Pre-Trip Anxiety: Is It Normal to Feel Anxious Before Your First Solo Trip?

So it’s the week before your solo trip. You’re lying awake at 2am, mind spiralling, wondering if you should just cancel the whole thing.

And yes, this is completely normal!

I still feel this way before every single one of my solo trips, even 5+ years and 24 countries in.

It doesn’t mean you’ve made a mistake. Or that you’re not ready.

I specifically remember spiralling before flying out to Iceland in winter.

Lying in bed as my anxious brain ran through every possible thing that could go wrong, wondering why on earth I’d booked the trip in the first place.

But I got on that plane anyway.

And a few days later, I was watching the sunrise over the Golden Circle at 10am, completely, totally grateful that I hadn’t let my pre-trip anxiety talk me out of it.

So if you’re questioning everything you’ve booked, I want you to know you’re not alone.

And I’m going to walk you through exactly why your brain does this and what actually helps!

This post is also a podcast episode! So if you’d rather listen than read, hit play below. It’s also on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and YouTube if you prefer those.

Is It Normal to Feel Anxious Before Your First Solo Trip?

Yes! Completely, totally normal.

What I like to call anticipatory anxiety before a solo trip isn’t a red flag telling you to cancel.

It’s just your brain reacting to something new.

And I can promise you this from experience: I still feel that pre-trip anxiety before every trip. Even now. 24 countries and 5 years in.

It’s also not a sign you’re not cut out or ready for solo travel.

(And if anything, it’s the total opposite!)

It’s a sign this trip actually matters to you.

I mean, think about it for a second: you wouldn’t feel nervous about something you didn’t care about. Right?

Katie’s Top Tip: Feeling anxious before a trip isn’t proof you shouldn’t go. It’s proof you’re doing something that matters to you and that you’re about to step outside your comfort zone. And your brain is always going to have something to say about that.

Why Your Brain Panics Before a Solo Trip (Even When You Want to Go)

Here’s the bit that helped me most once I understood it:

Your brain isn’t trying to predict what will actually happen on your trip. It’s just trying to protect you from anything unfamiliar.

And it genuinely can’t tell the difference between something dangerous and something that’s just new and unfamiliar.

So that exciting trip you’ve been dreaming about for months can still get flagged as a threat.

I mean, that’s literally just what your brain is designed to do. Right?

Its whole job is to keep you safe, and unfamiliar situations get treated as a risk by default – even the good, exciting, wanted ones.

So when you’re lying awake spiralling about a trip you’re genuinely looking forward to, that’s not a contradiction sent to drive you insane!

That’s just your brain doing its job a little too well.

You’re leaving your comfort zone, and your brain is reacting exactly the way it’s wired to.

Katie’s Top Tip: Your brain can’t tell the difference between danger and unfamiliarity. That’s why even a trip you want can still trigger a panic response.

My Own Pre-Trip Anxiety, Even After 24 Countries

I really wish I could tell you that this feeling fades the more you travel.

But in my experience, it doesn’t. Or at least not completely.

Before flying to Iceland, on one of my more recent solo trips, I remember laying awake running through EVERY worst-case scenario my brain could possibly find:

(Each one more dramatic than the last!)

• Would I cope with the cold?
• Would I manage on my own in the dark, in the middle of winter, in a country I’d never been to before?
• What would I do if there was [insert natural disaster here]?

You get the idea!

Basically, I almost talked myself out of it more times than I can count, right up until I was sat at the airport gate ready to fly.

And nope, this wasn’t my first trip.

This was years and countries into solo travel, long after I’d supposedly “got used to it.”

But that’s the truth: the anxiety doesn’t disappear just because you’ve proven you can solo travel once.

For me, it still shows up, every single time, right before I go.

And I’ve had to learn the hard way that that’s just part of the process for me – not a sign something’s wrong or I shouldn’t go.

Katie’s Top Tip: Pre-trip anxiety doesn’t disappear the more experienced you get. It just gets more familiar, and you get better at managing it.

The One Question That Changed Everything For Me

If there’s just one thing that’s helped me more than anything else, it’s this:

Swap “what if” for “what would I do if.”

Because those are two completely different questions.

“What if” just fuels the anxiety spiral, keeping you stuck imagining worst-case scenarios with no way out.

“What would I do if” forces your brain to actually problem-solve instead. And most of the time, you’ll realise you already know the answer.

Let’s run through a few real examples from some of my past solo trips:

What if I hate my accommodation when I arrive?

Then I’d look up alternatives nearby, or contact the host to sort it out. Annoying, but fixable within an hour or two.

What if I forget something important?

Then I’d buy it when I get there. Almost anything you forget can be replaced, and it’s rarely as essential as your anxious brain makes it feel.

What if I get there and just want to come straight home?

Then I’d give myself a day to settle in before deciding anything. Most of the time, that overwhelming feeling of homesickness passes once you’re actually there.

What if my anxiety ruins the whole trip?

Then I’d do the things that already help me at home. Grounding, a quiet walk, giving myself permission to rest. My anxiety on holiday is still just my anxiety, and I already know how to handle it.

You see how just taking a second to answer your “what if” properly, instead of just sitting with the fear, takes away a lot of its power?

Katie’s Top Tip: Next time a “what if” shows up, ask yourself “what would I do if that actually happened?” You’ll usually find you already have the answer.

Why This Fear Doesn’t Mean You Shouldn’t Go

Just sit with this for a second:

The fear only exists because the dream exists.

And it’s true, right?

You wouldn’t be lying awake, overthinking every detail, if this trip didn’t mean something to you.

So, when you look at it from that perspective, overthinking isn’t actually evidence you’re not ready. It’s evidence this matters to you.

Because I think it’s easy to look at that spiral of what-ifs and take it as a sign to pull back.

But actually, it’s usually the opposite.

The women who never feel nervous before a solo trip are rarer than social media would have us believe. And most of us who actually go are doing it a little (or a lot!) terrified.

Related Read: If you’re wondering whether the anxious feeling means you’re not ready yet, my post on the signs you’re actually ready for your first solo trip (even if it doesn’t feel like it) goes into this in more detail.

Practical Ways to Calm Pre-Trip Nerves Before You Leave

Understanding why your brain panics helps.

But you also need a few practical things to actually do with that nervous energy in the days before you go.

So here’s what’s genuinely helped me:

1. Screenshot everything.

Your flight confirmation, hotel booking, transfer details, insurance documents…

Having it all saved on your phone means your brain has less to spiral over when it can’t find something.

2. Pack a few days early.

Rushing the night before just gives your anxiety more fuel.

But packing early means one less thing to worry about, and you can double-check anything you’re unsure of with time to spare.

3. Write yourself a simple backup plan.

Nothing dramatic, just the basics. I like to have:

• My local embassy’s contact details
• The local emergency number
• My insurance number
• A note of what I’d do if I missed any important transport links

Having this actually written down means you’re not trying to problem-solve from scratch if something actually does go wrong.

4. Give yourself something to look forward to on day one.

One thing planned or even booked, like a walking tour or a nice meal, gives you a gentle focus for your first day instead of a totally blank slate.

For me, I like to keep it simple.

Like on that trip to Iceland, my plan was: after check-in, I’ll go for a walk by the water in Reykjavik and take some photos.

Katie’s Top Tip: Preparing properly isn’t the same as overthinking. It’s what actually reduces the overwhelm, not adds to it.

When It Might Be More Than Just Pre-Trip Nerves

I want to be honest with you here.

Occasional anxiety before a trip is normal. It’s your brain reacting to something new and unfamiliar, and that’s exactly what we’ve talked about in this post.

But if anxiety is significantly affecting your daily life, not just the time before a trip, that’s worth support beyond anything I can offer here.

I can only speak from my own experience of travelling with anxiety and share what’s genuinely helped me.

So if anxiety is impacting more than just this trip, it’s worth speaking to a qualified healthcare professional who can offer you more personalised support.

FAQs About Pre-Trip Anxiety

What Actually Got Me on the Plane Anyway

Looking back between that first trip and now, it was never about waiting to feel fearless.

I mean, if I’d waited for that, I’d genuinely still be sat at home right now, still deciding whether solo travel was “for me.”

What actually got me on that plane was deciding the trip mattered more than the fear did.

Not because the fear had gone. (It hadn’t!)

But because I’d rather feel nervous and go, than feel comfortable and stay home wondering what I missed.

And every single time I’ve done that, I’ve never once regretted going.

Related Read: If you want to build that trust in yourself before your next trip, here’s exactly how I’ve done it: How to Build Confidence to Travel Solo (When You’re Anxious).

Katie’s Top Tip: You don’t need to feel fearless to book. You just need to decide the trip matters more than the fear does.

Take Your Next Small Step

Feeling anxious before your first solo trip doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go.

It just means you’re human, and you’re about to do something that matters to you.

You don’t need to wait for the fear to disappear. You just need one small step at a time.

And that’s exactly why I created my free email course, 7 Days To Your First Solo Trip (Even If You’re Anxious). It breaks your first trip down into one doable step a day, so it feels manageable instead of overwhelming.

READ NEXT:

Still deciding whether solo travel is even right for you? Start with my post, Why Am I So Scared to Travel Alone?, to work through that bigger question first.

Or, for my secrets to building real confidence ahead of your first solo trip, check out my post on: How to Build Confidence to Travel Solo (When You’re Anxious)

Want a little extra support planning your next solo trip?

Explore my FREE Solo Female Travel Resource Library – a growing collection of tools designed to help you feel prepared, confident, and genuinely excited about travelling on your own – even if anxiety has been holding you back.

Inside, you’ll find:

• 7 Days To Your First Solo Trip (Even If You’re Anxious) Email Course
• The Ultimate Solo Female Travel in Europe Starter Kit
• An exclusive invite to my private Facebook community
• Plus checklists, templates, mini‑guides, and new resources added regularly

Click here to access the full resource library! 💛

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