Honestly, I never thought I would want to go on a “classic” backpacker trip—moving from place to place and constantly staying in hostels. I wasn’t sure if I would feel comfortable with that kind of travel, and for many years, I was nervous about whether I would like the mix of meeting so many new people while also spending a lot of time alone.
After my first solo trip to Nepal, where I took a yoga teacher training course, and my second solo trip to Spain, where I walked the Camino de Santiago, I felt the urge to challenge myself and try being away on a longer journey.
Why three months solo travel in New Zealand?
One day, the thought of New Zealand popped into my mind, and after that, I couldn’t forget the country. I just felt deep down that it would be a safe destination for me. I knew that, in many ways, the country functioned similarly to what I was used to in Denmark and Europe. On top of that, I wanted to find a place where I could hike even more because, in the last few years, I have grown to love hiking. Right after safety, nature was the thing that made me feel completely sure that I really wanted to go to New Zealand.
In January 2024, I quit my job, with my last working day in February. From mid-March to the end of April, I walked 800 km on the Camino in Spain, and in May, I traveled around Indonesia with one of my best friends from Denmark. When I got home, I started looking for a new job, but I could feel New Zealand pulling at me. I thought, I’m already taking a break from work, so if not now, then when?
Did I feel safe traveling alone?
Throughout my entire trip, I felt really safe. Everyone I met along the way was very helpful. It also felt reassuring that everyone spoke English, making it easy to get help and navigate the country.
Before I left, I was a bit nervous about whether I would feel safe sleeping in dorm rooms. I only had one experience where a very drunk man was staying in my room, which felt a little uncomfortable. I didn’t sleep much that night. The next day when I left the hostel, I chose to inform the reception about my experience so they could keep an eye on him. Aside from that, I only met kind and respectful people, and I actually found that staying in dorms could be a great way to meet new people.
Did I feel safe hiking alone?
On my solo hikes, I occasionally had a few scary thoughts when I was out in the wilderness completely alone, especially in areas without cell service. But for the most part, I felt really safe. I only ever met friendly people, and the other hikers were always kind and helpful, often checking in to ask if everything was okay.
I always made sure to tell someone—whether it was my hostel, family, or other travelers—whenever I went on a solo hike, so I knew that someone was aware of where I was. When I hiked from hut to hut, I also checked in advance that other people had booked the huts, so I wouldn’t end up spending the night completely alone.
Overall, I really enjoyed hiking alone. It gave me the freedom to hike at my own pace and take breaks whenever I wanted. In some places, I met other travelers and hiked together with them. Both experiences were great.
How did I get around in New Zealand?
For most of my trip, I traveled by InterCity buses, which I think worked really well. It was definitely time-consuming, and often there was only one departure per day between major towns. But since I had three months and felt like I had plenty of time, I always just made it work. I saw travel days as relaxation days, where I didn’t do much else.
That said, I ended up renting a car twice—first for 11 days and later for 5 days. That was absolutely worth it! I loved the freedom of having my own car and being able to drive wherever I wanted. However, it was definitely more expensive than taking the InterCity buses, so I’m glad I ended up with a mix of both.
Having a mix of transport also meant that I got to experience some of New Zealand’s famous train routes. I thought they were amazing experiences—a perfect way to break up long bus rides with a scenic train journey where possible.
