The Solo Traveler's Guide to Making Friends on the Road

Let's be real—traveling solo is exhilarating, freeing, and sometimes straight-up terrifying. Whether you're bouncing between hostels in Southeast Asia or you've signed up for your first Wander Wildly group trip to Italy as a party of one, the realization that you’ll be thousands of miles from home without any familiar faces around can be daunting.

But here's the truth that seasoned solo travelers will be quick to share: traveling alone often leads to the most meaningful connections. There's something about being away from your comfort zone that makes you more open, authentic, and ready to connect.

So how do you actually make those connections happen? Let's break it down.

When You're Flying Solo in Hostels

Choose Your Accommodations Strategically

Not all hostels are created equal in the friend-making department. Look for:

• Common areas for coworking, prepping meals, and sharing a few drinks with new friends

• Regular social events (family dinners, walking tours, pub crawls)

• Private rooms or smaller dorms (4 beds can be a sweet spot!) for when you do need some downtime to recharge

• Reviews that mention "social atmosphere" or "great for solo travelers" (not necessarily synonymous with “party hostels”) - 

• **Bonus tip: sites like Hostelworld allow you to filter reviews by age range, which can help with discerning whether a hostel is digital nomad/coworking social, or 7am beer pong and all-night foam party social 

  
  

The First 30 Minutes Matter

That awkward moment when you first walk into a dorm room? Lean into it. Drop your bags, introduce yourself to anyone in the room, and ask one simple question about their travels. Then—this is key—actually listen to their answer. Travel connections often start with these tiny moments of genuine interest.

Be the Initiator

Found yourself in the hostel kitchen at dinner time? Instead of silently lurking and scrolling on your phone to seem busy, look around and say, "I'm thinking of checking out that street food market tonight—anyone want to join?" Worst case: you eat alone (which you were prepared to do anyway). Best case: new friends and an instant dinner crew.

Use the Hostel Activities as Your In

Those cheesy hostel events you're tempted to skip? Go to them. The "free" walking tour, the cooking class, the salsa night—these are literally designed for people who want to meet other people. You already have a built-in conversation starter: "So what made you sign up for this questionable karaoke night?"

Traveling "Solo" Group Trip Travelers

Pre-Trip Community Building

Signed up for a Wander Wildly trip solo? Be sure to join the WhatsApp group and pre-departure welcome call to kick off those connections early on. Dropping a quick "Hey, I'm joining solo from Chicago!" can help you identify other solo travelers before you even pack your bags. Your trip leaders will help with intro prompts to get conversations going, but we encourage our travelers to take the lead and engage on their own as well!

Don’t Be Afraid to Be Vulnerable 

If you’re feeling nervous - whether about traveling solo, visiting somewhere you don’t speak the language, or facing your fear of heights on an epic hike - feel empowered to share with the group. When someone says "I’m really excited, but this is my first solo trip and I’ve been a little nervous about coming alone," it creates space for others to open up as well. Nothing bonds people faster than shared vulnerability.

Seize Opportunities for Connection

Use your free time to keep the social momentum going. "Anyone want to get up early to catch the sunrise?" or "I heard about this hidden coffee shop—who wants to check it out after lunch?" These side adventures can help form strong connections even within the first 24 hours of a trip!

The Art of Starting Conversations with Strangers

As ubiquitous as the “Where are you from? What do you do?” intros are, they rarely lead to memorable conversations. Instead, try something open ended, like:

• "What's the best thing you've eaten since you got here?"

• "What made you choose Morocco? What are you most excited to see/do/eat?!"

• "What's been your biggest travel surprise so far?"

These questions invite stories, not one-word answers.

Alone, Together!

The truth is, traveling solo doesn't mean traveling alone—unless you want it to. It means you get to choose your temporary family as you go. Sometimes that family lasts an evening, sometimes a week, sometimes years beyond your trip.

So the next time you're sitting alone in an airport, about to embark on a journey by yourself, remember: you're not heading toward loneliness. You're heading toward your next favorite memory with friends you haven't met yet!