Solo Travel Planning With ChatGPT – How Best To Use It

By Rachel Lankester, Editor

I decided Albania would be my next travel destination, but I knew very little about it. I was very time poor and didn’t have much opportunity to do my own research beforehand. This post is about how I used ChatGPT as my personal travel assistant for my solo trip.

On my trip to India the previous year, I’d used ChatGPT very efficiently to plan a rough itinerary. But with India I already knew where I wanted to go and how much time I’d have in each area. With Albania I took using AI as my personal travel assistant to a whole new level. 

It turned out to be brilliant!  Not just before I left, but also while I was on the ground, navigating last-minute changes and giving me alternatives when I needed them.

How Best To Use It

So how did I make ChatGPT so effective? I have learned that generative AI tools can only be as good as the input we provide them with. So from the beginning I was very specific. It helps to give ChatGPT a role (or personality depending on what you’re looking for) to fulfil, rather than just asking it a random question. The prompts I used to get it to behave as I needed, evolved and became more specific as time went on. I started by telling it: 

“You are a travel agent specialising in Albania. Please design a one week itinerary for me to see as much as possible of the country. What are the best accommodation and transport options? I have a limited budget but want to be comfortable. When is a good time to go to avoid crowds and get good prices?!”

It came up with a one-week itinerary that was budget friendly but comfortable. It told me that the best time of year to visit was likely April-June or September-October when the weather would be warm but prices lower than at peak season. It came up with a great list of the best places to visit.

It focused more on North Albania, and I later decided to focus on the South because where I wanted to go in the North I had learned could still have roads blocked by snow. The itinerary was also using public transportation so, when I decided to hire a car, I got it do the same itinerary as if I was driving. 

ChatGPT is very good at coming up with specific activities and accommodating your specific needs. So don’t be afraid to tell it what you need. It makes a great starting point when planning a trip.

I wanted to include at least one hike during my trip so I asked it for recommendations that would work with my itinerary, the terrain I wanted to cover, how long I wanted to hike and level of difficulty. It told me about the many national parks in Albania and suggested routes that would work well with my itinerary.

As I learned more about the country and where I wanted to go I asked it to include one stop right down south – Ksamil and ending back in Tirana. I also asked it to provide a route that would enable me to see everything it had suggested but avoiding me having to drive on rough roads which I was wary of!

So the itinerary was evolving all the time. Then I had the idea to get a package deal of flight and hotel and use the hotel as a base. It came up with suggestions for a good base and how I might see everything from there.

Then I made a mistake. Not with ChatGPT but because I did book a package trip, deciding to make Golem my base. That did not work out so well and you can read about that here. 

I told ChatGPT: 

“I have now booked a package tour and I will be staying in Golem. I still want to do the drive down to Ksamil and also potentially up north. But I have been told that the road to Theth may be inaccessible because of snow. So I’m wondering whether it’s not worth me going up north if I can’t do this part of my itinerary. But is there enough up north somewhere else more accessible that would make it worthwhile?”

Changing Plans On The Road

One of the most useful things was that I could keep talking to ChatGPT while I was travelling. It wasn’t just a one-off itinerary builder. When things changed, I updated it.

I struggled with the very steep roads in Gjirokastër and told ChatGPT about this when looking for recommendations as to where to stay on the coast so I could still see the best beaches:

“I’m not great at driving on sheer roads. I just found driving in Gjirokastër very challenging. Are either Dhermi or Himare difficult to drive in/around?”

It factored my needs into coastal stopover recommendations and routes I would be more comfortable driving. This is what it provided:

	Dhërmi	Himarë
Mountain roads	Steeper	Gentler
Village layout	On a hill	Flatter
Parking	More limited	Easier
Stress level	Higher for nervous drivers	Lower and manageable

And then said:

“Given your experience in Gjirokastër, I’d recommend staying in Himarë. It’s easier to drive into, less steep, and still very beautiful. You can still stop at Llogara Pass on the way there or back without having to sleep in Dhërmi.

Would you like help finding a good place to stay in Himarë with easy parking and a nice view?”

I arrived in Berat on a Monday and discovered—too late—that the Onufri Iconography Museum was closed. I told ChatGPT this, and it quickly suggested alternatives I hadn’t considered.

Another time I asked:

“I came up Castle Road to get here. Is there another route down from the castle that is walkable other than going back down Castle Road?”

It suggested another route down which helped me avoid doubling back.

Eventually I worked out that telling it my precise budget for potential hotels was a really good idea. It found me a great one on the outskirts of Tirana. I asked:

“Can you suggest a hotel or an area on the outskirts of Tirana where I could stay for one possibly two nights? I don’t really want to drive into centre of Tirana for a day trip so I’m thinking about staying in a hotel on the outskirts and getting public transport in to the city. I would be going direct from this hotel to the airport fairly early in the morning. Do you have any suggestions?”

On my last day, I got it to design a one day walking tour of Tirana so I could see all the main sights starting in the main Skanderbeg Square. Read about that here. 

A Travel Tool That Fits Older Women

One thing I really liked was how ChatGPT responded to how I travel. It didn’t assume I was a backpacker on a budget or someone who wanted luxury all the way. It adapted to my preferences without judgment—calm, respectful, and efficient.

It didn’t pretend to be perfect. It didn’t know, for instance, whether a museum would actually be open on a particular day, or closed for renovations. But it gave me structure, suggestions, and reassurance—without the overwhelm.

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Would I Use It again?

Yes, absolutely. Especially as a solo traveler. It’s not going to book your hotels or drive your hire car—but it will talk you through the planning process and help you adjust when things shift. It’s fantastic for enabling you to see what you want to even when you have significant time constraints. It’s important to work out the best ChatGPT prompts. If you don’t get what you want first time, try again. You can always ask it which travel related prompts to use, to get the best response from it! Getting the right prompts makes all the difference! I could also have used it to get information on local culture, local events, background information to the historical sites, local grocery stores, outdoor activities, local restaurants and local customs for example.

I’m sure some people may be thinking that I gave ChatGPT too much personal information. I’m very relaxed about this and I don’t really have a problem with it. Although I can see that some people may be concerned about this.

If you are going to give it a go, the key is to treat it like a real travel partner. Be specific. Say who you are. Describe what you need. Don’t be afraid to ask questions mid-journey or if travel plans change. It won’t get flustered or impatient!

For anyone feeling a bit daunted by trip planning—or just wanting a smarter, calmer way to prepare—I’d recommend giving it a go. I think it’s probably particularly good for more off the beaten-path destinations as it can glean all the available information on the internet in an instant.

Using ChatGPT, combined with a local data sim (Airalo – use code RACHEL6271 for a discount) and Google Maps, made for a fabulous travel experience. Using these tools and especially AI saved me a significant amount of time. I ended up with the perfect itinerary with a wonderful mix of unique experiences that suited my specific interests. I will certainly be using my personal ChatGPT travel planner for my next adventure!

Last Updated on August 7, 2025 by Editorial Staff