Solo travel by women is a hot trend which is growing by leaps and bounds with 30 million single American women traveling at least once a year, according to the Travel Industry Association. But for many, the prospect of heading out on an adventure travel trip, totally on their own, is daunting if not scary with concerns including safety, cost and the need for a “Plan B” if things don’t go as planned.
Women traveling with AdventureWomen luckily don’t have to go it alone while they are still able to enjoy many of the benefits of traveling on their own – meeting locals, finding time and space to decompress and relax, exploring off the beaten path routes and discovering new destinations through their cultures, cuisine and traditions. Traveling with a group of women who share these common objectives can be sometimes even more adventurous than traveling solo while also providing women travelers with a sense of safety, direction, inspiration and even a few friends along the way.
With AdventureWomen, you will discover new destinations through local people as you travel to local villages, schools or meet with women’s groups in communities around the globe.
Tanzania, Africa, the Serengeti, 2014
Here are our 5 top reasons for women who travel solo to consider traveling with a group rather than on your own:
- Safety First! When you’re all alone on a self-guided journey, you’re naturally more vulnerable, especially women who are traveling to unknown places where cultural expectations and gender roles may be quite different from your home country’s. Traveling with a group of like-minded women improves personal safety and decreases the likelihood of experiencing criminal activity.
- Better Travel Deals. Group travel is typically much more affordable as groups can negotiate better accommodation rates and dining and transporation discounts than you would be able to traveling on your own.
- Access to Unique Attractions. Many of the destination-based activities we include in our AdventureWomen adventure travel itineraries (visiting schools to donate books, cooking with a local chef, meeting with a local women’s group for example) are rarely accessible to individuals as solo travelers.
- Get an Insiders Tour of a Destination. AdventureWomen has been taking groups of women on adventure vacations for more than 30 years, so we know the best local tour guides, the ins and outs of our regional destinations and the most interesting and authentic local hot spots to visit. You might miss out on some of these undiscovered gems without the insight of such an experienced adventure travel company and one which truly understands what women desire most in an adventure travel experience.
- Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. Wouldn’t you rather spend your time diving into a destination rather than worrying about planning all the many details of your daily itinerary and logistically planning all that goes into executing a trip? If your answer is “yes!”, then group travel is a great option for you. Solo women travelers are left to entirely fend for themselves when something doesn’t go as planned on a trip or when a problem arises mid-trip and even just managing the minutia of how to get where they’re going next. Why stress when you don’t have to!
Relax and enjoy your hike, grab your camera and breath in the fresh air – we’ll take care of the details at AdventureWomen.
Chile, Cochagua Valley, 2014.
The stats speak for themselves on the benefits of women traveling solo but traveling with the support of a group. More than 70% of AdventureWomen’s travelers return for a second trip with many coming back 20 or more times. The reasons they typically give for traveling solo, but with a group, include:
- Getting away and relaxing without friends and family
- Not having to worry about dressing up or even wearing any make-up!
- Escaping the pressures of the world and being totally and completely themselves while learning new things about the world.
At AdventureWomen, we’ve coined this type of solo travel as “free to be me” travel.
If you’d like to travel solo with a like-minded group of active women, please give us a call to learn more about our trips at 800-804-8686.
Explore little known parts of the world, meet the “local mudmen” and get a glimpse into their lives.
Papua New Guinea, 2009.
Photos (c) Susan L. Eckert
