By Tammy · Beautifully Uncharted
This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through these links at no extra cost to you.
If you are sitting somewhere right now with a destination quietly living in the back of your mind — somewhere you have always wanted to go but somehow never went — I want to talk to you. Not about logistics or travel hacks or packing lists. I want to talk about the thing that is actually stopping you.
Because I know what it is. I had all of the same fears before my first solo trip. Safety. Loneliness. Not knowing where to start. A vague worry about what people would think of a woman my age going somewhere alone. All of it. Every single hesitation that exists about solo travel I felt at some point before I boarded that plane to Iceland.
And here is what I know now from the other side of it: every single one of those fears was smaller than I thought and the experience was bigger than I ever imagined.
This is the guide I wish someone had handed me before my first solo trip. Everything you need to know — practically, emotionally and logistically — to take that first brave step toward traveling alone as a woman over 50.
1. Let’s talk about the fears — because they are real and valid.
Before we get into the practical stuff I want to acknowledge something. The fears around solo travel are not irrational. Safety concerns for women traveling alone are legitimate. The worry about loneliness is understandable especially if you have spent decades traveling as part of a couple or a family. Not knowing where to start when you have never planned a trip entirely for yourself is genuinely overwhelming. And the quiet concern about what other people will think — well that one is real too even if it is the one we are least likely to admit out loud. All of these fears visited me before my first solo trip. I am not going to tell you they are silly. I am going to tell you they are manageable — and that the life on the other side of them is absolutely worth it.
2. My single best piece of advice — join a women’s travel group for your first trip.
If there is one thing I could tell every woman who is nervous about solo travel it is this: you do not have to go completely alone. Women’s travel groups are one of the best kept secrets in the travel world and they are the perfect entry point for first time solo travelers. You travel independently — you are responsible for yourself, you make your own choices — but you are surrounded by a group of other women who are all doing the same brave thing. The social safety net takes the edge off the loneliness concern. The group structure handles a lot of the planning overwhelm. And the community you find — women at all different life stages all choosing adventure — is something genuinely special. My first solo trip to Iceland was with a women’s travel group of twelve women and the friendships I made on that trip are ones I still have today. Search for women’s travel groups on social media — there are wonderful options at a range of price points for destinations all over the world.
3. Choose a destination that genuinely excites you — not one that just seems sensible.
A lot of first time solo travel advice steers women toward safe predictable starter destinations. Start somewhere easy they say. Somewhere English speaking. Somewhere close to home. And while there is nothing wrong with any of those choices I want to offer you a different perspective. Go somewhere that actually excites you. The destination that has been living quietly in the back of your mind for years — that one. Excitement is a powerful antidote to fear. When you are genuinely thrilled about where you are going the nerves become part of the anticipation rather than a reason not to go. I went to Iceland on my first solo trip and it was the right choice not because Iceland is the easiest destination but because Iceland was the place that made my heart beat faster when I thought about it. Follow that feeling.
4. The practical planning basics — what you actually need to figure out.
Once you have chosen your destination here is what actually needs to be planned before you go:
Passport and documentation: Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates. Keep a travel document organizer with copies of everything important — passport, insurance, emergency contacts.
Travel insurance: Non negotiable for solo travel. If something goes wrong you want to know you are covered. Research options and choose a policy that includes medical coverage and trip cancellation.
Accommodation: Book at least your first night in advance so you are not arriving somewhere new and tired with nowhere to go. After that you can be as flexible as you like.
Communication: Let someone at home know your itinerary. Check your phone plan for international coverage or get a local SIM card on arrival.
Money: A travel wallet with RFID blocking keeps your cards and cash secure. Notify your bank before you travel so your cards are not blocked.
5. Pack light — it is more liberating than you can imagine.
I traveled to Iceland with just a carry on and it was one of the best decisions I made. No checked baggage fees. No waiting at carousels. No wrestling a massive suitcase through airports and up hotel stairs. Packing light forces you to be intentional about what you bring and you will almost certainly discover that you need far less than you think. The secret weapons are good packing cubes which compress your clothes and keep everything organized, a lightweight packable jacket that takes up almost no space, and a strict one pair of versatile walking shoes rule. And of course a lightweight durable carry on piece of luggage. Lay out everything you plan to pack and then put half of it back. You will not miss any of it.
6. Safety as a solo female traveler — practical and realistic.
Solo travel safety for women is a topic that deserves honest practical discussion rather than either dismissal or fearmongering. The reality is that women travel solo safely all over the world every single day. That said there are sensible precautions worth taking. Research your destination’s safety reputation before you go. Trust your instincts — if something feels wrong it probably is. Stay aware of your surroundings especially in crowded tourist areas where pickpocketing is common. Share your itinerary with someone at home and check in regularly. Book reputable accommodation with good reviews. And remember that being a woman traveling alone often means people go out of their way to help you — in my experience solo female travelers are treated with remarkable kindness almost everywhere in the world.
7. The loneliness question — what it actually feels like to travel alone.
People ask me all the time if I felt lonely traveling solo and I want to answer that honestly. There were moments of solitude — quiet meals, long transfers, evenings in a hotel room — that in a different headspace might have felt lonely. But traveling with a women’s group meant I was rarely truly alone and when I was the solitude felt like a gift rather than an absence. Something about being in a new place alone gives you permission to be entirely present in a way that is harder when you are managing someone else’s experience alongside your own. The sunsets I watched alone felt more vivid. The meals I ate alone felt more peaceful. Solo travel teaches you that you are genuinely good company for yourself — and that is one of the most valuable things you can learn at any age.
8. What solo travel does to your confidence — and why that matters.
I came home from Iceland different. Not dramatically visibly different — but quietly fundamentally different in the ways that matter most. I had navigated an airport alone. Made decisions entirely for myself. Handled unexpected moments without anyone to consult. Discovered that I was more capable and more resourceful than I had given myself credit for. That confidence — earned through actually doing the thing rather than just thinking about it — does not stay in Iceland. It comes home with you and spreads into every other area of your life. Women who travel solo regularly report increased confidence, improved problem solving skills and a stronger sense of their own identity. I believe every word of that from personal experience.
9. Your solo travel starter kit — everything worth having.
Here are the travel essentials I genuinely recommend based on real experience:
A set of quality packing cubes that compress your clothes and keep your carry on organized. A travel wallet with RFID blocking to keep your cards and passport safe. A lightweight packable down jacket that compresses to almost nothing. A quick dry travel towel that takes up no space. A comfortable lightweight daypack for exploring. A universal travel adapter so you can charge everything anywhere. And a great travel journal to capture every moment — because you will want to remember all of it.
10. The only thing left to do — book the trip.
You have read the guide. You know the practical steps. You understand the fears and you know they are manageable. So now there is really only one thing left and that is to actually do it. Open a new tab. Search for that destination that has been living quietly in the back of your mind. Look for a women’s travel group going there. Check the dates. And before your brain has time to talk you out of it — book it. The version of you who comes home from that first solo trip will be so grateful that you did. I promise you that from the bottom of my heart. The world is waiting for you and you are so much more ready than you think.
Where is the destination that has been living in the back of your mind?
I would genuinely love to know. Drop it in the comments below or send me a note at [email protected]. And if you have a friend who has been talking about traveling alone but has not quite taken the leap yet — send her this post. Sometimes all we need is someone to tell us we are ready. You are ready.
With love and a little chaos,
— Tammy