Women’s only adventures becoming a popular option

by Kraig Becker on

As we reported recently, the adventure travel market has grown into an $89 billion industry. With that kind of money being tossed around, it is only natural for the travel options to diversify and one of the fastest growing segments of the industry is women’s only tavel. On these adventures, the men are left behind, and the girls get to have all the fun, as they visit remote, far flung corners of the globe on a trip of a lifetime.

There are a number of travel companies that specialize in this growing trend, including Adventure Women based out of Bozeman, Montana. They’ve been offering ladies only trips since 1982, and have some spectacular options for hiking and skiing in the American west as well as great international escapes to such destinations as Mongolia and Morocco. Perhaps the crown jewel of their offerings however is their trekking excursion to Nepal, during which the travelers hike a lower altitude portion of the Annapurna Circuit and visit the Chitwan National Park for whitewater rafting and wildlife viewing. The 15-day adventure offers spectacular scenery, cultural immersion, and adrenaline inducing thrills all in one complete package.

Rogue Wilderness Adventures, a company that specializes in rafting and hiking expeditions in Oregon, has also begun offering options just for women. Next spring, they’ll lead a multi-day hike along the Rogue River National Recreation Trail, covering more than 44 miles through some of the most pristine wilderness in the U.S. The adventurous ladies on the trek will spend their days hiking a spectacular 110-year old trail and their nights staying in historic lodges enjoying fine meals and sipping local wines by the fire. Travel company Journeys Within offers a number of great tours to Asia, including options to visit Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. But they also offer a unique seven day journey entitled Laos for the Ladies which is an interesting mix of shopping, relaxation, and culture, with a dash of adventure mixed in for good measure. Highlights include hiking Mt. Phou Si, learning to cook Laotian food, shopping the famous night markets, and a small boat tour of the Mekong River. The trip is a great escape for those looking to experience a wonderful culture, not to mention a fantastic getaway with just the girls.

Finally, for the past three years Sheridan, Wyoming has played host to an All Girls Getaway put on by Rangeland Hunting Adventures. Over the course of that weekend, the ladies explore the Big Horn Mountains on foot and horseback, while fishing, camping, and taking in the wonderful natural beauty of the area. The girls stay in a pre-constructed campsite that includes comfortable tents with cots, while gathering round the campfire with their favorite beverage, while a tasty dinner is prepared for them. Next year’s ladies weekend is scheduled to take place August 12-14, but registration is already open and reservations are already being filled.

These women’s only escapes prove that adventure travel isn’t just for the guys any more. The next time you’re feeling the need to put a little adventure back into your life, grab your passport, gather up the girls, and hit the road. After all, why should the boys have all of the fun?

Solo women’s travel surges in popularity

by Laurel Miller on

Despite what the much over-hyped film (not the book) Eat Pray Love would have us think, solo female travelers did exist before Elizabeth Gilbert. The difference, I think, is that now that Julia Roberts is starring in a movie about it, it’s suddenly viewed by mainstream America as “okay.”

And that’s okay. I may be a bit annoyed by the fact that Hollywood is responsible, but at the end of the day, who cares? It’s just great that experienced independent travelers will get less grief, and women who might not otherwise attempt a solo trip are now inspired to do so. The sheer volume of women-oriented travel companies has been steadily rising over the last five or so years, and now it looks like we’re hitting the tipping point.

While traveling alone is never easy for a woman, it’s comparatively a piece of cake now, compared to what women of even my mother’s generation must have endured. Yet, as a 41-year-old American female, I’m often amazed by how concerned other people are about my marital status (or lack thereof), my plans for my uterus (or lack thereof), and how I can afford to travel/who’s going to take care of me when I’m older/when am I going to grow up? I can handle these questions when there are cultural differences involved (sometimes with gritted teeth, like when I was 32, and a young Israeli male told me I’d better “find someone to marry quickly,” before I was “too old and ugly.” Sweet.).

I’ve never been one to give much of a hang about what others think, or else I wouldn’t have been able to put up with the comments denigrating my lifestyle. I hear them less now that I’m somewhat older (read: approaching end of child-bearing years), and because travel writing is now my profession. Unlike countries such as Australia or New Zealand, where a “gap year” of travel before university is a rite of passage, most Americans still tend to be constrained by what they view as adult, or gender-related, responsibilities.

Things are changing, of course. But the release of a book-turned-movie appears to have done more for the advocacy of independent women’s travel in one summer than I’ve experienced in a decade of travel journalism. A recent CNN article citing Eat Pray Love as inspiration profiles two women: a widow taking an early retirement, and a 32-year-old, now-frequent traveler who bit the travel bullet after being laid off in her late twenties.

I should hasten to add that I don’t consider myself a feminist (for a multitude of reasons that have no place on a travel blog), and I’m fond of describing myself as “spiritually bankrupt.” I don’t travel to be a “strong” woman, or find enlightenment. Travel is a highly personal thing, and everyone has their own reasons for doing, or not doing, it. I don’t care why other people travel; I just applaud the fact that they do, as long as they’re respectful of other cultures and the environment. I travel because it’s the thing I love most: it’s what motivates and inspires me, both personally and professionally, and I find it endlessly fascinating, even when things are going awry. I love learning about different cultures, trying new foods, seeing new landscapes. I love riding a bus for 24 hours, because it’s part of the experience. And yes, I prefer to travel alone.

Am I running away from something? I don’t know. I don’t think so. Will I ever settle down and stop traveling? Um, no. Am I ditching adult responsibilities? Nope. I have a home base, pay my bills on time, work a couple of “stationary” jobs, because travel writing isn’t lucrative. I’m in a long-term, committed relationship, I have plants. Sometimes I get burned out on travel, or have a disastrous trip. But within a day or two of arriving home, I’m always ready to plan the next adventure, and get on the road again as soon as possible. I do gain confidence from traveling alone, and thrive on its challenges. It’s a reminder that I can accomplish the goals I set for myself, For some, that might be called self-empowerment. For me, it’s just a lifestyle choice.

Not everyone is programmed to live the life society dictates, and plenty of people living so-called conventional lives, including mothers, find ways to make travel a part of their lives. Here’s to a national cultural shift that supports the exploration of the world outside our own bubble. Whatever set of gonads you happen to possess.