This week, travel experts at GAFFL bring us the deets on how finding travel mates in Australia and New Zealand can make a trip more affordable, safer, and better for the environment. All important if you’re aiming to enter the world of slow, conscious travel and mindful living.
Both Australia and New Zealand are popular destinations for solo backpackers. This is due to the different working holiday visa programs in each country. A visitor can work and travel in a host country for up to a year or longer on a working holiday visa. Australia and New Zealand are among the most popular destinations for working holiday makers.
Related: Why slow travel is essential for your wellbeing and mental health
If you’re a solo traveler interested in backpacking across New Zealand or Australia, we recommend finding travel companions. Exploring with a group of friends will make your trip less expensive, safer, and more environmentally friendly.
Here are some ways!
How Finding Travel Mates in Australia & New Zealand Can Make Your Trip More Affordable, Safer, and Better for the Environment
You can save costs
It’s important to budget accordingly while backpacking in Australia or New Zealand for an extended period of time. Exploring these countries is not inexpensive, which is why finding travel companions is necessary. Splitting expenses with only one other person will reduce your costs by half, and having more companions will reduce your costs even more.
Not only that, but having other travelers to split costs with gives your trip more flexibility. You may have traveled by bus and slept in budget hostels if you were traveling alone, but with a few travel companions, you can rent a car or campervan and sleep in more luxurious accommodations.
Usually, you will be able to share the cost of hotels, transportation, gasoline, groceries, and any park passes over the course of a long trip (which are usually charged by the vehicle).
Your Trip Will Be Safer
Traveling with others is always safer than traveling alone. This is particularly true in Australia and New Zealand, both of which have large open highways ideal for multi-day road trips.
When you’re road tripping in Australia or New Zealand, you’ll be racking up the kilometers. For example, an East Coast Road Trip in Australia from Sydney to Cairns is about 2,400 km, from Broome to Perth in Australia’s West Coast is around 2300 km, if you’re road tripping New Zealand’s North Island it’s approximately 1700 km, and looping South Island is around 1500 km.
Related: Most Instagrammable Spots in Wellington, New Zealand
Getting a travel partner (or several) to share driving duties can be immensely helpful. Switching drivers keeps everybody fresh and reduces the chance of fatigue-related injuries.
Furthermore, driving such long distances can inflict some wear and tear on your vehicle. As a solo traveler, it can be stressful if your car breaks down in a place where there is no service (there are plenty!). It’s always good to have another set of hands to assist you with maintenance or simply to keep you sane by providing moral support. Also, having two sets of phones is always nice in case yours is out of service or breaks.
You can make an environmentally-friendly trip
By traveling with others, you can reduce your fuel usage and electricity.
You are actually wasting fuel when you’re road tripping alone. Finding travel companions with whom you can split fuel is a lot more effective.
Let’s pretend you’re planning four long road trips across Australia and New Zealand. Instead of going on 12 different trips, if you find two other people to go on each one and drive an average of 1200 miles (1930 km) per journey, you can only use one-third of this as a group.
Now, if you calculate the numbers based on an average gasoline car, each car emits 771 lbs Co2e. By grouping up and sharing vehicles, you will be able to reduce your carbon footprint by 6,168 lbs CO2e over these 4 trips.
Related: 5 Top Tips to be an Eco-Friendly Mindful Traveler in New Zealand
Also, when you share your accommodation with them as well, you can save on your electricity use. Most hotels and vacation rentals can comfortably sleep 2 to 4 people. Even if you share your accommodation with just one other person, as a pair, you can cut your electricity use in half for every night you share an accommodation
As we discussed in this article, there are many advantages to seeking travel companions in Australia and New Zealand for solo travelers. Getting a few friends to travel with will make your trip safer, more affordable, and more environmentally friendly!
Author bio: This post was written by GAFFL. GAFFL connects solo travelers with similar itineraries to explore destinations together. Whether you are backpacking in Asia, road tripping in Australia, or exploring national parks in the US, simply type the destination you are traveling to, find travelers who are going there at the same time as you, connect with them, plan trips, meet, and travel together.
