Women's solo travel: On the road, again and always

On my recent post on uneven aging prompted many responses, including one from Rebecca, who said,
"Uneven aging isn't always physical. I looked forward to traveling after we both retired, but my partner has become a homebody. My married friends would rather travel alone or with another couple. My single friends want to go to Vegas or on a cruise; I'd rather be hiking in nature. Finding a sympatica travel buddy isn't easy."

Rebecca is dealing with two factors: what she prefers to do, and whether she'd like company on the trip. If no one wants to hike, I'd think about a woman's tour such as a hike of the Italian lake district, even if it does not include a stop by George Clooney's villa. Adventurewoman.com offer this enchanting 10-day itinerary for the coming fall. 

The women will likely be sympatica, since all are drawn to the locale and to hiking, but I expect you would have more affinity with some than others, which is the essence of adventure, no?

And since today is St. Patrick's Day, it's only right to mention Joyce's women-only walking tour of Ireland, among the many other hiking-heaven offerings.

Do you know the site Journeywoman? Whether you seek the archeological sites in Turkey or wish to camp within hailing distance of Alaskan grizzlies, Evelyn Hannon knows who and where. That site introduced me to Women Only Worldwide Tours (operated by Indus) who advertise "no single supplement", music to solitude-loving ears.

Road Scholar (founded by Elderhostel) specializes in educational trips, some women-only, such as this hike in the Rockies. Road Scholar trips are designed for mature travelers, a relief if you want to be sure you're not kept awake by 20-somethings doing shooters next door at three a.m., but are hardly slo-mo cruises.

For some trips, RS charge no single supplement, and for others, will assign a roommate if you don't have your own. They also offer inter-generational trips for a loving aunt or grandparent who wants to share more of the world with an eager youth.

Photo courtesy immersethrough

Those who would enjoy a highly-personal, learning-focused trip should check the gifted author Naomi Duguid's immersethrough food tours of Burma and Northern Thailand, which are far from the usual fly-and-fry "cooking schools", and deliver the best of culturally-resonant travel.

Countless other choices are on offer; we're limited only by budget, not imagination. If you have booked tours before, you will know to add costs for medical insurance, and to check refund policies before payment.

I've presented the tour option without having taken one myself, so invite you to share links to operators you think are outstanding. Tours can be costly and you may not want the regimentation; if you prefer to travel solo, you could hire a guide at your destination, from a half-day to the duration of your stay. 

Friends are often good sources for such guides, or try a search on TripAdvisor for "private day tour" plus your destination.

Even if you're a longtime solo traveler, your age will change the way you travel. I still travel alone—just hop a train and explore a city or region—but now appreciate a hand with everything from handling luggage to finding a doctor for an emergency case of pink-eye.

As she matures, the woman with wanderlust may have to find the path on her own, to fulfill those must-see goals. Do some adventuring, even if it's only a day's drive; the view from an old friend's garden can be restorative as that of the Taj Mahal. 

That you return to your everyday life enlivened and grateful for the richness of this world, is purpose aplenty. We may no longer throw on a backpack and crash in any funky hostel with a free bed, but we ought to get out and about while we can.