Scared of vacationing solo? Join these travel groups for women instead
Travel the world and make some great friends along the way
Solo travelling can be like receiving a box of IKEA furniture with a picture-perfect end result splashed on the box. It looks amazing, and you can’t wait to experience the marvel yourself. But as you start unpacking the pieces, reality sets in. You’re faced with a multitude of screws, nuts and bolts, and an instruction manual that might as well be written in Martian. Solo travelling as a woman can often feel like that box of self-assembly furniture – thrilling in concept, but when it comes to the execution, you wonder, “Where do I even start?”
About 61% of 668 Tweak readers said they were wary of travelling solo, with concerns ranging from poor cell service to safety to managing medical emergencies by themselves. Those #travelinspo pictures that say ‘Go, get lost in the wild’ with pictures of smiling women looking off dreamily into the distance translate very differently in reality.
But there’s a hack that’s the equivalent of calling the IKEA assembly team to assemble that desk for you. Travel groups for women. They take that intimidating box of solo travel with uncertainties and anxieties and turn it into a well-organised, hassle-free experience.
Maybe you’ve always wanted to feast on baklava as you stroll along the Bosphorus but your partner never has free time to accompany you. Perhaps you’ve been meaning to hike through Himachal Pradesh but are worried about sleeping in a tent alone. These travel groups for women bungle you together with a cabal of like-minded adventurers, blending the safety of a group vacation with the freedom of solo exploration. And you might walk away with a few friends for life.
After three experiences with different travel groups for women, solo traveller and Tweak reader Nandini Mathur makes sure to read reviews left by other women. “Ask the group as many questions as you want. Make sure they have a good reputation, they have a license and insurance. You might feel awkward about it at first, but you are within your rights to ask them about their safety and security protocols, especially if they are designing a solo trip for you.”
Join these travel groups for women in India for your next adventure
It’s going to be tough to take a trip with Jugni without the song from Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! playing in your head. Their women-only trips focus on allowing cautious solo travellers to test the waters, as they state on their website, and maintaining a “solo vibe” while being in a group of strangers. Even if an itinerary is made, no one is forced to do anything. You can pick and choose which activities call out to you. What we love is their unconventional locations, both national and international.
They have a number of trips coming up this month, from Meghalaya to Dubai, but we’re thinking we might want to sign up to spend New Year’s Eve in one of the happiest countries in the world – Bhutan.
Ladakhi Women’s Travel Company
If you’re like a golden retriever who gets agitated without outside time, then trekking in Ladakh with the Ladakhi Women’s Travel Company is what you’re going to want to look into.
Owned and operated by Ladakshi women, Thinlas Chorol started the travel agency as a way to give highly experienced local women the opportunity to become travel guides while sharing their culture with visitors in a manner that keeps the carbon footprint to a minimum. Trekking across Ladakh with an all-female group of guides and porters, you get to see another side of the region, travelling through villages, resting at homestays and enjoying everything the culture offers.
The Flapper Life (TFL) is probably one of the most fun names we’ve come across for travel groups for women. You can’t help but picture a jazz band playing the Charleston as women in drop-waist dresses shimmy across the dance floor. TFL focuses on local, experiential travel led by an all-female team.
While travelling with TFL, you’re assigned a trip manager known as ‘Flapper Buddy’ who is your companion from the start until the end of your trip. You might be itching to sign up for their Vietnam trip that’s coming up in December, but if you’re a first-time traveller, they also do one-day experiences so you can dip your toe in the pond without too much of a commitment.
Among our list of travel groups for women, F5 Escapes organises vacations primarily in India. If you’ve never witnessed Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival, then this is one trip that you want to add to your bucket list, and F5 Escapes has one coming up in December.
You can also customise your India tour from Amritsar to The Andamans, all while having their team remotely manage your itinerary and be present for support of any kind.
WOW (Women on Wanderlust) Club is one of the biggest travel groups for women, founded by Sumitra Senapaty, a seasoned traveller herself. Their trips will take you around the world, where you can intimately experience local cultures, cuisine and customs.
Have you always wanted to go island hopping in the Andamans or maybe learn how to dance the tango, but in Argentina? Or maybe celebrate Christmas with a kiss from the sofest alpaca in Peru. Every WOW Club trip has a WOW buddy who makes sure your trip is nothing but smooth sailing.
Founded by a former corporate lawyer, Piya Bose, Girls On The Go Travel Club (GOTG) was born after an impromptu trip from Lucknow to Nepal and Tibet. You can go solo or with a group and explore places like Sikkim, Hanoi, Santorini, Turkey, Sri Lanka and more.
As a year-ender, we recommend trying the relaxing and mindfulness-oriented tai chi and yoga trip with masters in Nainital to make peace with all the disasters of the years.
Go backpacking in Goa, eat tunday kebab with ulte tawe ke parathe in Lucknow for a weekend or head to Japan (and potentially never want to return). Group trips for women by Wander Womaniya are open to all ages. Moreover, their trips start from Rs 5,000, without the need to compromise on safety or quality. If you ever wanted to chase the Northern Lights, then this is your sign to watch nature flex, as stated by Wander Womaniya.
What we love to see is Wander Womaniya’s open call for queer travellers to join their groups without any fear of discrimination or discomfort, whether you’re going solo or with your partner.
If you’ve had FOMO after seeing every celebrity and your next-door neighbour’s cousin post pictures of their trip to the Maldives, then you’ll want to slide into the Mad Over Maldives (MOM) DMs.
The company handles every aspect of planning your international trip, from direct flights to airport transfers, coordinating water activities ranging from snorkelling with turtles to parasailing, kayaking and more, all supported by local experts.
Wake up and watch the sunrise from your sea-view room, go dolphin watching and get your adrenalin pumping by swimming with sharks.
Women on Clouds embraces the diversity of female travellers and their needs. From solo vacationers to seniors and even women travelling with kids, everyone is welcome. Their trips are divided into luxury, classic and light-on-the-pocket trips to accommodate different budgets and travel needs.
More than just another addition to the list of travel groups for women, Women on Clouds has a members-only club for women, White Clouds, through which they organise meetups, workshops and a space for you to connect and network.
