Embracing Solo Travel as a Woman: Adventures in Egypt and Beyond

I was so excited to finally visit Egypt. The pyramids! The tombs of Luxor! The Egyptian Museum! Yet, most people I told about the trip didn’t share my excitement.

Between the raised eyebrows and platitudes to “be safe,” the general consensus among my peers was that traveling to Egypt on my own, despite my vast travel experience – much of it solo – was not so much adventurous, but reckless. I shrugged it off and went anyway, but this attitude left me feeling uneasy. When the male receptionist at my Cairo hotel joked that I “won’t need this again” when I handed over my passport to be photocopied, I almost fainted. I had done enough research to know that this was a safe, family-run hotel. Yet in that moment I second-guessed myself because I was on edge.

More women than ever are embracing solo travel, and I champion it. However, this movement is only celebrated to a point. While women tend to be applauded for embarking on Eat, Pray, Love–style solo trips, those with more adventurous travel aspirations are commonly viewed as risk-takers. With tragic incidents involving female travellers typically followed by a flurry of articles about how dangerous it is to travel as a woman, it’s not surprising. It’s just a shame that these attitudes still prevail.

Risky Business?

There’s a dearth of clear statistics on violence against women travelers, making it difficult to ascertain if women indeed face heightened risk. There’s no doubt, however, that some travel destinations present greater risks for women than others, and many women travelers, regardless of their chosen locations, will face challenging situations on the road. For example, I felt uncomfortable when men stared at me as I wandered the streets of Cairo. I felt violated when men filmed me with their smartphones as I explored tourist sites in India. And a shiver runs down my spine at the memory of the man who tried to force himself on me at a Tel Aviv beach – in the middle of the day!

But gender-based violence happens everywhere. When it occurs at home, the focus is typically on the perpetrators. When I realized that the man staring at me across an otherwise empty Sydney train carriage was behaving inappropriately, the police officer I reported it to didn’t ask why I was using public transport alone at 6 am. Conversely, when women fall victim to sexual assault and other foul play while traveling, the woman tends to be criticized. Questions such as why she was out alone, why she was talking to strangers, or what she was wearing are common in these discussions.

It goes without saying that solo women travelers can still make unwise choices. Traveling to conflict zones for tourism or anywhere without researching your destination and understanding the safety risks is reckless behavior for any traveler. However, there is no justification for viewing a well-prepared female traveler any differently than a male counterpart who seeks to explore challenging destinations.

It angers me that solo women travelers must remain extra vigilant, and I find the constant need to evaluate potential dangers on solo trips exhausting. Nevertheless, the payoffs are more than worth it. Navigating the weird and wonderful corners of the planet on my own has helped to boost my confidence, independence, decision-making, and problem-solving skills. Such skills have made me a savvier traveler and a more capable individual. With benefits like these, we should be supporting solo female travelers rather than questioning their judgment.

Reshaping the Narrative

Travel has traditionally been viewed through a (white) male lens that celebrates boldness. However, bold, adventurous women have had to fight to be taken seriously. For instance, American journalist Nellie Bly, who in 1890 became the fastest person to circumnavigate the globe, faced skepticism, as her editor claimed that “no one but a man” could accomplish such a feat. Similarly, American aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart was often subjected to questions regarding her clothing and domestic life during 1920s interviews. Additionally, British explorer Gertrude Bell, whose work in the Middle East was significant, was hardly mentioned compared to her male contemporaries like T.E. Lawrence.

These bold, adventurous women are now celebrated as pioneers, recognized not only for pushing the boundaries of adventure travel but also for challenging perceptions surrounding female solo travelers. The sooner we start viewing today’s adventurous solo women travelers through the same lens, the more empowered these women will feel to achieve their travel goals. Consequently, we will be able to add more female travel icons to our collective memory.