People never know what to buy for me for Christmas or my birthday. It's not that I buy myself everything that I want (I definitely don't), but I can never come up with any gift suggestions... though I do want a drone. Of course. But being a solo travel girl, I would love gifts or donations to help me travel.

So here it is, the ultimate solo travel gift guide, perfect for Christmas, birthdays, or just a 'safe travels' gift. 

I always ask for money, but I know a lot of people prefer to give a gift rather than cash. If that's you, then an Airbnb gift card is an ideal middle ground! Your traveller friend/relative will be able to book a trip away, or put the gift card toward a booking, of their choice - zero risk of disappointment!

You can order one here: Airbnb Gift Card

If your giftee loves taking snaps whilst travelling, then a lightweight tripod is a dream gift. I never leave home without mine! This one is lightweight, and easily fits into suitcases or a large rucksack. I often clip my tripod to the side of my smaller rucksack. A tripod doesn't have to be expensive either... this brand comes in a variety of sizes and prices, starting as low as £24.99.

You can order one here: Albott Camera Tripod

click order this exact luggage tag

I love a personalised or custom luggage tag, and personally a long-lasting one such as leather or wood is ideal for a regular traveller. Etsy has an array of designs, where you'll definitely find a suitable one for your giftee! The average price is around £8-£10.

You can order one here: Etsy Cusom Luggage Tags

I have a metal water bottle that I always take away with me. Being metal, it keeps my water cool and fresh all day long, is entirely washable and reusable, saves on plastic waste, and is pretty lightweight. Chilly's is a great brand, where you will also find matching food pots and hot drink cups. They have a great variety of colours, as well as lots of stylish and seasonal designs - you can even customise their products! Prices start at around £20 for a 500ml reusable drinks bottle. 

You can order one here: Chilly's Reusable Bottles

order this exact travel journal

I love a travel/adventure journal, it's such a great way to keep all of your thoughts, memories, and experiences together as you move from place to place... and it's something magical to look back on in years to come. I even stick postcards, little charms, tickets, and all sorts of things inside mine! At around £10-£15 a journal is an inexpensive gift, and you can find a variety of sellers who will personalise the cover too.

You can order one here: Travel Journal

Everybody loves sending and receiving post cards, but sometimes it's difficult to find a postcard to send - especially if you're in a remote location. There are a handful of online platforms that allow your traveller to create a postcard via their website or app (I use an app), and they'll print and send the postcard to its destination. Your traveller can even use their own photos as the postcard's image - and they can use one image, or a whole collage! I use MyPostcard - and their app is so well organised. Your traveller will need to have a MyPostcard account, and that account can then be loaded with cash that can be turned into postcards!

Small Print: I've used TouchNote in the past, but they tend to erase any leftover money on your account after a certain period of time - so bad! MyPostcard has proved far better.

You can order some credit here: MyPostcard

There you have it, my top gifts for a solo traveller. Other little gift ideas are comfy and fluffy socks, a passport holder (maybe one to match that luggage tag), a sleep mask, noise cancelling headphones, a suitcase or rucksack with lots of compartments, or a handful of currency for the country that your little traveller intends to visit. If you think I've missed anything off this list, or love any of the ideas, please leave a comment to let me know!

Claudia xo