed an advantage to be traveling alone. Our responses to the world are crucially molded by whom we are with, we temper our curiosity to fit in with the expectations of others.
— Alain de Botton
My alone feels so good I’ll only have you if you’re sweeter than my solitude.
— Warsan Shire
I’ve not ceased being fearful, I’ve gone ahead despite the pounding in my heart that says: turn back, turn back, you’ll die if you go too far.”
— Erica Jong
Anything we fully do is an alone journey.”
— Natalie Goldberg
Women need real moments of solitude and self-reflection to balance out how much of ourselves we give away.
— Barbara De Angelis
The beautiful thing about going alone is that every triumph is yours, every consequence of every mistake is yours, everything that you have to figure out is on you. That’s a really powerful experience. And sometimes it is beautiful and positive and exciting, and sometimes it’s negative and hard and lonely. I wanted that. I welcomed that.”
— Cheryl Strayed
The most important relationship in your life is the relationship you have with yourself. Because no matter what happens, you will always be with yourself.”
— Diane Von Furstenberg
I learned my strengths and weaknesses. I experienced the exhilaration of the ups and the despairs of the lows and most of the feelings in between. I gained courage, and I learned it myself.”
— Ann Stirk
Travel alone quotes: final thoughts
I hope these travel-alone quotes have inspired you to plan your first solo journey around this beautiful earth. In this blog you will find many other useful articles to help you plan your trip, starting from this travel Planning Guide!
Happy travels!
