Hostels and backpacks might not be the most accommodating and comfortable of places and objects for the more mature person of the world. We get that here at GoingAbroad.org. But still, we don’t want to discourage older people from the joys of travelling around the world light and on a budget. That’s why we’ve put together a few pointers to help sway you. If indeed you are an older person who’d love to do some international hopping but hasn’t quite worked up the courage yet.
Look for Upscale Hostels & Apartment Rentals
Hostels are no longer the primitive flea-pits of the past. Nowadays there’s a whole range of them. With a bunch of upscale hostels catering for travellers on a slightly bigger budget than basement who don’t want to lose their minds in a tiny box dorm shared among several others.
Sites like HostelBookers.com allow you to search by facility. Making it much easier to find what you’re looking for in terms of washing machines, the size of dorm rooms and everything else.
On top of that you’ve also got the added option of taking advantage of the many apartment rental and leasing sites that are cropping up following AirBnB’s success. These often have great deals for travellers who want the comforts of home abroad but don’t want to pay over the odds to do so.
Specialist Insurance
Older travellers can now get insurance specifically tailored to their needs that cover all manner of circumstances. Now there’s simply no excuse for people not to travel because they can’t get elderly travel insurance. Companies are recognising the rise of interest in older people wanting to travel, especially given the fact that the number of flights offered by low budget airlines are on the up and that costs of accommodation are getting cheaper.
More Information
Thanks to the internet, social media and advanced developments in online publishing, there is now more information than ever to help aid elder people go travelling abroad. Take for example blogs by people like Travelling Crone, who writes about her travel experiences from the perspective of an ‘older woman’. This is just one of many specialist blogs catering to older travellers looking for more information on age-friendly destinations.
The same can be said for online communities such as forums and message boards. Many elder people gravitate towards these as opposed to social media as the tone is a bit more familiar and the format is a little friendlier. Check out the busy forum serving potential pilgrims of the Camino de Santiago, full of elder travels over at Camino Adventures.
Tours
Although GoingAbroad.org advocates solo backpacker travel, it can’t be denied that tours are a great way to experience the world and get to know like-minded people. Fortunately the number of travel tours geared towards the elder traveler is continually growing, with the old staple of the cruise still going strong.
There is no need to go the package route though. Jump online and do a bit of searching and you’ll soon find destination specific tours that can cater to the whims and needs of the older traveler.
One thing is for sure; there’s no need to live your travel vicariously through more youthful others anymore. The number of opportunities and ease of travelling for the elderly makes it all the more appealing.
