46
Fall 2018
AMA InsIder
Pisac Market, Peru
trips organized by AMA Travel. “While
it’s mostly women, we are seeing more
men join our trips,” says Elaine Le
Jambe, program sales and service lead
with AMA Travel in Edmonton.
There are several different ways
to go solo; it definitely doesn’t mean
going it alone. Every year, Le Jambe
and her AMA Travel colleagues host
several trips for solo travellers. They’ll
also organize groups of solo guests to
be hosted by guides from reputable
tour companies on the ground. And
for those who truly want to go by
themselves, AMA Travel can plan
a perfect lone adventure, from bird
watching in Costa Rica to relaxing at
an all-inclusive in Chile.
Going with a host is a good idea
if you’re venturing farther afield or
“a little out of your comfort zone,” as
Le Jambe puts it. “When we organize
a group, it’s primarily to a bucket-list
destination or a developing country,
where you may not want to go alone.”
Your AMA Travel host acts as your
group concierge by organizing optional
tours and enhancing the itinerary with
added meals or more free time at your
favourite spots. They also manage any
hiccups that happen on the road and
take care of most gratuities so you have
one less thing to worry about.
AMA Travel works with partners
around the globe to reduce or waive
the dreaded single supplement, that
M
elodi Pritchard has
eaten fresh-caught
tuna in Indonesia and
bought toys at German
Christmas markets.
She’s seen a big chunk
of the world—much of
it while travelling solo
with AMA Travel.
Along the way, the Calgarian has
not only collected memories, but also
friends from across Alberta. “There’s
a group of us from Calgary and
Edmonton who met on trips. Now we
get together a few times a year,” she
says. “I cross-country ski and hike with
people I met in India.”
Whether it’s ancient ruins in Peru,
Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast or the
wildlife of Zimbabwe, Albertans are
itching to see the world—even if they
don’t have someone at home who wants
to join them. That’s why more people
are signing up to go solo—choosing to
travel by themselves as part of group