Solo travelling with a tour operator is becoming an increasingly popular way to explore the world. But Why? It’s because it gives people the opportunity to connect with fellow adventurers and build lasting bonds without the pressure of finding someone to go on the journey with them. We’re always keen to share glowing feedback from solo travellers, and this time, we’re delving into the world of Dave Farmer – a spirited solo traveller with Exodus. Join us, as he explains why he’s hooked on solo exploration with Exodus.
“I’m used to being a solo traveller and I like the freedom to do what I want without having to compromise on time or on the trip itinerary. Very few of my friends are interested in the kinds of challenging treks I like to do with Exodus. I understand everyone has different expectations and levels of ability when it comes to trekking – but I personally love a challenge! I enjoy having time to myself in beautiful locations and I’ll often be the one several yards away from the group enjoying the view, soaking in the solitude or taking photos – (usually all three) – as we take a break.” He continues, “One of my favourite memories happened during the acclimatisation day in Dingboche on the Everest Base Camp trek. After the morning climb, I was sitting on the terrace of the tea house soaking up the sun and enjoying the views of snow-covered Ama Dablam and the distant peaks with a mug of hot tea. That evening, the group surprised me by celebrating my birthday with chocolate cake and candles.”
What makes Exodus the best travel tour operator for Dave is the small and friendly groups, “specifically with Exodus, I like the mix of clients that are attracted to their trips. Having seen the negativity and ‘cliqueyness’ that can come from large groups and clients with other companies, my experience of Exodus trips, with smaller groups of like-minded people has been completely different and universally positive.”In fact, Dave finds that being a solo traveller specifically allows him to enjoy the smaller things in life. “I take photos to illustrate the journal I keep for every trek, and sometimes this can mean spending time trying to get the right composition or the perfect timing. On my last trek, I chased a butterfly through flowers for a few minutes during a tea break. I think that had I been travelling with a partner or friend, I would feel obliged not to do this so often and that would lessen my enjoyment of the trip.”
Dave continued to explain how the camaraderie and friendships created within Exodus’ small groups helped especially on more challenging trips. “I like the smaller groups that Exodus work with. I think once a group begins to gel (usually at the airport waiting for the transfer when everyone swaps stories of previous trips), part of the process includes looking out for each other. In smaller-sized groups, this happens quickly. With a challenging trek, the effect is also strengthened by the common hardship and the trek goal. It is harder to hide any negative behaviour in small groups and once the initial team bonding has happened, any differences that may have caused problems are usually overcome in the spirit of a shared experience.” Dave found this to be specifically relevant on his trip to the Everest Base Camp, “On my first Everest Base Camp trek we had several people who were very nervous crossing the suspension bridges, so we very quickly organised ‘bridge buddies’ who would make sure the nervous person wasn’t alone on the bridge and would have someone to cling to if it all got too much. There was no fuss and no judgement, just the understated helping hand should it be needed.”
Dave elaborated, “Even if not everyone has made it all the way on a trek, when the group joins up again it’s great to have been a part of the adventure and to celebrate it together. Everyone has an off day, for whatever reason, and as you struggle to take the next step at altitude, with the summit seemingly impossible to reach, a smile or a word of encouragement from a fellow trekker makes all the difference. Reaching that summit with the people you’ve shared the struggle with is a feeling that is hard to describe.”
Dave also finds the seamlessness of Exodus itineraries a key factor in why he solo travels with us, as he can arrive at the airport and is then taken care of for the entire trip. “Included transfers, accommodation and itineraries are definitely a big factor in booking all the trips I’ve done with Exodus. I don’t like the international travel process. For the longer haul trips, there’s nothing better than emerging from the experience of flight, immigration and baggage retrieval when I’m feeling exhausted and not thinking straight to find a friendly face and a welcome minibus. I book a trip based almost exclusively on the itinerary, so that’s a given.”
When it comes to eating, Dave relishes dining with his fellow group members. “Personally, I have rarely gone out and eaten on my own. Often we would be eating together out of necessity (on camping/trekking trips) or in hotel restaurants where food was included in the trip. I think that mealtimes, certainly at the start of any trip, is where the group bonding process begins, so I would always try and attend group meals.” He explained how the bonding process of groups is always encouraged even more by our fantastic expert leaders, “The trip leader has always, in my experience, offered options for meal times; not necessarily a selection of restaurants but the option to join the group meal or to seek alternatives (in Morocco, for example, we were encouraged to try street food with the advice only to eat where you could see the food being freshly prepared).”
Dave also finds the leaders to be incredibly helpful in assisting with any dietary requirements as well. “I (or more accurately my stomach), struggle with hot spicy dishes and on my last trip to India the trek leader did his best to advise on the mildest dishes everywhere we ate. He was also able to clarify to the waiters in some restaurants that my request for ‘mild please’ really meant ‘no hot spices within 50m of the dish’.”
Dave has had many special solo travel adventures with us, and one of his fondest group memories was climbing Mt.Kilimanjaro. “I remember after one particularly gruelling day of rain on Kilimanjaro, we were all feeling pretty low and we gathered for what was going to be a subdued evening meal. But my chair slipped on uneven ground and I fell over. For some reason, I had a fit of the giggles and before long the whole tent was laughing with me – the kind of laughter that was completely out of proportion to the event that triggered it. When the crew arrived, I’m not sure what they thought, but it lifted our spirits and we had a lively meal. It would have been hard to achieve that turnaround had the group not already bonded.”
Another one of his favourite trips was to Ladakh to see the Snow Leopards. “I went to photograph Snow Leopards in Ladakh in 2020 and the group were fortunate to have a number of sightings throughout the time we were in the mountains. I think that had I been on my own, it would have been hard to convey the special feeling of seeing a mother and two cubs walking along a ridgeline in the Himalaya, or watching a male rolling in the dust to hide its scent before going on the hunt. The discovery of ‘Dark Temptation’ (a chocolate dessert following the Snow Leopard trip that still makes my mouth water now) with a fellow solo trekker was also a source of endless jokes within the group at the time, and is still a talking point when we chat now. It would have been nothing had I been on my own.”
“We had been unlucky with the weather and deep snow on the Peaks of Ladakh trek and overhanging cornices meant that we could not attempt Dzo Jongo itself. Some of the group chose to climb a lower mountain (Konga Ri). After the preceding few days when the weather had been uncharacteristically bad, we reached the top of Konga Ri in beautiful sunshine with 360-degree views of the Himalayan mountains. We were exhausted, plodding up to the summit cairn one or two at a time and with big beaming smiles on our faces. As each new person started the final stretch the ones already there encouraged and clapped them into the summit cairn. I’ll never forget getting to the summit, but that sense of team spirit made it more special and is something hard to convey to people who were not there. Much easier to describe were the slices of delicious cherry cake handed out by our assistant guide to everyone and the squares of chocolate handed out by one of the trekkers.”
When addressing safety as a solo traveller on an Exodus trip, Dave has had first-hand experience after he was taken ill on a recent trip. He explained that his supportive leader and the group made all the difference: “ There was definitely a sense of concern from my fellow trekkers and, with the small numbers, the trek leader was able to give me his full attention when I needed it the most. His confident approach and immediate reaction to the situation made me feel better at a time when I felt vulnerable due to illness in an unfamiliar location. This continued after I’d reached Kathmandu, where I was met by an Exodus rep at the airport which made negotiating the security there a much smoother process. It’s the first time I’ve ever been ill on a trek and while I never think negatively, in the back of my mind there was always that ‘what if…?’ question. As a solo traveller, there is an extra level of concern that you’re on your own and how will you cope. My experience was that I wasn’t really on my own at any time with the concerns of the group and the support of the crew at all stages.”
The group dynamic is not the only factor that convinces Dave to travel solo with Exodus, but the quality of leaders and their knowledge is also very important. “I have come to trust the knowledge and expertise of the local guides so I know that the words in the trip notes are usually only the start of the experience. On a recent trip to Rajasthan, we were fortunate enough to go ‘off itinerary’ to watch a parade through the streets of Bundi as our stop there coincided with the birthday of the Hindu god Hanuman. As the only tourists in the area, our little group of 6 were as much of an attraction as the multi-coloured floats, dancing swordsmen and women and the crowds of youths all dancing to the loud music. All this was only possible because of the local knowledge and contacts of our guide.”
For any people who are wondering if they may feel lonely or singled out in a group with other travellers, Dave explains: “I have never been the only solo traveller on any trip I’ve done with Exodus. On both cultural trips there were six of us, with one couple and four solo travellers. To be honest, I find I quickly forget about ‘solo’ and ‘couple’ during a trek; that’s probably as much to do with the attitude of the other people as it is to do with me. People are on the trip for similar reasons with common goals and this helps to speed up the bonding process. Any social interaction with other people depends on both sides but in my experience, it’s always been positive.”
If you’re excited about the idea of joining solo adventurers like Dave on your next journey, browse through our selection of trips tailored for solo exploration right here.
