Wander Woman: The ultimate guide to solo female travel

Strände Mosambik

We want to encourage you to go after everything that's been quietly waiting on your bucket list. Whether it's a long journey, a sabbatical or a temporary break from your daily routine - go for it!

DREAM OR REALITY?

You feel it too, don’t you? Out there is a fascinating, colourful, and exciting world just waiting for YOU to pack your suitcase (or backpack) and set off. We live on a planet alongside whales, monkeys, elephants, penguins, and countless other unique creatures. There are deserts, seas, rainforests, glaciers, volcanoes, and so much more to discover!

We don’t want to scare you by suggesting that you’re missing out—quite the opposite. We want to encourage you that you can experience all the things that have been quietly lingering on your bucket list for so long. Maybe you’ve been dreaming for a while about taking a longer trip, a sabbatical year, or a temporary break from everyday life?

Now is the time to make that dream come true. But we know from our own experience that with these dreams come many questions: Is it safe? Where do I start? What should I organize before I leave?

This guide is written exactly for you. Whether you’ve travelled a lot already or are preparing for your very first solo trip, here you’ll find everything you need to know to embark on your next adventure as a “wander-woman” with confidence, good preparation, and excitement. From choosing your destination to practical safety tips, this article will show you how to make the most of your journey and enjoy it to the fullest. Let yourself be inspired and encouraged to step out of your comfort zone and experience the world with open eyes—just you and your next big adventure.


DESTINATIONS AND PLANNING: THE BEST PLACES FOR SOLO TRAVEL

Which destination is right for you obviously depends heavily on your personal preferences. Do you want a beach vacation, pure nature, cultural experiences, or maybe a little adventure and adrenaline? Do you enjoy being active or prefer relaxation? Do you love cities and lots of people, or do you prefer the peace and solitude of nature?

As with almost everything in life, it doesn’t have to be an either-or situation. The right balance for you is key. The important thing is that you feel comfortable and safe at your chosen location. Here are a few suggestions for destinations particularly suitable for solo travellers:

Europe: Countries like Spain, Italy, Portugal, or Scandinavia are known for their hospitality and safety. They offer rich cultures, beautiful landscapes, and plenty of opportunities to be alone but never lonely.

Southeast Asia: Thailand, Vietnam, or Bali are popular destinations for solo travelers. The culture is exotic, the people are friendly, and the value for money is often unbeatable.

New Zealand and Australia: Both countries are safe, have well-developed infrastructures, and offer fantastic opportunities for outdoor activities.

Canada and the USA: For nature lovers, there are vast national parks and scenic landscapes. Canada, in particular, is known for its friendliness and is ideal for long road trips.

Africa: A continent with impressive diversity. Some countries, like Morocco, Namibia, or South Africa, have well-developed infrastructures that provide safety and comfort for solo travellers. In national parks, you can experience a unique array of plant and animal life on hikes and safaris found nowhere else in the world.

It’s essential not to let fear guide your choice of destination. Do your research in advance to find out which countries are considered safe, and make sure you choose places that are well-equipped for solo travellers. If you’re unsure, you can always join guided groups for city tours, jungle excursions, safaris, or hikes.


FINANCIAL PLANNING AND BUDGETING

A sabbatical or a longer trip requires solid financial planning. Since it’s hard to plan on winning the lottery, we recommend:

Creating a travel budget: List all possible expenses such as flights, accommodation, food, insurance, activities, and unexpected costs. Some costs can be researched accurately in advance, while for others, you’ll need to estimate average prices for the respective countries.

Saving measures in everyday life: Think about how you can save money in advance. Perhaps you can forgo unnecessary expenses for a while or sell things you no longer need. Renting out your apartment during your absence can also be a good source of income.

Long-term stays: For longer trips, discounted accommodation options are often available. Check platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, or long-term stays on specialized websites. For many privately rented or owner-operated accommodations, it makes sense to ask the owner directly if a discount is possible for long-term rentals.

Work & Travel/Volunteering and Sabbatical: Three different ways to combine work, travel, and personal development. Work and Travel is a format where you take on casual jobs abroad to finance your trip or at least supplement your travel fund. It’s also a great way to experience a country beyond the tourist perspective. Through shared work, you’ll get to know your employers and colleagues, their culture, and their daily life up close. In most countries, you’ll need a special visa for Work & Travel, which allows you to work during your stay. Popular countries for Work & Travel are New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and some European countries.

Volunteering is less about making money and more about creating value by working on projects (e.g., conservation, social projects) through voluntary work. As a volunteer, you’re often provided with food and accommodation, but beware: some projects require you to pay a fee to support the organization. Examples of volunteering platforms are WOOF, HelpX, or Workaway.

Both for Work and Travel and volunteering, it’s advisable to carefully check the reviews of your hosts and make clear agreements before committing to a job or project.

A sabbatical is a longer career break, usually lasting several months to a year. During a sabbatical, you are granted leave from your job without losing your employment. How the sabbatical is financed depends on the agreement with your employer. Sometimes part of the salary is paid during the time off, or you save up in advance. Ask your company about possible options, as preparations often take a long time.

Organizational Preparations: What You Should Take Care of Before the Trip

Yes, even “great freedom” needs to be organized and prepared. Here’s a checklist of the most important points:

Passport and visas: Make sure your passport is valid and take care of necessary visas in time. Each country has different regulations, and some visas take longer to process. If you’re shipping a vehicle, you’ll need separate documents.

Health precautions: Consult your doctor about necessary vaccinations and make sure you have all the important medications for your trip. It’s also advisable to choose good travel health insurance with fair prices.

Communication and documents: Leave copies of your most important documents (passport, insurance, possibly also powers of attorney and passwords) with a trusted person. Store your important documents digitally in a cloud so that they are available anytime. It’s important that you remain easily reachable abroad. An international phone plan or a local SIM card can be helpful. With an eSIM (embedded SIM = built-in, digital version of a regular SIM card), you can store multiple mobile profiles, allowing you to use different providers and rates on one device without physically swapping a card.

Apartment and mail: Clarify who will take care of your apartment while you’re away. Maybe you can sublet it or hand it over to a friend or family member. To receive your mail while traveling, there are online mailboxes or companies that scan your letters and send them to you digitally.

Contracts: Pause, if possible, contracts like gym memberships, newspaper subscriptions, or insurances.


ORGANISATIONAL PREPARATIONS: WHAT YOU SHOULD TAKE CARE OF BEFORE THE TRIP

Yes, even “great freedom” needs to be organized and prepared. Here’s a checklist of the most important points:

Passport and visas: Make sure your passport is valid and take care of necessary visas in time. Each country has different regulations, and some visas take longer to process. If you’re shipping a vehicle, you’ll need separate documents.

Health precautions: Consult your doctor about necessary vaccinations and make sure you have all the important medications for your trip. It’s also advisable to choose good travel health insurance with fair prices.

Communication and documents: Leave copies of your most important documents (passport, insurance, possibly also powers of attorney and passwords) with a trusted person. Store your important documents digitally in a cloud so that they are available anytime. It’s important that you remain easily reachable abroad. An international phone plan or a local SIM card can be helpful. With an eSIM (embedded SIM = built-in, digital version of a regular SIM card), you can store multiple mobile profiles, allowing you to use different providers and rates on one device without physically swapping a card.

Apartment and mail: Clarify who will take care of your apartment while you’re away. Maybe you can sublet it or hand it over to a friend or family member. To receive your mail while traveling, there are online mailboxes or companies that scan your letters and send them to you digitally.

Contracts: Pause, if possible, contracts like gym memberships, newspaper subscriptions, or insurances.

SAFETY ON THE ROAD: HOW TO PROTECT YOUSELF WHILE TRAVELLING

Caution is better than regret. Of course, it’s impossible to avoid all problems and challenges. However, with a little preparation and the right behavior, you can avoid many dangers:

Do your research in advance. Find out about the safety situation in the destination country, for example, via:

Government travel advisories. In Germany, for example, the Foreign Office offers comprehensive information about the security situation, entry requirements, and specific risks. Embassies and consulates abroad can offer valuable information about the safety situation and necessary precautions.

Travel blogs and platforms like Lonely Planet and Tripadvisor have forums where travelers share their experiences. Blogs from solo female travelers can also provide useful insights.

Social media, such as Facebook groups or platforms like Instagram, can offer helpful tips and information from other solo female travelers. There are apps like TripIt or TravelSafe that provide useful information about safety risks in different countries.

Local travel forums and websites like Couchsurfing or Meetup can be used to connect with locals or other travelers for up-to-date information on the country’s safety.

Trust your gut feeling! One of the most important safety principles is to listen to your instincts. Sometimes, our intuition is the best compass. So if a situation or place doesn’t feel right, leave immediately.

Avoid traveling alone at night: Especially in unfamiliar cities, it’s better to use taxis or Uber at night instead of walking alone. If possible, plan your travel times so that you don’t arrive in a strange city at night, at a train station, or at an airport. It’s also best to know where you’ll be staying during the day and ensure you arrive there in daylight.

Stay in touch: Regularly share your location and plans with a close circle (friends or family) so they know where you are in case something happens.


THE EMOTIONAL ASPECT: DEALING WITH LONELINESS AND HOMESICKNESS

Especially if you’re traveling solo for the first time, a long trip on your own can push you to your emotional limits. Alongside all the wonderful experiences, there will also be days when you feel lonely or homesick. This is completely normal. Here are a few tips to help you cope with these feelings:

Stay Open to New Encounters: Even though you’re traveling alone, it doesn’t mean you have to be isolated the entire time. In hostels, on excursions, or guided tours, you’ll often meet new people quickly — even more so if you’re doing volunteering or project work. Reliable information about local activities can usually be found at hostels and hotels. Many offer brochures, recommendations, or even organize tours themselves. Staff members are often familiar with local providers and can suggest suitable tours.

Travel Apps and Websites: Platforms like GetYourGuide, Viator, or TripAdvisor are great sources for finding tours and reading reviews from travellers to discover the best local options.

Tourist Information Centres: In many cities and tourist areas, there are official tourism offices that provide up-to-date and verified information about local tours and providers. This can be especially helpful if your online research isn’t yielding results.

Travel Communities and Social Networks: Platforms like Facebook groups or Reddit, specifically for backpackers and world travellers, are great places to find recommendations and reviews about local tour operators.

Take Time for Yourself: Loneliness can also be an opportunity to get to know yourself better. Take time to read a book, keep a journal, write down your thoughts, cook for yourself, or simply enjoy your surroundings.

Actively Connect with Other Travellers: There are numerous online platforms (e.g., solofemaltravelers.club, cntraveler.com), groups, and apps (e.g., travelsisters, tourlina) specifically for women traveling alone. These offer not only valuable tips but also the chance to connect with like-minded people. For example, the Facebook group “Host A Sister” allows women to meet, share experiences, and offer free accommodation or shared activities to fellow members. The community is exclusively female.


RETURNING HOME: REINTEGRATING INTO DAILY LIFE

You might hear people say you should prepare for a “culture shock” when returning from a long trip. But how do you prepare for that? And is a shock really a shock if you’re expecting it? Either way, it’s important to understand that it’s normal to feel a bit down at first. It’s also normal to find it difficult to readjust to your routine. You’ve experienced so much and maybe even changed as a person, so everything at home might suddenly feel monotonous. Here are a few tips to ease the transition:

Give Yourself Time: Allow yourself some time to readjust to everyday life, and think about how you can incorporate the positive experiences from your trip into your routine.

Set New Goals: Traveling can give you fresh perspectives. Consider what new goals you want to set for yourself, whether it’s a new hobby, a career project, or planning your next trip.


CONCLUSION

Whether you’re embarking on a solo adventure, taking a sabbatical, or simply escaping everyday life, a break from the routine can turn your life upside down in the most exciting and beautiful way. You get to choose to switch the game of life to “adventure mode” for a while: new experiences, new people, and yes — a lot of new insights about yourself. With a bit of preparation, a plan (that can always be thrown overboard spontaneously), and a huge dose of adventurous spirit, your trip will become the ultimate “Wow, I’ll be telling my grandchildren about this” experience. So go ahead, take the leap! The world is out there, ready to show you its most beautiful sides.


GO AHED! THE WORLD IS OUT THERE – READY TO SHOW YOU ITS MOST BEAUTIFUL SIDES. 

Safari Krokodile
Safari Südafrika
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