The Single Supplement: What Solo Travellers Pay and How to Avoid It

Tour prices are quoted per person sharing a twin room. Travel alone and the operator either charges a 'single supplement' for the empty bed or asks you to share with a stranger. Here is how that works and how to make it cost less.

What the supplement actually covers

Hotels charge per room, not per guest. A tour priced on two people sharing has to recover the second half of the room when only one person books. Supplements of 30 to 60 percent of the tour price are common; on trips with expensive lodges (safari, Patagonia) they can approach 100 percent.

Option one: accept a room share

Most small-group operators, including G Adventures and Intrepid, will pair you with another solo traveller of the same sex and waive the supplement. You do not choose the person. On a two-week trip that is a real consideration, but it is the cheapest route and a lot of people make friends this way.

Option two: solo-specific departures

Some operators run departures priced for solo travellers with no supplement, usually in the shoulder season. They sell out because the maths is so much better; look for them first if your dates are flexible.

Option three: pay it, but on the right trip

• On budget trips the supplement is a small absolute figure even if the percentage looks high.
• On trips with several nights in tents, huts or trains, the supplement often applies only to the hotel nights. Ask for the breakdown.
• Marketplaces such as TourRadar show the supplement on the price page; operators' own sites sometimes hide it until checkout.

The questions to ask before booking

• Is the single supplement mandatory, optional, or waived if I share?
• Which nights does it apply to?
• If nobody else books as a solo, do I pay the supplement anyway?
• Can I upgrade to a private room later if a share does not suit me?