Solo female travel is one of the most liberating experiences. To head out on the road alone takes faith and courage. Travelling alone means travelling for yourself the way you want, which can be invigorating and boost your confidence. But travelling alone as a woman can also be daunting if you haven’t done it before.
If you’ve saved up for the trip of a lifetime or have a long list of bucket list experiences to tick off, why wait for the perfect travel buddies to join you? Create your own magic and embark on a solo female travel experience. You’ll collect more powerful moments, have new conversations and make more companions than you would travelling with friends or family.
Here’s why a single female travel experience will open your world up, no matter your age.
Do something for yourself
Whether you are single or have a partner, it might seem daunting to leave your loved ones or friends behind and embark on a female travel venture alone, but the experience is so rewarding. If you struggle to make time for yourself or feel like your life is dedicated to the service of others – be it people you help through your job, decades spent raising your children or looking after sick or elderly parents – there can come a time where you reflect and feel a little lost. Who were you before you became a parent? What activities or interests did you once enjoy? Cut the cord of responsibility and travel by yourself as a woman to rediscover what you enjoy and who you are with solo female travel.
Travelling solo is popular
You’re not the only one who wants to be travelling alone – solo female travel bookings have increased 45% in the last few years. 72% of American women like to take trips solo, while 54% of British women are more likely to take trips alone now than they were five years ago. This data proves that the stigma around travelling alone as a woman has well and truly dropped. Best of all, 59% of female solo travellers would tour alone again within the next 12 months. That means if you join a tour or experience it’s likely that there will be other solo female travellers there to connect with.
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Go where you want to go
Is your heart set on exploring every inch of Italy? Are you longing to go on safari? Or are you intrigued about the culture and traditions of Japan? When you are in charge of where you go on holiday you can tick off whatever it is at the top of your bucket list without compromise. If you’re not interested in visiting the USA, then don’t. But if you’re excited to discover the best of Russia or Morocco, then book yourself a trip and get out there when you can. The year 2020 taught us that life is short so when the time comes to travel don’t delay or wait for anyone.
Travel your way
If you’re an early riser and you’re traveling alone, you can welcome the morning hours without guilt. Wake up and embrace who you are, how you like to travel and use the alone time of the early morning to reflect on your life journey. The same goes if you love to sleep until noon and like to stay out until late in evening. Maybe your usual travel buddy drags you along to the theatre or art galleries and you join because you’re friends. When you travel alone as a woman you can please yourself – skip the galleries and spend the day at the beach, if that’s what you want to do. Or lean into your hobbies and interests and turn your solo female travel experiences into a weekend skiing trip or all-female yoga retreat.
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Find a new travel tribe
When you travel on your own as a woman there are of course extra precautions to take while discovering new, unknown places. It’s why many solo female travellers choose to join a guided tour for some or all of their holiday time. You’re no longer travelling alone when you align with other like-minded travellers on tour, and the friendships and bonds you will make with others will stay with you for a long time. Some women find their new best friends, travel buddies or pen pals on tour.
Don’t let age stop you
Throw out the idea that solo female travel is a young girl’s game. More and more Females over 50 are now embarking on their own solo trips. In fact, around 81% of solo female travellers are over 45 years old, with the average age of women travelling solo being 57. More and more women are considering and want to take a holiday by themselves, whether they have a partner or are single. So much so it’s reached a tipping point where women are travelling alone much more than men.
Article courtesy of Trafalgar. Trafalgar is the world’s leading and most awarded travel brand, spanning all seven continents of the globe. From the iconic to the unexpected, we craft unique Trafalgar Highlights that connect guests to the real depth of the places we go, without them needing to worry about a thing.
Have you travelled solo before? Let us know in the comments below!
Heather Cameron - 3 years ago
Frumpy…..just put your big girl panties on, and hit the road, I am over 75 and travel the length and breadth of the south island a lot. I never know where I will drift up next. I still have my home as well as a camper.