She books the flight, packs the bag, and shows up bold, brilliant, and completely on her own terms, travelling solo
The first time I travelled alone, I wasn’t chasing adventure; I was going on a work trip. I remember standing at the airport gate, heart racing, wondering if I was brave enough to embrace travelling solo. I needed to prove, mostly to myself, that I could go, be, and thrive on my own. And I did. Since then, I have travelled solo for work and leisure when the need arises.
Meanwhile, some women have embraced solo travel not out of necessity, but as an intentional way of life — a calling rooted in purpose, curiosity, and deep self-connection. From Jessica Nabongo, the first African woman to visit every country in the world, to Kenyan globetrotter Phillis Kiragu, who captures the soul of cities through both lens and language. And Nigerian motorcyclist, Joy Ebaide, whose journeys span mountains and mindsets, African women are stepping into a new era of solo travel.
No longer waiting for permission, companionship, or the “perfect time,” they’re mapping their own routes across continents, cultures, and internal landscapes.
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A journey beyond borders
For decades, society has filtered the image of the solo traveller through a Western and patriarchal lens, portraying him as young, white, and male.. However, that narrative is changing. African women are redefining solo travel, not just as an escape, but as a powerful expression of autonomy, curiosity, and confidence.
These women who have grown up hearing that the world isn’t safe for them. That “a woman alone is a woman at risk.” That travelling without family, a partner, or a tour group is often considered as selfish, dangerous and even shameful. Now, slowly and surely, many are choosing to believe something different: Women deserve adventure and own the right to that freedom. And the world, despite its imperfections, has beauty meant for us to see too.
What’s fueling the movement?
Digital inspiration, real-world impact
Social media has become both a window and mirror. African female travellers like Joy Ebaide, Alma Asinobi and many travel creators such as Munachimso are showing what’s possible, one post, one border stamp at a time. By sharing airport moments and snapshots from their solo adventures around the world, they don’t just inspire — they normalise what once felt out of reach for many women.
Economic empowerment
Although there’s still a long way to go, more African women are climbing career ladders, launching businesses, and managing their finances. With increased financial independence comes the ability — and the audacity — to prioritise personal experiences, including travel.
A shift in mindset
Gone are the days when women solely abided by society’s narrow definition of success for women – by heterosexual marriage and motherhood. Now, women are pushing back against these limitations. They are choosing to explore themselves and the world before or instead of settling into traditional roles. Travel becomes a vehicle for self-discovery, not just sightseeing.
More than just a vacation
Solo travel, especially for African women, is deeply symbolic. It’s about crossing borders — both physical and emotional. For some, it’s healing personal wounds or confronting stereotypes head-on. For others, it’s simply finding peace, pleasure, or purpose in their own company.
It’s waking up to the sound of waves in Mozambique and realising you don’t need anyone else to make that moment magical. It’s getting lost in Rome and finding yourself. Or walking through Accra’s art markets or Bali’s rice fields and thinking, “This is mine. I claimed this for myself.”
Read also: Travelling solo in Africa? We’ve got the ultimate guide, risks and tips women should know
The realities behind African women travelling solo
Of course, the journey isn’t all sunsets and stamped passports. Travelling solo also comes with heightened risks and systemic barriers.
Visa denials and passport privilege
For many African women, the journey doesn’t just begin at takeoff, but in the anxious uncertainty of the visa process. What should be a simple affirmation of one’s intent to explore becomes an interrogation of legitimacy. We are asked to justify our travels with payslips, property deeds, and bank statements — not just to show that we can afford the trip, but to prove we will return.
When 26-year-old content creator Alma Asinobi set out to break the Guinness World Record for the fastest time to visit all seven continents, she was confronted with the harsh realities of travelling with a Nigerian passport. She didn’t just cover distance on her journey — she faced obstacles at nearly every border. She was denied boarding on her flight to Perth, Australia — her final destination — ultimately costing her the chance to complete the race in record time.
And even when every requirement is met, denials arrive, often without explanation. In these moments, it becomes painfully clear that some passports open doors, while others force us to beg for entry, and African women, despite our grace and intentions, are too often met with closed ones.
Racial profiling and discrimination
There is a particular stillness that falls over you when you’re made to feel like an outsider — not because of language or culture, but because of your skin. For African women, solo travel is too often accompanied by suspicion. At borders, people often question and harass female solo travellers, demanding to know their true identity. At hotels, they’re regarded with suspicion, sometimes three times, as though their presence disturbs the expected narrative. Beneath the smiles lie assumptions that they’re not tourists, but trouble; not visitors, but transgressors. In those moments, travel is no longer freedom. It becomes a quiet stand against the world’s deep-rooted prejudices.
Sexual harassment and safety concerns
Independence, while empowering, can come with a shadow, especially as a woman travelling alone. For African women, that shadow often stretches longer. Our presence in foreign lands is sometimes misunderstood, our bodies read through the lens of objectification, exoticism, or worse.
Pelumi Nubi, who in 2024 became the first African woman to drive solo from London to Lagos says, “I have to wear a fake wedding ring sometimes when I’m travelling to reduce the constant sexualisation and unwanted attention.”
A walk through a marketplace, a quiet evening in a café, a polite smile — any of these can be misconstrued. And when language or law fails to protect us, we are left to navigate discomfort and danger with intuition alone. The world can be breathtaking, yes, but for us, it is not always safe.
Cultural misunderstandings and stereotyping
In many corners of the world, society doesn’t expect African women to be travellers, let alone solo ones. When the women who defy this norm arrive, they are often met with questions wrapped in surprise or suspicion. Their presence challenges assumptions: that women should be home, that we must be seeking something, that we do not belong in spaces of leisure or luxury. It is as though they recognise you are different and demand an explanation. However, these women are not here to fit narratives. They write new ones that speak of adventure and grace.
Economic prejudice
Too often, the world conflates African identity with lack. When travelling solo, an African woman enters a boutique, checks into a five-star hotel, or simply enjoys herself abroad, she may be met not with welcome but with scepticism. There’s an unspoken question lingering behind polite smiles: How can she afford this? It is a quiet insult, made louder by repetition. And yet, we travel, not to prove wealth, but to reclaim the right to luxury, leisure, and dignity. We go because we have earned our joy — and we will no longer ask permission to feel it.
The added layer of being a woman adds its own complexities: safety planning, dressing appropriately in conservative regions, and dealing with unwanted attention. Yet, none of this has stopped the movement. Instead, it has created a uniquely resilient and resourceful traveller; one who learns, adapts, and shares tips with sisters back home.
Solo-sisterhood across continents
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Perhaps the most beautiful part of this rise is the community. From WhatsApp groups to Instagram DMs and travel platforms like Solo Female Travellers Club, NomadHer, and SoFe Travel, females travelling solo are building networks of support.
In addition to guiding others through border requirements, they are also shedding light on the risks and realities of solo travel. Women who were once strangers now swap itineraries, share airport hacks and check in on each other’s safety.
While these women may be alone as they cross borders, they have a community that ensures they never feel lonely.
Solo and unstoppable
So, whether these women are wandering through ancient Medina alleyways in Fez, Morocco or trying out local dishes in Bhutan, the African female travelling solo is doing more than collecting stamps. She’s reclaiming space, voice, and self.
Her journey is not just about distance, but about depth. With every step, she affirms that she is whole, worthy, and wildly free. And as more women follow her footprints, one truth becomes beautifully clear: the world isn’t too big for women to see.
