If I’m completely honest, travelling to new places still makes me a bit anxious. I feel much more confident on routes I know well. Don’t get me wrong, I still trip over the odd kerb or nearly walk into a lamppost. But going somewhere new usually takes some mental preparation for me, especially travelling abroad.

I have retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a condition that causes progressive sight loss. I’ve had to adjust to slowly losing my vision, and to learning how to travel with everything that comes with that. I don’t use a cane or have a guide dog, so at first glance, people don’t always realise I’m visually impaired. This has led to some awkward moments. People walking behind me get impatient when I walk slowly at night. I’ve had odd looks for using my torch when everyone else can see just fine. I’ve walked into glass doors at airports and been told to “look where I’m going.” Not much fun.

But I’ve also experienced real kindness on my travels. On a recent trip to Morocco, I joined a guided tour of the Ourika Valley in the Atlas Mountains, just outside Marrakech. Most of the journey was by minibus, but I discovered we’d have to hike the last stretch up a rocky mountain path on foot. I hadn’t told the guides about my visual impairment, and it felt too late to say something. I pictured a total nightmare. Instead, one of the guides simply took my arm and walked step by step with me all the way to the top, like a personal sighted guide. It’s one of my best travel memories.

So travel abroad has had its ups and downs. Not every country is set up to support disabled visitors, and that can make things hard. But I also have some of my best memories from the holidays I’ve taken, and I wouldn’t change a thing.

The more you travel, the clearer you’ll get on what works for you. With that in mind, here are my honest tips if you’re visually impaired and planning a trip.

1. Travel with a companion, if you can

Solo travel as a visually impaired person is not impossible. With careful planning, it can definitely be done, and I hope to try it myself one day. But there are real benefits to travelling with someone else, especially somewhere the local language isn’t one you speak.

In Marrakech, having my mum and sister with me made a huge difference. They guided me in the evenings, when my sight is at its worst, and helped when we needed directions from locals. It was reassuring to have people with me who understood my needs.

If travelling with friends or family isn’t an option, look into a blind travel group. These are groups of visually impaired travellers and sighted guides who travel together, stay in the same accommodation, and explore a destination as a team. It’s a great way to travel safely and meet new people.

2. Give people a heads-up

I can’t stress this one enough, and I’ve learned it the hard way. When you’re planning your trip, think about everywhere you’ll go and everything you’ll do. Let hotel staff, tour guides and activity organisers know about your visual impairment and what adjustments you might need.

It’s always better to say too much than too little. Tell people as you book, so they have time to prepare. Be specific: ask for a tour of the hotel when you arrive, or extra help getting through the airport and onto your flight. The more people know in advance, the better they can support you.

3. Be open-minded, and use all your senses

Travel marketing tends to focus on what you can see. But every country offers sound, smell, touch and taste too, and none of that depends on how well you can see.

In Marrakech, we visited Jemaa El Fnaa, the city’s main square, a few times. Locals told us it’s best at night, and they were right. Even though I couldn’t see much in the dark, I could hear drums and flutes echoing round the square, taste an incredible lamb tagine, and smell cinnamon, gardenia and argan oil drifting through the air. Some of my strongest memories from that trip have nothing to do with what I could see.

4. Plan around your own visual impairment

No one understands your sight the way you do, and no two visually impaired people need the same plan. I have poor central vision and poor depth perception, which makes stairs tricky, so we always book a ground floor room. We also plan the longest journeys during the day and stay closer to the hotel at night.

If you’re sensitive to light, you might prefer to plan sightseeing for the early morning or evening, when the sun is gentler. Whatever your needs, it’s worth thinking it through in advance, and planning together if you’re travelling with others.

5. Travel light when you’re out and about

Tourists are often targeted by pickpockets, and some visually impaired travellers have found this makes them an easier target. When you’re out for the day, especially somewhere busy, only take what you really need and leave the rest at your accommodation.

Use a secure bag with zips and compartments that are hard to open without you noticing. A sighted companion or guide dog can also help you spot anything suspicious going on around you.

6. Hotel or Airbnb?

Airbnbs can be private and often cheaper, but it’s worth thinking about accessibility before you book. In my experience, hotels tend to offer more accessible features. You can ask for a ground floor room, a room near an accessible lift, talking lifts, tactile signage, or guided help from staff. Some hotels also offer roll-in showers, wet rooms and grab bars. Accessible Airbnbs do exist, but they can be harder to find.

7. Bring your aids, tools and tech

Whether it’s a white cane, a guide dog, a torch, a magnifier or an accessibility app, bring whatever works for you at home. It might feel strange using it somewhere new, and people may stare if it’s unfamiliar to them, but these tools are there to help you enjoy your holiday safely. Use them just as you would at home.