A steady tripod
is essential

If you want to take your own photos as a solo traveler, a tripod is essential! I use two different tripods, depending on the kind of trip. If I go hiking or I don’t feel like taking too much weight, I use the very light and compact Hama Star 700 tripod, which only weighs 553 g and has a maximum height of 125 cm. It is perfect if you are shooting with a small compact camera.

But if you need something more steady that can hold sturdy DSLR cameras and can beat heavy wind, you will love the Manfrotto MKCOMPACTADV-BK Compact Advanced Tripod. It weighs 1400 g and it has a height of 165 cm, which offers way more possibilities! Yes, it is heavier, but it is more steady. It also functions with quick release plates, so you don’t have to screw and turn the camera every time you want to mount it. This way you can work faster.

Selfie Stick / Monopod

If I really don’t want to carry too much stuff, I use the Selfie Stick Tripod for my smartphone. I can use it both as a selfie stick and a tripod! It comes with a handy Bluetooth remote and can also be used with a GoPro!

DJI Mini 2 drone

A drone is also the perfect solo travel companion! I have the compact and lightweight DJI Mavic Mini 2 and it is perfect to take on trips. Simply connect it with your smartphone with the DJI Fly app, fly it until you have found the frame you want and take the photo! I do advise to do the theoretical exam. This way you are aware of the drone legislation and you will receive a certificate if you pass. I always take this with me, because sometimes people step up to you asking questions and it is a nice extra to show you know what you are doing.
There is already a more recent version called the DJI Mini 4.

Camera with interval timer or WiFi/Bluetooth

I am a big fan of my Canon EOS 77D (80D is a similar model). It is Canon’s top-of-the-line entry-level DSLR with amazing photo quality and all the options you need for solo travel photography! Its body only weighs 540g, which in my opinion is important, since you have to carry all your own stuff while traveling solo. What I love most about it, is that it has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection, so you can connect it to your phone. And it also has a feature to connect remote controls. Last but not least; it has an interval timer!
The interval timer is the easiest way to take pictures of yourself. You will find this feature (if your camera has it) in the shooting menu. Canon 77D has the option to take unlimited photos with an interval between 1 and 59 seconds. Once this feature is on, you simply push the shutter button and your camera starts shooting photos with the chosen interval time.

If I don’t feel like taking a heavy camera, I have 2 great other options. The Canon EOS M100 (M200 is the update) which has also interchangeable lenses. So you can change lenses depending on what you are looking to shoot. The camera I use the most for filming is the Canon G7X. It has a lens aperture of f/1.8 (wide) to f/2.8(tele). Both these cameras have WiFi and Bluetooth connection. Canon has its own app called Camera Connect which allows you not only to transport photos from your camera to your phone, but you can also take photos or film with your camera using your phone! Simply connect the camera with the app, go stand where you want to be in the frame, activate self timer continuous mode, tap yourself to focus on you and press the button on your phone. You will have 10 seconds to hide your phone and then it takes 10 shots.

Interchangeable lenses with a good range

When traveling solo you do not want your bags to be overweight all the time. Whether you go hiking with a backpack or strolling around towns… you do not want to mess up your back or shoulders. That is why I currently only use two lenses for my DSLR; a Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 and a Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6. These are quite affordable and very versatile. You have a massive zoom reach with the 200mm and you can take wide angle photos of you in landscapes or buildings without having to take too much distance with the 10mm.
For my M100 (M200) I have a Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 is STM 18mm Lens and a Canon EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 is STM Lens.

GoPro HERO12 Black

GoPro cameras are ideal to film hiking videos. They have a great stabilization feature so they are perfect to film moving images. GoPro also has a massive wide angle lens. I love using it when I want shots with more action with myself in them. The latest version takes photos of 27MP and films in 5.3K!

GoPro Max 360

The GoPro Max can be used both as a normal GoPro and a 360 camera. It can make your photos and videos certainly more interesting. To make the 360 function work at its best, you need an “invisible” selfie stick, so it is not viewable in your footage.