Are you without a travel partner, but not yet ready to go on a solo adventure abroad? Rest assured that there are many methods for women to find a travel community while on the road. You don’t have to give up your dream vacation because no one is available to go with you.

According to the Solo Travel Society, women are traveling solo far more often than men. “In one case, I was on a train in India and, randomly, there were four female solo travelers in one row. A Brit, a Canadian and two Americans,” according to the solo travel blog founder.

When the Solo Travel Society asked their female followers why they choose to travel solo, 46 percent said freedom, independence, and the chance to do what they want when they want, while 22 percent said they weren’t willing to wait around for others. 15 percent said it was in order to challenge themselves and gain confidence. 

A Booking.com survey found that 65 percent of US women are taking vacations without their partner. There’s no excuse not to travel if you’re afraid of going by yourself! If you like traveling but are still slightly scared to go solo, here are some suggestions from the Passion Passport team for you.

Become part of a community 

Amanda Black decided to found a Facebook group called the  Solo Female Traveler Network while she was traveling and craving a sense of belonging to a community. The Facebook group she created eventually grew into a website offering resources for female solo travelers, as well as opportunities to meet and bond with one another through curated meetups and, eventually, a guesthouse in Bali.

Traveling solo as a woman is not recommended in certain destinations, and that’s exactly why Amanda chooses such destinations considered for her group’s safety. These exciting adventures offer authentic experiences and opportunities to meet with locals, like meeting a family in a local temple in Bali. What is unique about these tours is that Amanda always works with local guides and people she has personally met when traveling solo.

“What is magic during our tours,” according to Amanda, “is that there is no age range. It really feels like a traveling family. The majority of our members are between 25 and 35 years old, but the age ranges from 18 to 68 years old. Most people who come on our Meetup Tours are travelers who tried the solo experience before, but were looking for something more. We have around 20 meetups a year. [T]he cost is around $2000 USD, but it varies depending on the destination.”

When asked about the guesthouse, Amanda also refers to it as a magical place. The guesthouse was founded spontaneously with a moderator who was leading the first meetup. ‘We’ve really decked  out the guesthouse: we have lots of pool parties there. It feels like a hub. There is a high demand for people who want to belong and feel understood while traveling solo.”

To learn more about the Meetup Tours from the Solo Female Traveler Network, visit their website. 

Adventures for mature women

If you are a solo woman in your 40s or 50s wishing to experience thrilling group adventures, AdventureWomen trips might be just the thing. AdventureWomen’s purpose is to invite women to physically and mentally challenge themselves while traveling around the world, all at their own pace.

“Many of our guests are in their 40s to 60s, but we’ve had guests as young as 30 and those still happily travel with us at 88. Each of our travelers is really an individual and we’re delighted to meet so many interesting, fun, smart and of course, adventurous women!’” explains the Owner and Ambassador Coordinator of Adventure Women, Erica Landerson.

“These women are not really ‘group travelers’,” but they are explorers and adventurers. They seek more meaningful and immersive travel experiences in new places because  they want to immerse themselves in other cultures, meeting other female travelers as well as local women living in the communities they explore. They want the freedom to choose how they spend their time and explore at their own pace. The women-to-women bonding experiences on these trips is powerful.” 

“Women in our tours step outside out of their comfort zone, trying new active challenges from trekking the mountains of Nepal to surfing in Baja. [They can choose] biking California’s wine country to riding camels in Morocco.”

Not only does this add personal experiences for women who might be nervous about traveling alone, but it also creates a sense of community and encourages travel for women of all ages. These opportunities to visit new locations as a solo female traveler in a group has opened minds and created memories that last a lifetime.

“One of our guests just sent in a wonderful story about meeting a Peruvian shaman on her trip to the country. When she got back, she felt so inspired by this experience that she dived into researching the beliefs held by the Q’ero shamans. She then decided to share her discoveries with some local school children and their parents, reenacting a shaman parable for them, complete with Peruvian costumes, she-sheep, and mule. Priceless!”

Would you ever take a tour in order to meet other women travelers?

Header photo by Simon Maage.