How to Make Friends While Traveling Solo In 2026

Let’s be real—solo travel can be both magical and maddening. On one hand, it’s your time to breathe, reflect, and wander freely. On the other? It can get lonely out there, especially when you’re halfway across the world watching groups laugh over dinner or couples pose for selfies. I’ve been there—craving connection, wondering how to break the ice without feeling awkward or out of place.

But here’s what I’ve learned after years of doing this alone: solo travel doesn’t have to mean solitary. Some of my most meaningful friendships started in random hostels, local tours, or unexpected conversations.

In this post, I’ll share the practical strategies that helped me go from feeling isolated to connected—plus a few moments that surprised me along the way.

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Make friends on group tours

Does it still count as traveling solo if you join a group tour? Absolutely! You’re still going on your own and meeting new people; you just get to have a bit more time to relax and not have to worry about all the details and planning.

Some countries are actually best to do at least partly with a tour guide, and going with a group is typically cheaper.

I’ve been to Israel, Egypt and Jordan on group tours, and I’ve also explored a bit on my own outside of the group tours. For me, the sweet spot is doing a bit of both—traveling solo to keep my independence, but still leaving room for connection along the way.

In addition to longer group tours, you can opt for half-day, full day or other types of group tours. Most cities have free walking tours you can find, too!

Some of the group tours I’ve done include:

🐋 Boat, snorkeling and swimming with whales group tours (half day and full day) in French Polynesia

🕍 Day tour with a group of the ancient Jewish quarter in Rome, Italy

🇻🇦 Group tour of the Vatican in Rome

🛥️ A full-day boat tour to a few islands outside of Athens, Greece

🛥️ 🚙 A full-day boat and jeep tour in Cyprus

🌵 Grand Canyon tour in Arizona

Options for finding group trips include:

• Viator: My favorite way to find group tours, especially for shorter ones. Most of the tours I’ve done are from there. They have great options and the best service!
• Airbnb experiences is great for short group tours and experiences. I’ve used it a few times and it’s been a great choice every time!
• G-Adventures is a group tour company that I’ve used for longer, all-inclusive tours and I highly recommend them!
• Sojrn is a company that does study abroad trips for adults. I’ve been wanting to go on one of their trips for awhile – they have amazing reviews and I have talked to someone about a trip I was interested in, and they have great customer service!
• Showaround is an app that helps you find local tour guides.

Make friends on night out tours

Bar tours are always some of the best ways I’ve found to meet people while traveling solo! Here are a few I’ve done that really stood out:

• D-TLV Pub Crawl in Tel Aviv while working at a hostel
• Tipsy Tour in Rome with the dark history of the city
• Rooftop Bar crawl in Athens where each bar got us closer and closer views of the Acropolis

Each of these turned into more than just a night out. In Tel Aviv, I was still new to the city, and joining the pub crawl helped me acclimate—suddenly I wasn’t just on my own, I was part of a group, laughing and exploring with people from all over.

The Athens crawl ended up being all women, including another solo traveler I really clicked with. We all swapped Instagrams, and when I returned to Athens later, I met up with her and others at a bar on her last night in town. One of those women I still keep in touch with—and we’ve even met up a few times since!

In Rome, the Tipsy Tour turned out to be one of the highlights of my whole trip. I almost skipped it—I wasn’t really feeling social that night—but I pushed myself to go, and I’m so glad I did. The people were fun, the conversation flowed, and it reminded me how powerful even one spontaneous “yes” can be when you’re traveling alone.

Choose accommodations where you can make friends

Hostels are a great way to meet people right at your accommodation. Most hostels have dorm rooms (co-ed, women-only and male-only options) and private rooms, so you can choose what works for you.

At hostels, hang out in the common areas and kitchen and check to see what events they have for travelers.

In addition, I once stayed at an Airbnb in Athens with suites. The host had multiple suites and rooms in the building, and they were always hanging out on the roof and hosting cook-outs.

I made friends with a person who stayed in the other room of my suite, plus more friends on the rooftop, and we even spent time together outside of the accommodations, which made my trip so much more memorable!

Hostelworld helps you find hostels and connect with fellow travelers to make plans, share advice, book activities near you and more.

The Worldpackers app connects you with locals in your location who need a bit of work done in exchange for a place to stay. This can help you meet people and make some new local friends.

Utilize your contacts and old friends

Always check to see who you know who might be living in the places you’re traveling – or, you can even choose places where people you know live!

This can go well or not so much, so don’t have too much attachment to how it’s going to go unless you can be sure; I’ve had mixed experiences over the years.

My first solo trip was to Sweden, where a friend from college lived. We used to be the best of friends and did other trips together in college and after graduation; however, this trip didn’t go so well.

He was getting married and while I spent time with his family, he barely talked to me – not to mention, he and his partner had offered for me to stay with them and rescinded on their offer, and he didn’t tell me until literally the last minute. There were other issues too, and it really affected me.

Now I know to travel for myself first, and whoever I visit is an extra thing.

My other trips have been more successful when I’ve visited people I know. I got together with an old coworker in Athens for a meal who I didn’t realize lived there; I also got coffee with an old classmate in Cairo who was from there.

One of these trips was to four countries in 2021, and the only way I could get from Egypt to anywhere was by way of Romania. My roommate and friend at the time was from Romania, and I stayed with her parents, who drove me to the mountains for a trip to see castles, plus to more sites (not to mention the magical eczema cream my friend’s mom made me from herbs she picked off the side of the road)!

It was so great, not just because it made the trip easier but because I loved spending time with them. It felt like family.

Volunteer and work exchanges

Volunteering is another amazing way to meet people while traveling, to make friends and have people to go on adventures, meals and sightseeing with.

I have guides on ways and places to volunteer as a solo traveler, one for affordable and cheaper options, and one for luxury volunteer vacations.

One example (there are more in my other posts) is Workaway, a social platform that connects volunteers with service opportunities in exchange for room and board. You can set up a solo traveler profile and it also includes the option of connecting with a travel buddy during your stay.

Learn and use local languages

You obviously don’t need to become fluent before everywhere you travel, but it helps to learn some basic local phrases and use them.

Google Translate has been my best friend when I’m in places with people who don’t speak English – it’s the best! It’s also great for translating information on products in stores, even from photos.

Duolingo is a great app to practice basic skills in any language in a fun and engaging way.

There are also more apps that help you learn languages, as well as podcasts you can find to help you go through basic, simple words and phrases.

Pro Tip: For many Arabic speaking countries like Egypt, it’s important to learn Arabic numbers. This is super important for getting an Uber so you can check the license plate!

Mindset tips for making friends while solo traveling

Sometimes when I feel least like going out to meet people are the times when I need it most – and I have the best time!

Even when you feel a bit low, just doing things with new people can be exactly what gets you out of that lower mental state.

When you’re feeling low, remind yourself that you can leave and go back to your accommodation at any time; this mindset reminds you that you’re in charge and have the freedom to leave if you’re not having fun.

That said, giving something a chance sometimes requires sticking it out a bit, too. When I went on a pub crawl for the first time, I was complaining with another guy on the tour how it was awkward. Finally, though, I got into it and had so much fun! I’m not sure what happened with the other guy.

You can help your mindset by:

• Setting the intention last thing at night and first thing in the morning about being open and making conversation with people
• Setting your own “rules” for how and when you’ll do things, reminding yourself that you’re in charge
• Having boundaries so you can say no or stop talking to annoying people when necessary
• Thinking about the stories you’ll have to tell or write in a book later

One more tip is to bring a pack of cards. These don’t take up much space and always give you something to do with people.

💭 Not every moment has to be social. Sometimes, journaling is the best way to process your solo travel experience—and your feelings about connection, loneliness, or freedom.
If you’re craving a little introspection in between the people-meeting moments, check out these mental health journal prompts for your solo trip.

The best apps to make friends while traveling solo

Another option to easily meet people while traveling is to use apps made to connect solo travelers. Some have age limits, so just be sure to check them first.

Facebook groups

There are tons of Facebook groups for solo travelers—whether you’re looking to meet other solo female travelers, find someone to explore with, or just get support when you need it. Just do a quick search and you’ll find plenty of options!

One time, I connected with a solo traveler who was visiting New Orleans (where I lived for many years), and we ended up meeting for brunch. It was a Saturday, so I showed her around the city for the rest of the day—and honestly, it was such a fun experience. I got to play tourist in my own town, and we both had a great time.

✨ P.S. I also run a Facebook group for solo travelers who are into wellness, self-growth, and meaningful travel experiences. Join us here if you want to connect with kind, introspective explorers!

The best apps for solo female travelers to meet other women

NomadHer helps you connect with other solo female travelers and has groups you can join, tips and advice, curated travel camps and more. Plus, all members are verified so you know they’re actually female.

Tourlina is similar to NomadHer in that it helps you find other women travelers, and every member is verified.

Hey!Vina is literally Tinder for girl friends (they exist in partnership with Tinder). So, it works a lot like Tinder but for finding friendships with women only, and you can do live group chats and more.

Solo travel apps for finding people to eat with and events

EatWith helps connect you with local families to eat a meal with.

BonAppetour – connects you with people and events for authentic food experiences, from cooking classes to meals with local families.

Nearify is an app that helps you discover nearby events, classes and meetups to connect with people.

Meetup has groups that do activities together of all kinds in tons of locations, so you can join groups of interest and attend events and get-togethers.

Solo travel apps for finding travel buddies

TripBFF helps connect you with other solo travelers, and helps you build and find itineraries and more tips to share and use.

GoingSolo helps you find travel friends, as well as friends if you’re moving abroad, and has groups you can join.

Travello helps you find travel buddies, and there are interest-focused groups you can join, the ability to match travel plans, discounts and rewards on tours and more.

Backpackr connects you with nearby travelers and lets you share photos, and has a common room where you can chat with people to get tips and advice.

Showaround is an app that connects you with locals who will give you tours of their cities.

PartyWith is an app to help you find buddies to party with if you’re a partier.

TripGiraffe helps you find travel buddies by letting you create a trip and invite others to join, or joining others’ trips.

Cliq helps you connect with people based on common interests, join and create groups, and find events.

Tripr helps you find travel buddies going to the same places, at the same time as you.

Patook helps you find platonic friends with similar interests. You can do this while traveling, or find friends to travel with before you go.

Bumble BFF is for finding platonic friends with similar interests, from anywhere the app works.

👉 Find even more helpful apps for solo travel in my guide!

🌍 Friends Found Along the Way

Traveling solo doesn’t mean staying solo—not by a long shot.

Whether you’re sharing laughs on a pub crawl, swapping stories on a boat tour, or bonding over card games at a hostel, the road is full of kindred spirits waiting to be found.

Making friends while traveling isn’t just about having company—it’s about creating shared memories, learning from new perspectives, and reminding yourself that you’re not as alone in the world as it sometimes feels.

So say yes to that group tour. Join that rooftop bar meetup. Smile at that stranger on the trail. Your next adventure might begin with a simple hello.

👉 You might want to read this post next: Managing Stress and Anxiety During Solo Travel.

💬 Every journey’s better with fellow travelers.
Join the Facebook group » to connect with others walking their own path—ask questions, share insights, or just say hi.

📌 🌍 Traveling solo doesn’t mean going it alone.
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