I have recently been on a trip to Costa Brava where a lot of hiking alone was involved. In fact, out of the 9 days I have spent in the region, 7 were days of hiking and I had a guide only on one hike. Those 6 solo hiking days thought me something very important: I won’t ever recommend hiking solo. In fact, I doubt I will be going hiking alone again in my life.
To be honest, I am actually sick of reading click bait posts written by men and women alike, all highlighting the many benefits or the incredible empowerment there is in hiking alone, or suggesting a variety of tips for overcoming the fear of solo hiking.
Here I am, my old unsuccessful backpacker self, once again going against what is trendy to say. In case it isn’t clear enough, I think hiking solo is mostly a bad idea, and I believe I have a right to say it because I have done a great deal of hiking in my life, some of it solo.
Before you go on judging me, calling me a wuss, or telling me off for not sending out an empowering message, let me tell you two things about myself. You probably know them already, but in case it is the first time you read my blog, you may not.
First of all, I travel alone most of the time, and that’s what I actually like best. I was alone when I went to Cape Town; I was alone in Jerusalem and in Amman; I was alone in Varanasi too. I love it. I like the freedom I have. I enjoy the flexibility of being able to do my own thing, waking up when I want, eating when I am hungry, seeing things I care to see and not seeing others I really couldn’t care less about. I appreciate silence and peace, and just as much I am able to talk to someone I have just met at the bus stop. I love the randomness of it.
Secondly, I think I have been sending out enough empowerment messages in my life, working as a human rights lawyer for the best of 15 years.
So, if you really think I am a loser for not wanting to go hiking solo, I am hardly concerned. After all, I am not here to tell you what to do or not do with your life. I am just stating what I think, telling you how I feel about it, and hopefully you will agree with me. If not, I am open to hear your thoughts – as long as you express them in a civilized manner.
Let me state it one more time. I think that hiking alone is not a good idea. And since I like to explain myself, I have decided to highlight all the reasons why I am of this opinion.
Who takes your photo when you are hiking alone?
11 Reasons Why Hiking Alone Is Not A Good Idea
Hiking alone is just not safe
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.
You may injure yourself
I only know this too well. At times, things just don’t go as planned and we trip, fall, and injure ourselves. It happened to me when I was hiking in Jordan: I was hurt so bad that it took me much longer than expected to finish the hike (and I had no choice of going back). Thankfully I wasn’t hiking solo and I could count on the guide’s help to carry a bit of my stuff so that I could continue walking. A young backpacker who was hiking alone in Fansipan Mountain in Vietnam was not as lucky.
Read more about my adventure hiking in Jordan on my post “Why I hiked the Jordan Trail (and failed).”
The trail may be more challenging than expected
Don’t get me wrong, I like a good challenge, especially when I am hiking. 5200 steps steadily uphill (yep, I have had this when hiking Poon Hill, in Nepal!)? I am in! Narrow paths and cliffs? I don’t mind. But at times, for as much as we’d like to, a trail is too difficult to overcome it when hiking solo.
On third day of solo hiking in Costa Brava, I embarked on a circular route that – according to all signs and instructions I had received – should have taken me around 5 hours and 15 minutes. I soon realized it was going to take me longer (and a guide I met two days later told me he walks it in 8 – so we are still wondering why they suggested it could be walked in under 6), but despite the steady uphill and difficult terrain i was not discouraged.
It was when I arrived at a virtually vertical wall with iron hooks and nothing else to hang on that I realized there was no way this hike was meant to be done alone. I tried climbing, but short as I am I could not really grab the hooks. I went back, dizzy, and sat down deciding what to do. I decided it to give it a second try, but there was no way I could pull myself up that wall. I felt even dizzier than before, realizing that if I fell down, nothing and nobody would be there to stop me from falling.
That’s when I decided to go back, hoping to find a different way to go up (there wasn’t, by the way). As I sat down eating my lunch a couple walked by. I told them I was hiking alone, I asked them if I could join, and helping each other we managed to climb that vertical wall. We all agreed that a hike as challenging as that was definitely not meant to done solo.
You may get lost
Sometimes trails are not well marked, and you may end up getting lost. Ok, with today’s technology the chances of getting lost are slim. You can download tracks and upload them to apps like View Ranger. You can get a GPS. But what if your phone runs out of battery and on that day you forgot to pack a power-bank? What if it gets dark and you forgot to bring a head lamp? What if it starts raining and the trail gets blocked and you have do go a different way? The last thing you want is to be alone.
You may get attacked by animals
The chances of being attacked by animals in Europe are very slim. They are much higher in other continents, and they should not be underestimated. Besides, snakes are animals right? Well, sure enough if a snake bites, it’s much nicer to have someone that can help and call for help, or that can at least give some emotional support. Walking in a group also means making much more noise than when hiking alone, and this keeps animals away – so, the odds of being attacked are much lower.
You may get attacked by humans
The last thing one would think when hiking alone is that he may get attacked by another hiker or a passersby in general. Overall, there are much higher chances of being attacked in a city than when hiking (though, to be fair, there are also many more people to ask for help in a city).
Yet, getting attacked while hiking solo can happen, and it has happened – while the chances of an individual or even a small group attacking a group of hikers are much slimmer.
I remember warnings at my hostel in Santa Cruz La Laguna, in Lake Atitlan (Guatemala), warning guests not to hike alone to San Marcos, as there were reports of attacks with machete by a local gang. In February 2017 a young woman was found dead on a trail in Isla Colon, Panama. Why risk it? Just go with a friend. Or, if you are traveling alone, join a group.
Had I been hiking alone in Jordan, there would have been nobody to help me when I injured myself
It’s lonely (or shall I say, kind of boring)
I can entertain myself, or else I wouldn’t travel alone all the time. But one of the nicest parts about hiking is sharing the beauty of the nature around you, and gasping at the gorgeous views with someone else. There is nobody to do that with when hiking alone. Nobody to share your excitement for what you see. It’s kind of boring, after a while. Even the lunch you may have packed doesn’t taste as nice.
You are the only one motivating yourself
For some reason, whenever I am hiking with a group of friends, I push myself a lot and end up always being the first to the final point. I just walk really fast, especially if uphill. I realized when I was hiking alone in Costa Brava that I was much much slower than usual. It was like I could not be bothered to walk at all.
But it’s not just that. Friends usually encourage each other, in many different ways. While talking, the effort we make to walk uphill doesn’t seem so bad. Joking, we may encourage each other to walk faster. We may not be as bothered if it starts raining, and you may have someone to complain to about your blisters.
And if someone has a panic attack and claims she can’t go on (true story, it happened to my friend once when we were hiking in Sardinia), others will be there to encourage and stay positive, until she calms down and starts walking again. Finding motivation when hiking alone is not nearly as easy.
You have to carry all the weight alone
This is especially important for long distance hikes, when camping may be necessary. If you go hiking alone for longer distances, you will have to carry everything, with no way to share equipment with someone else. You’ll have to carry camping kitchen gear, tent and all. Even if your back breaks.
You have to do everything alone
But it gets worst. If you go hiking solo for longer distances, there is no such thing as dividing chores. You have to start the fire by yourself, get water and filter it, and put up the tent – which at times is easier said than done (though I learned quite well when I went camping in Namibia). And then you have to cook dinner, and sit alone while you eat it.
I am not a fan of hiking alone
It’s not budget friendly
Much like when traveling solo, hiking solo at times is not as budget friendly. At times you’d really like a private room, with your own bathroom and everything else. Sharing it with one or more friends would make it much cheaper, but if you are alone, you are stuck with the dorm (or with paying more). The same goes with campsites: some want to be paid per tent, and in this case it doesn’t matter if you are alone or not. But others charge per person!
Nobody is there to take photos of you
I realized after hiking alone in Costa Brava that I am not in any of the photos. I have a bunch of incredible photos of the places I have seen, and not a single one with me in it. Mind you, I don’t care to be in every single picture I take (just go check my Instagram feed to see how often I am in the photo). But I like to have a good one taken, every now and then. Sure, you can always take a selfie – which is never as nice as when someone takes your photo. Otherwise, you have to carry a tripod; but that adds weight to the backpack, where – really – you only want to pack the essentials. Or find a stone or something else to leverage your camera (which isn’t always easy).
Sure, this is a sillier reason not to go hiking solo compared to the rest. But some of the others – especially the safety ones – are much more important and should not be underestimated.
By the way, if like hiking you really should consider getting a good insurance. Make sure to check out my post “Why You Need A Good Backpacker Travel Insurance.”
Have you ever been hiking solo? Would you recommend it? Why, or why not?
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I walked the camino on my own most of it. It was sometimes scary, but most of it I enjoyed it. I also met people on the way and walked with them. This was different but nice too. In Australia I wenthiking alone too. I would recommend it in Australia. Although there and in New Zealand you registered in National parks which route you’re walking. I will keep up hiking alone in Holland if there is no one to hike with. But outside of Europe I won’t do it again
The Camino is a different story. I’d probably start by myself, knowing that I’d end up meeting lots of people.
I understand that hiking solo proved to be not a good idea to YOU but it really doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done. It needs preparation, skills, and a lot of common sense, but if done right, it’s perfectly doable and safe.
Groups get lost, groups get injured and/or need to be saved by the mountain rescue. Groups sometimes go out in false security that stems from the group mind thinking.
Any hiking trip requires research and a very good knowledge of the trail. The fact that you couldn’t hike the vertical wall means you didn’t research it well to know there would be an obstacle like that.
I’ve been hiking alone for years – I don’t like nor enjoy hiking in groups. I’ve been on weeks-long trips, hiking and camping solo, often wild camping. And I am the author of many articles on hiking and camping solo. It’s not “trendy” it’s a way of life or travel for many. And for some – a necessity to calm some mental health issues. To be honest, I found it a bit insulting to suggest I/others write or popularize solo hiking & camping because it’s “trendy”. You are not a rebel for stating you didn’t like solo hiking. It’s just not for you, that’s all. Just like hiking in groups is not for me (as much as I see the many benefits of it, but the cons overweight them for me).
Oh, and I have tons of pics of me hiking solo… it’s not that hard, every boulder, wall, rock or fence could be a potential tripod.
Good travels!
Ioanna | A Woman Afoot
Hi Ioanna, thank you so much for contributing to the conversation and the topic. I certainly didn’t mean to suggest that mine is the best and only view out there. It’s just my view, and I absolutely appreciate that others may have a different one 🙂 With regards to the vertical wall I found on the hike I mentioned: I sure had researched and I had asked (several times in fact) to get a guide, but the company refused to provide me one insisting it was completely doable. It wasn’t – not for me and for most people I met that day! Good travels (and hikes) to you as well 🙂
Hi Claudia,
I sort of veered off and didn’t read the whole article, so some points might be a bit off. However, here’s what I believe. I took a negative view towards your ideas the second you mentioned trendy and empowering. I don’t hike because it’s a ‘cool’ thing to do. I do it purely for my own benefit and desire. When you are there talking about solo hiking being empowering, honestly I’m like what on Earth does this even mean. Take other people out of the equation and what exactly are you empowering?
The things about what if your battery runs out – what if you have no head torch. Again, you won’t go out on your own unless you are prepared. Things can go wrong and batteries can run out, but you simply don’t ‘forget’ your head torch or powerpack. If you do, then you will make adjustments to your route way before hand not when you have thirty minutes before sundown.
Taking photos of yourself? Invest in something for that. I don’t even have a camera (for which you just get a small light extendable tripod…) I use my smartphone and have a little tripod thingy for that. Cost me 20 dollars and works a charm. 10 second timer and bam. Or video using my action cam and grab stills. Quality is good enough to do that.
Solo hiking can be boring yes. In an ideal world you have a hiking partner matching you physical ability and commitment (spending an extra hour hanging around because you’re trying to grab that perfect photo or whatever) but as that is so hard to come by you just need to get things done on your own a lot. I have some amazing experiences from my solo hikes – thought I might not make it back when up Teide in Tenerife at nightfall…
Solo hiking is great character building, pushes you to take tough decisions, improves planning and organisation skills and really grows you as a person by having to deal with exposure to various challenges. Listen to some music, run a bit, mix up what you are doing.
I’m sure your hiking escapades are much more than my own and perhaps you’ve rooted out more negatives in your time or got more unlucky, just reading this to me seems like some issues aren’t really issues.
Hope you take some positive pointers from this and keep going!
Hi Kristo, thank you for your comment. Perhaps I haven’t explained myself correctly. My post is about me, and I am saying what I think and not what others should think. When I say that hiking alone is thought to be empowering, I am evidently referring to the sense of empowerment and achievement one may feel when completing a hike (whether challenging or not) by himself. I do not rule out solo hiking per se – there are some short trails which are completely doable and where you can be sure that, should something happen, you can get help easily. Nothing bad happened to me when I went hiking solo – because I know my limits. Yet, despite being quite experienced in that department, I have managed to forget things such as a powerbank, or a torch. It just happens. I have had more bad things happen to me on hikes I did with a guide (feel free to read about my experience hiking the Jordan Trail), yet this hasn’t put me off from hiking. All in all, I feel that as with everything else in life, to each its own. Once again, thank you for your input, your suggestions and more than anything your positivity 🙂
I agree with many of your points, especially the safety issues. However, I can’t agree that hiking alone is boring. For me, I love being all alone in nature, just me and my thoughts! But of course that’s a question of personal preferences, as you said yourself.
I’m also not sure about the money aspect. In some cases, going alone can certainly be more expensive. But if I’m travelling solo and I always join a tour whenever I want to go on a hike, that costs me money, too. So for me, it’s sometimes just a question of whether or not I have anyone to go with.
Still, some of your points were good food for thought. Thanks for that!
I am glad you enjoyed my post Nele, and of course we’d all different points of views! I have to agree with you with joining group hikes. Fortunately here in Italy they aren’t expensive at all!
It hurts too much to be around people. If I liked people, I doubt I would acquire much of a taste for hiking at all. It would seem pointless to go out into the woods or the desert or wherever and just walk and walk.
It’s all a matter of personal taste, I suppose. I am not much of a people’s person either, but I enjoy some company when I walk in the mountains. Thanks for sharing your views 🙂
My week is not complete when couldn’t visit a mountain, hiking has been an integral part of my life. Most of the time I hike alone, and its kinda liberating when you are alone in the woods, talking to yourself and appreciating the world around you. I also got lost sometimes but I don’t panic, the danger is always there just open your mind for whatever possibility may happen and trust your instinct, there were times that I didn’t continue going to my destination cause my instincts told me so.
For me, hiking is a purest form of exploration, most of the time I dont take pictures I hike for freedom, to nurture my soul, to escape in a noisy and busy urban life.
As they said, no man is an island and I also believe that no man is equal, lets just do what we think is best for us. Every experience counts. 🙂
Bill, I am so glad you fully got the message of my post! We are all different, we all do what’s best for us. Continue enjoying the mountains!
I’m with you on this one .I agreed with most of your points except hiking alone is boring ? Lol I love listening to the birds and the solitoand not having to listen to another human sometimes . But All the over confidence will do out the window if you’re injured and die alone while the rescuers can’t get to you on time or if something goes very wrong or if you’re attached ✌
I guess a lot of it depends on personality 🙂
I totally agree. Solo hiking in a quite place is not a good idea. I hiked in Costa Rica in 2017 and the place was called hidden treasure. It was too quite and no foreigner went there. Then, I was robbed by 5 locals. All my money, camera, and mobile were gone.
Oh dear! I am sorry this happened to you. I hope they didn’t hit you and that you are ok now!!
I am fine now. I think accident should be part of journey. Therefore, I still continue my travel. Of course, with extra care and safety measures.
That’s how to do it!
Those are truly the dumbest reasons I have ever heard not to hike alone. Because you can’t take selfies? Because you have to do the camp chores alone? Is this really a serious article? I hike alone and I don’t take stupid or unnecessary chances. I stop and plan a route before undertaking it and size up alternatives in case the plan isn’t working. I’m not living my life scared to do anything because I am alone. You don’t want to hike alone, fine. But don’t denigrate other peoples thoughts and opinions like you did in the second paragraph because you have a conflicting opinion. Want to voice your opinion? That’s your right. However, you could do it without insulting others.
Hi Laurie,
Thank you for your comment. I appreciate the points you raise and the discussion that stems from it, and I appreciate reading opinions different than my own.
I am sorry you feel offended by my post – it certainly wasn’t my intention to insult you or anyone else. Hiking alone is ultimately a personal choice. I appreciate that some of us (not me) are real experts in planning, in setting up camp, in reading maps and in finding trails. Others aren’t, and when they aren’t they should not embark in solo hikes – yet they often do, putting themselves in dangerous situations.
The selfie point I have raised is just that – a point. In fact, I am hardly a fan of selfies and I don’t appear in many of my photos anyways.
I have done my fair share of solo hikes, and when they are nice, easy and safe I will continue doing them. But for the hard ones, I won’t – it just isn’t for me.
By all means, keep doing what makes you happy 🙂
I have hiked alone…i enjoy the oneness with nature and moving at my own pace. But I also realize their are inherent risks. For longer hikes I seek out a companion. Unfortunately, it means I don’t hike as often as I would like.
What you say makes perfect sense!
Many of these reasons can be solved by someone who is used to travel alone: planning is the key, collecting infos too; this way you avoid tracks that could be too difficult for one person and you don’t get lost.
As for being alone, if someone hikes by him or herself I think that’s exactly what they want: being alone. I like to share experiences with someone, off course, but I also like to do things by myself like travelling and hiking. Maybe you don’t share the feelings with someone, but you live them intensely without having to phrase them. Not having to speak saves energy, being able to go at you pace (being it fast or slow) is less stressfull, not taking pictures lets you atually look at the scenery instead of thinking about the best angle. I?m not even very fond of photos of myself, so having a picture of me somewhere isn’t really a must.
What I think you should have done, was thinking of a less “hard” title. Like “11 reasons why hiking alone could be a bad idea” instead of “is ACTUALLY a bad idea”.
Everyone has priorities, I think what you wanted to do was just to point out some aspects of hiking that must be taken into considertion when hiking alone because they could become a problem or a downside if not considered properly.
Hi Giulia, thank you for commenting on my post. I think you really nailed the issue here: hiking alone requires some careful consideration of certain aspects of hiking – but not everyone does it! I am also pretty sure I did point out that I regularly go on solo hikes myself; but they are shorter hikes in places where I know I am bound to meet people who could help if I need it, and where I know there is a phone line in case I really need to call for help.
I choose to hike alone (even on steep terrain more akin to mountain scrambling) , motorcycle alone, walk and spend time alone much of the time. While I have a wife and several friends whose company I enjoy enough to accompany me, I love the freedom of running to my own schedule and itinerary.
Take a little radio, maps, Epirb and an E-reader and you can have a happy week to just ponder life at a pace you wish to set
Good for you! I travel alone, go out alone, walk alone, eat alone, etc etc. I even hike alone on very easy trails (ie the one in town). But long hikes – that I can’t do. Nice to know some people are so well trained to do it.
I agree with you 100%. I was sick of seeing those “you should hike alone, especially women” as they list all the reasons why. Everytime I read about someone who died or was lost for a few days, weeks or months, most of the time they were alone. And these people may agree that they should’ve prepared better, but they didn’t. Some are even experienced hikers and should know better, but maybe that’s just it. Their experience gave them a false sense of security and they skimped on some safety measures. I think it’s irresponsible to not tell people the truth about the dangers of hiking alone and remind them of all the fatalities, injuries, lost time, fear and lost sleep that struck the social circle of these people, etc. Thank you for a sensible article that hopefully saves lives and many difficulties. At the very least, I hope it helps others prepare better before they hike alone.
It’s refreshing to find someone who understood the meaning of this post fully! If you have read the other comments, most people slay me for giving my humble opinion – which by all means remains my own. Even as an experienced hiker, I don’t think that staying alone when there is no internet connection, or chances of getting lost, caught up in a storm etc is a good idea.
I went hiking yesterday for the first time alone and it was great. There were a few other people on the trail, so I saw others maybe every few minutes. But when I saw another solo hiker with his bear spray on his belt I realized that I didn’t think of that risk. Next time I will have a bear spray. But I would never go hiking on some remote exotic trail halfway across the world. I only hit up popular trails where there will be other people.
Smart thinking! You really have to calculate the risks carefully!