While influencers and social media encourage solo travel, a more personal way to travel or go on adventures; it’s not encouraged in some places.
Nepal consists of some of the world’s tallest and eye-capturing mountains that are waiting to be explored, and while solo adventures can be food for the soul, Nepal stated that travellers who would like to trek in remote regions ‘’must hire a government-licensed guide or join a group.’’
Although it contributes to the economy it defeats the purpose as the cost of search and rescue missions for solo hikers or trekkers is pricey. The risk of anything happening to you when you’re alone can be frightening.
The director of the Nepal Tourism Board, told “CNN”: ‘’When you are travelling solo, in case of emergencies there is no one to help you. It is fine if they are travelling in the cities, but in the remote mountains, the infrastructure is not adequate.”
In South Africa, the famous Table Mountain is a popular hiking spot, however, for 2023 alone, 39 people have been rescued and 158 dead in four decades according to an IOL report.
There are a lot of aspects to take into consideration when hiking, whether you are alone or in a group. Often rescuers are sent out due to hikers being dehydrated, or lack of planning, for example, which route to take.
Group travel is encouraged, sadly, the world has become more dangerous, and kidnapping, robberies, and, even murder have become a source of concern when referring to solo adventures.
A world traveller vlogger, Claudia Tavani, shared why she thinks solo hiking is a bad idea: “The most important reason for never hiking solo is that it’s just not safe.”
“You may be in excellent shape (I am fairly fit myself), you may be a survival expert, you may be strong and all the rest, but really – it is just not a good idea. And there are many reasons why it isn’t.’’
She mentions that you may suffer a bad injury; because often the trails are more challenging than expected. “And let’s not forget the fact that you could get attacked by an animal, and that is not cute.”
Whether you’re hiking or trekking, having an experienced guide is the best decision to make. This decreases the risk of getting lost. Most importantly, you’re not at risk to face the challenges that come with an adventure, alone.