- Claire Sturzaker is a solo backpacker and full-time traveler who has been to 40 countries.
- Sturzaker says she prefers to travel slowly and stay in each destination for at least a month.
- Slow travel helps Sturzaker find a sense of community while reducing her carbon footprint.
For some experienced travelers, taking it slow is the way to go.
"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,'" solo backpacker Claire Sturzaker told Insider.
Sturzaker, who is originally from the UK, took her first big solo trip 22 years ago, when she spent a summer working on a ranch in Wisconsin. For the last 11 years, she's been traveling the world full-time. To date, she's been to 40 countries, and because she travels slowly, she's gotten to know each one intimately.
Sturzaker told Insider that there are several reasons she prefers to spend a month or longer in each destination.
Slow travel is more sustainable
"It helps me really get to know the place without rushing around," she said, adding that "it's more eco-friendly to take a few long trips than lots of small ones."
Sustainability experts back this. Justin Francis, a cofounder and the CEO of Responsible Travel, a UK travel company that evaluates trips and vacation providers, previously told Insider that visiting fewer destinations for a longer period of time decreases carbon emissions that come from flying.
"Fewer but longer trips mean fewer air miles, more money in local hands, and you'll have a more relaxing trip, too," Francis said. "If you can, keep shorter trips close to home or travel by land or sea."
More time means more rest
Another reason Stuzaker travels slowly is to have plenty of time to rest.
"Because I travel full time, being constantly on the move is exhausting, so I plan lots of rest days when I just chill and wander around instead of always doing touristy stuff," she said.
Traveling slowly to build a sense of community
Lastly, Stuzaker says traveling slowly helps her get to know a place — and the people in it — better than she would on a shorter trip. But sometimes, looking back, Sturzaker feels that even a few months isn't enough time in some destinations.
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"I spent nearly three months in Mexico City and it wasn't enough," she told Insider. "But because I was doing a work exchange in a hostel, I got to know the other volunteers and the neighbors around us really well."
Sturzaker added that during the same trip, she met locals through couch-surfing events.
"It's nice to feel like part of a community again," Sturzaker said of her slow travels. "Moving around so much, it's hard to make strong connections that are deeper than a casual 'hello how are you' in a hostel."