The Benefits of Slow Travel: Insights from a Solo Backpacker

• Claire Sturzaker is a solo backpacker and full-time traveler who has visited 40 countries.
• Sturzaker prefers slow travel, spending at least a month in each destination to find a sense of community and reduce her carbon footprint.

For experienced travelers, taking it slow can be a rewarding approach.

“I’d rather spend a month getting to know a place than say, ‘All right, I’ve been here for a day. Let’s go,'” shared solo backpacker Claire Sturzaker in an interview with Insider.

Sturzaker, originally from the UK, embarked on her first solo trip 22 years ago, working on a ranch in Wisconsin for a summer. Since then, she has been traveling the world full-time for the past 11 years. With 40 countries under her belt, Sturzaker’s slow travel style has allowed her to intimately experience each destination.

Sturzaker explained that spending a month or longer in each place offers several benefits:

1. Sustainable Travel

“Traveling slowly helps me truly understand a place without rushing around,” she said. “It’s also more eco-friendly to take a few long trips than lots of small ones.”

This perspective is supported by sustainability experts. Justin Francis, CEO of Responsible Travel, a UK travel company that evaluates trips and vacation providers, stated that longer stays in fewer destinations can reduce carbon emissions caused by air travel.

“Fewer but longer trips mean fewer air miles, more money in local hands, and a more relaxing experience,” Francis explained. “If possible, keep shorter trips close to home or travel by land or sea.”

2. More Time for Rest

Another reason Sturzaker embraces slow travel is to have ample time to rest.

“As a full-time traveler, constantly being on the move is exhausting. I plan rest days to relax and explore at my own pace instead of always focusing on tourist activities,” she shared.

3. Building a Sense of Community

Lastly, Sturzaker believes that traveling slowly enables her to truly connect with a place and its people in a way that would be challenging during shorter trips. However, she acknowledges that even a few months might not be enough in some destinations.

“I spent nearly three months in Mexico City, and it still wasn’t enough time,” she admitted. “But staying at a hostel and doing a work exchange allowed me to foster close relationships with fellow volunteers and neighbors.”

Sturzaker also made connections through couch-surfing events during the same trip.

“Feeling like part of a community again is wonderful,” Sturzaker expressed. “Constantly moving around makes it difficult to establish deep connections beyond casual interactions in hostels.”