NEW YORK, September 13, 2000 - According to Nicole Cinco, a 27-year-old art director based in Manhattan, solo travel is the way to go for an adventure trip.

"It's empowering to feel that you can actually travel alone, especially for a woman," said Cinco. "There is something very satisfying about being able to spend time on your own mental and spiritual growth and physical well-being. Plus, vacationing by myself eliminates the all-too-familiar hassles you have when going away with friends and family."

Cinco says that traveling alone does not mean you have to be by yourself the entire time. Many Americans welcome the opportunity to discover some of the world's most magnificent landscapes, take part in their favorite outdoor activities, and meet others who share similar interests.

Choosing the right trip for a solo adventure can be easy if you keep a few important tips in mind:

Make sure you are up for the itinerary - If you've never done a 30-mile bike ride, don't opt for a biking trip that covers 400 miles in three days. Embracing a challenge on vacation is terrific, but you don't want to overdo it either. Carefully consider your physical abilities when evaluating trips Ask the right questions - When researching and booking your trip, you should find out as much as you can about the people in your group. Age, gender, hometowns and profession can tell you a lot about the kind of trip you will be on. Keep an open mind - If one of the goals of the trip is to meet new people and try new things, be open to the experience! Don't pick a trip where all the other adventurers are similar in age or gender - seek out some variety. Have a great time - Travelling by yourself is a very liberating experience and one of the only times you can completely divorce yourself from the responsibilities of daily life. Enjoy the freedom and the opportunity to explore your surroundings, yourself and new interactions.

Sample trips suitable for single and solo travelers, available at www.gorptravel.com or by calling 877-440-GORP (4677), include:

Grand Canyon Rambler: starting at $1,395 for a six-day trip (through October). Price includes accommodations at the area's finest inns, meals, t-shirt, water bottle, support vehicle, historical information packet, National Park fees and professional guides.
	Hike through the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, descending down along the South Kaibab Trail, and explore Havasu Canyon, an isolated oasis of clear running streams, lush vegetation and endless waterfalls.
Autumn in the Berkshires: $1,325 for a six-day trip (October).Price includes accommodations at historic country inns, meals, support van, experienced tour guides, detailed route maps and background information, admissions to Hancock Shaker Village, the Norman Rockwell Museum, the Chesterwood Estate and Sculpture Park, airport transfers, t-shirt and water bottle.
	Experience vivid displays of gold, orange and crimson foliage while touring the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts. View serene pasturelands and majestic mountain views on the ride to Bartholomew's Cobble, petal past alpine vistas in Monument Valley and handsome horse farms in Tyringham Valley.
Biking Andalucia, Spain: $2,598 for a seven-day trip (through October).Price includes accommodations in the finest inns, all meals except four lunches and experienced tour leaders.
	Bike from the rugged Sierra Nevada to the Guadalquivir River basin while experiencing the Moorish splendors of Spain, groves of olive trees and whitewashed hilltop villages scented with orange blossoms and jasmine.
Bhutan Hiking: $3,398 for a nine-day trip (through November) to an exquisite dominion that has been protected and isolated for centuries by mighty Himalayan peaks. Price includes lodging in the area's finest hotels, all meals, and experienced tour leaders.
	Hike to the ruins of Drukgyel Dzong, a fortress built in the 1600s to commemorate a victory over the Tibetans, and explore Punakha Dzong, a magnificent structure resting at the confluence of the Mochu and Phochu (Mother and Father Rivers) that served as Bhutan's winter capital for more than 300 years.

Other solo opportunities include cycling the Umbria region of Italy, the Camino de Santiago in Portugal, or the Dordogne region of France; following the footsteps of the Incas in Peru; or even joining a 90-day around-the-world journey through Australia, Southeast Asia, Africa and more. A single supplement charge may apply, check dates for availability.

GORP (a.k.a. Great Outdoor Recreation Pages) is the largest and most trafficked Web site dedicated to outdoor recreation and adventure travel. With more than 100,000 pages of content, GORP offers a complete package of authoritative, award-winning content; a large, active community of outdoor enthusiasts; and a full-range of e-commerce offerings drawing nearly 14 million page views per month. Started in 1995, GORP offers a full-service adventure travel booking feature with more than 4,000 trips, accessible via the Web or telephone, in addition to a gear store with 180 brands of clothing, footwear and equipment. GORP has been cited by Yahoo!, US News & World Report, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and many others, as the leader in this category and a"Best of the Web" site.

Back to Press Releases

Return to Top