Solo women travelers seek transformative experiences on African safaris: Travel Weekly

When 92-year-old Rosemary Sieber first visited Botswana’s Chobe Game Lodge in 2020, she expected quiet sunsets and a laid-back vacation. Instead, the German grandmother found herself tracking elephants with Africa’s first all-women guiding team, the Chobe Angels, and sharing fireside stories with lodge staff who “felt like cousins by Day 2.”

Her story illustrates an important shift: Solo women are ditching predictable European city breaks and Bali spa retreats in favor of adventure travel into Africa. Google searches for “solo female travel” have surged 131% since 2023, according to Nkuringo Safaris; the operator also reports that solo women currently make up nearly a third of their bookings.

To meet solo travel demand, Desert & Delta Safaris recently launched the Empowering Women Journey, a 10-night Botswana itinerary designed for solo female travelers.

The Empowering Women Journey is not your typical safari; it goes beyond wildlife viewing to immerse travelers in Botswana’s culture while highlighting female leadership in conservation, tourism and entrepreneurship.

The journey begins at Chobe Game Lodge, where guests explore Botswana’s wildlife under the guidance of the Chobe Angels. From there, they move on to Savute Safari Lodge, where they meet Gorata Nyame, a former special education teacher who rose through the ranks to become general manager of one of Botswana’s most sought-after lodges.

At Nxamaseri Island Lodge, guests participate in cultural exchanges, such as traditional basket weaving with local artisans, before heading out on an overnight excursion at Tsodilo Hills, a Unesco World Heritage site known for its ancient rock art. Here, travelers learn from San Bushmen storytellers about their ancestral connection to this sacred landscape and sleep beneath paintings that are thousands of years old.

Beyond adventure and cultural immersion, sustainability plays a pivotal role in this itinerary. Travelers visit Ruth Lunza Mangisi, a farmer using solar-powered technology to deter elephants from raiding crops, and gain insight into human-wildlife conflict solutions firsthand.

The final stop takes guests back to Maun for a celebratory evening with some of Botswana’s leading women entrepreneurs — the founders behind Okavango Gin (known as the OG Ladies), whose distillery is reshaping rural economies through sustainable business practices.

“When you come to our lodges as a single traveler, you’re never just placed at a table on your own — you become part of our extended family,” said James Wilson, director of sales and marketing for Desert & Delta Safaris.

This sense of inclusion is important for many first-time visitors, who may worry about isolation or vulnerability when venturing into remote wilderness areas without a companion by their side.

Related: Women emerging as a powerful force in African tourism

Desert & Delta’s Empowering Women Journey offers solo female travelers an opportunity to connect with Botswana’s ancient landscapes and Indigenous storytelling traditions on an overnight excursion to Tsodilo Hills. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Desert & Delta Safaris

Shattering safety concerns

For many women considering solo travel to Africa for the first time, safety remains top of mind, naturally. However, Wilson noted that women don’t just want “safe” trips; they want transformative adventures. But before they book, they need proof that Africa isn’t the risk they may have been led to believe it is.

Nkuringo Safaris echoes this sentiment when it comes to gorilla-trekking expeditions through Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a physically demanding experience many perceive as intimidating for solo adventurers because of its challenging terrain and remote setting. According to Nkuringo founder Lydia Eva Mpanga, “Women need firsthand accounts from other women, that’s what ultimately builds confidence.” 

Nkuringo Safaris’ eight-day Classic Uganda Primates Safari has proven to be a popular one with solo female travelers. The itinerary takes guests deep into Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to track endangered mountain gorillas, trek through Kibale National Park in search of chimpanzees and explore Queen Elizabeth National Park on game drives and boat safaris.

Unlike traditional safaris focused on vehicle-based wildlife viewing, this itinerary is immersive, physically demanding and offers solo travelers a more hands-on way to experience Uganda’s landscapes and wildlife.

For Codi Land, a solo traveler from Texas, the experience was unforgettable.

“Gorilla trekking has topped the list as my most incredible solo traveling experience. It offers a once-in-a-lifetime intimate opportunity with these beautiful gentle giants in their natural jungle habitat,” she said. “This is one of the only intimate animal encounters that you can have with a wild animal on foot without any borders, safari cars, fences or cages involved. I would do it again in a heartbeat.” 

Beyond the trekking, Nkuringo Safaris also integrates cultural experiences, such as visiting local conservation projects and communities near Bwindi. 

At Chobe Game Lodge, every guide behind the wheel is female. Some travelers initially question whether women can handle high-risk situations like vehicle breakdowns or close encounters with wildlife — until they see the guides in action.

“Guiding isn’t about brute strength,” Wilson said. “If you’re running from an elephant, you’ve already ignored multiple warnings. It’s about reading behavior.” That’s something he said the female guides at Chobe excel at.

Tapping into the trend

The rise of solo female adventure travel to Africa can be a lucrative market for travel advisors. According to Virtuoso, women allocate 34% more of their travel budget to trips that offer purpose and personal enrichment compared to general leisure travelers. 

But what sets this market apart isn’t just spending power; it’s influence. Solo female travelers are their own best ambassadors. 

“They’ll post a gorilla selfie before their plane lands home,” Mpanga said.

Firsthand accounts are invaluable in inspiring others to follow suit, something advisors should be leveraging by encouraging clients to share stories about their trips. Trust is also key when selling these experiences. Women are looking for reassurance from other women who have been there before them.

“A solo man’s five-star review doesn’t reassure like a woman’s does,” Mpanga said.

Codi Land would agree with that: She said she booked her Uganda gorilla trek after reading blog posts from women hikers who had navigated Bwindi Impenetrable Forest alone.