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Types of RTW Travel and Considerations About Traveling Alone

The way to approach and plan an RTW trip depends to a great extent on the type of travel you prefer. One way to look at such trips is whether you you prefer to travel alone or not (see below), and, regardless of your preference, whether you lean toward travel with a group or independently. You may also approach researching and planning an RTW trip by comfort and amenity level, or you may base your trip around some sort of theme.

In some cases an RTW trip may combine some of the above preferences should circumstances warrant. For example, a traveler may prefer independent travel, and may plan the majority of his trip accordingly. Nonetheless, he may have to throw in a group excursion or two, perhaps in Africa where independent travel is more difficult and where safaris (a form of group travel) are more common.

Click HERE for tips on planning Group Travel

Click HERE for tips on planning Independent Travel

Other considerations that may affect the planning of one’s trip are desired Comfort and Amenity Levels and the presence or absence of a travel theme (“thematic” travel).

Click HERE for tips on planning by Comfort and Amenity Level

Click HERE for tips on planning Thematic Travel

What About Traveling Alone?

I had never traveled on my own extensively before departing on my first RTW trip. And now I look forward to heading out on my own every chance I get!

The decision about whether to travel alone is given great importance by some people and not so much as a thought by others. Whether it is right for someone depends on how comfortable they are spending special moments alone (have you ever celebrated your birthday in place that doesn’t speak your language, where no one knows your name, and where no one knows that it is a special day for you?), how comfortable they are approaching people they do not know for advice and help when called for (some people are uncomfortable asking others for help with something very basic such as directions to a train station), and how well they communicate with others in an unfamiliar environment (if you are in a country where hardly anyone speaks a language which you speak, then you have to rely on hand gestures and ad-hoc written diagrams as a means to communicate).

Traveling alone allows one the freedom of changing their travel plan as they see fit without needing to take account of someone else’s interests. It allows one the freedom of changing hotels, destinations, or even the duration of their RTW journey on short notice.

On the other hand, when traveling alone one must do all the research about potential destinations on one’s own, and there may be times when having a close friend or partner nearby would be desirable. I enjoy traveling alone; but, I must admit, when I first saw the sun rise over the Temples of Angkor, it would have been nice to share that moment with a special person in my life.

Whether you decide to travel alone or with someone else, you are guaranteed to make many new friends along the way, some of whom you will be in touch with the rest of your life.