There are almost as many reasons for women to embark on solo travel as there are for travel. It might be a homebody spouse, an impatience with ‘that one friend’ who just can’t commit, or simply a desire to set your own pace and explore on your own terms. In a world where travel options have never been so extensive, pathways for globetrotting women have never been so abundant.
Nor has the demand for groups catering exclusively to female travellers.
Some destinations however can raise concerns for a woman travelling alone. This isn’t a problem exclusive to women, but the way women are approached, seen, and accepted can vary widely in different cultures around the world, whether it’s machismo culture, or touts whose selling techniques border on harassment. Not every traveller’s comfort level with such customs or behaviour is the same, so for solo travel, preparedness is key.
If you’re not absolutely set on travelling alone, one way to minimise these challenges is to share the journey with a group of like-minded women. These solo travel groups can take a number of forms. Whether this is joining a small-group trip, or putting together your own band of globetrotters for an adventure, the added security, not to mention potential savings of travelling as a group can open up exciting new possibilities in destinations that might be difficult or pricey to explore on your own.
There’s a key difference in these two travel styles however. If you’re booking a spot on a small group tour, you’re still essentially travelling alone. You’ll have most of the freedoms that come with that, while benefiting from the group itinerary to make sure you don’t miss the highlights you came for. You can expect to share a room and transport on these trips as well.
Travelling with your own group is a very different exercise. You can determine your interests and preferred level of independence before you depart, and customise the exact itinerary you want. It’s usually easier to persuade your friends or family to go in on sharing certain experiences than a group of strangers, not to mention that familiarity with your fellow travellers.
But what about women’s travel specifically?
The fact is, how much ‘women’s’ group travel differs from ‘regular’ group travel depends on the women travelling! It’s often more about the freedom and security that travelling with an all-female group can provide than particularly different experiences or tours. As the itineraries featured below demonstrate, most such trips include all you’d expect on a good tour… though there may be some extra inclusions based on requests and feedback from our female globetrotters over 50 years of travel.
Here are some of our favourite all-girl Goway getaways present and past.
New Women’s Group Tours from Goway Africa and the Middle East:
Explore Southern Africa
Nobody forgets their first glimpse of one of the Big 5! This 11-day trip takes you to two of South Africa’s most exciting destinations, Kapama Private Game Reserve, on the edge of Kruger National Park, and Cape Town, where you’ll enjoy days exploring the winelands. Embark on a very different safari through the city’s atmospheric Malay district, ending in a cooking workshop and a visit to Table Mountain, plus dinner and a pan-African cultural show at GOLD Restaurant. The adventure ends at Victoria Falls, the awesome meeting point between Zimbabwe and Zambia, where the mighty Zambezi River thunders down into the gorges below.
Explore Tanzania Women’s Safari
Those feeling even more adventurous might opt for this 9-day safari through the best game and wildlife parks of Tanzania. On a round trip from Arusha, visit Tarangire National Park and learn about the community initiatives taken by the local Masai women. Then go on to two of the world’s greatest wildlife reserves, the sheltered Ngorongoro Crater, and Serengeti National Park, famous for the annual Great Migration. Whether your tour coincides with this awesome event or not, this is wild East Africa at its finest.
Kilimanjaro Climb Machame Route
Of course, there are those who go to Tanzania with a mission! That mission is often to climb the world’s highest free-standing mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. Lace up your boots with a small group of women with the same goal and hike the scenic Machame Route on this 8-day trip to the roof of Africa. We can’t overstate the awesome camaraderie that can come out of sharing this experience with a small group. It really is the ultimate way to join that elite list of travellers who can say they conquered Kilimanjaro.
Explore Dubai
Shattering the myth that the Middle East is unsafe for women travelling alone, this Dubai trip is an 8-day UAE excursion that celebrates the traditional side of the local culture alongside the Emirate’s high flying architecture. Visit the traditional souks and historic forts that stood long before the first skyscraper was even planned. Take a cheeky side trip to Abu Dhabi to visit the awe-inspiring Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, embark on a 4x4 desert safari for a traditional Arabic BBQ dinner with entertainment, and before anyone asks… yes, there’s an all-day shopping tour included. Dubai’s malls, after all, are a sight to behold even if you’re not a shopaholic.
Past Women’s Group Itineraries from Goway Groups Only:
Australia Wellness and Spa
What’s better than the perfect first-time trip to Australia? Being pampered along the way! This 12-day itinerary brought together the classic trio of Sydney, Melbourne, and the Great Barrier Reef. It included tours of Sydney and Melbourne, plus day trips including Phillip Island to see the famed Little Penguin Parade, the Hunter Valley, New South Wales’ top wine producing region, Queensland’s ancient Daintree Rainforest, and of course, the Great Barrier Reef.
Colourful and Chaotic India
We can’t promise a trip to India will be life changing, but it has a better chance than most destinations! This 10-day journey was the ideal Northern India escape, combining the stately cities of Rajasthan with the temples of Khajuraho and the holy city of Varanasi. Guided tours, and of course a stop at the Taj Mahal made it a journey to cherish.
Eat, Pray, Love in the Heart of Italy
Italy is almost a pilgrimage for foodies and culture vultures, and Tuscany embodies that image. Dividing their 9-day trip between two exquisite accommodations in Florence, globetrotters on this trip enjoyed wine tasting, a cooking class, and of course all the sightseeing Florence and surrounding towns like Pisa, Lucca, and Siena have to offer. It was a busy itinerary, though a spa day mid-trip recharged everyone’s batteries!
23 Jan 2020, 8:56 p.m.
