Recently updated on July 12th, 2022 at 02:17 pm
Travelling solo can be daunting, especially for first time female travellers. Taking the leap to go solo takes courage. But anxiety or gender should never hold anyone back from extraordinary travel experiences. So to make your next solo adventure stress-free and unforgettable, we spoke to 4 of Trafalgar’s superstar female Travel Directors to hear their top tips for safe female travel.
GET INSPIRED BY: Women Only Trips with Trafalgar
WATCH: Trafalgar Talks… Women in travel with 3 long-serving Travel Directors
Patrizia Tocco‘s top female travel tips
Patrizia is a Trafalgar Travel Director focusing on our Italian trips.
I have travelled extensively as a solo traveller and safety has always been my main concern. Here are some tips for female travel that have become part of my routine whether I do a long tour or just a weekend away…
- Make several copies of passports to keep on you as well as in your suitcase, in your phone and leave one home with a trusted friend
- Divide up the money you carry with you and leave it in different places. You can even hide some in your suitcase and always wear a money belt. If you go on a long and adventurous journey, leave some extra money at home with a friend and agree on a plan to get it sent if necessary
- Make copies of your travel plans with relevant contact details of hotels, guides and/or driver depending on the type of trip you are doing. Spread these around like you did your passport copies
- Look for the phone number and location of the local Embassy/Consulate and keep it on you in case of emergencies
- Bring extra medication (both over-the-counter and prescription) and copies of your routine prescriptions detailed with dosage and the type of active ingredients in them as many medications have different names in different countries. Make note of your blood group and save it in your wallet in a place that’s easy to find
- Read up about your destination to get a vibe of the neighbourhoods and then decide what you want to visit or avoid
- Buy a phrase book and familiarize yourself with the basics before you arrive at your destination
- Sync your phone with the cloud so that you don’t lose your pictures if your phone is lost or stolen
- Pack essentials, including: several adaptors to charge up your appliances, a power bank, a small torch, a pair of scissors, a sewing kit, super glue, duct tape, ziplock bags, washing power and a wine opener
GET INSPIRED BY: Wonderful France (Women only)
RELATED CONTENT: 30+ years of memories: Longest-serving Trafalgar Travel Directors reveal all
Maria Troiano shares her female travel tips
Maria is a Trafalgar Travel Director in our Italian regions.
- Solo female travel is a way of empowering oneself. I’m a solo traveller too; I really enjoy it because it gives you the chance to meet lots of other people. Of course, one has to take safety in mind. But a lot of the rules are the same if you were at home and going around on your own.
- Safety for female travel is always a matter of common sense. Always keep an eye on your belongings and don’t travel with really expensive things like gold, diamond jewellery or designer clothes and bags so you don’t draw too much attention to yourself.
- Learn a little bit of the local language so you can get by with the basics. You can study at home before your trip and there are various apps to help.
- Always have a copy of your documents handy (passport, ID). And always take out travel insurance, that way if something happens to you, you have a safety umbrella. The great thing about a Trafalgar trip is you have a Travel Director to look after you.
- Always respect local culture. Try to blend in. Dress appropriately for the place you are in, that way you are not drawing the wrong attention to yourself.
- If you’re travelling solo at night, these are not the times to be saving money by going on public transport. The safest thing is to catch a taxi home.
- The beauty of travelling with Trafalgar is that your Travel Director can assist you in most emergencies, but having all these items ready will expedite care and assistance.
RELATED CONTENT: These are the world’s safest countries to visit for solo female travel
Letizia Taddeo‘s solo female travel tips
Letizia has been a Trafalgar Travel Director for 30 years, specialising in the Italian regions.
It can be frightening to have 100% responsibility for yourself. In terms of female travel with Trafalgar, the things of utmost importance are:
- The immediate connection with your TD, who will be able to introduce you to your travel mates and perhaps to other single travellers. Often enough lifelong friends start this way!
- Whenever you are in a foreign country, keep the hotel card with you! It can come in handy in case you get lost and you just want to show it to your taxi driver.
- Always have a photocopy of your travel documents and ID on you.
- Try to learn the basic words in the language of the country you are going to visit.
RELATED CONTENT: 12 essential female travel tips for staying safe after dark
Sarah Clapton‘s top travel tips
Sarah has been a Trafalgar Travel Director for 45 years, focusing on our European tours.
- For women to stay safe when travelling alone – especially in countries you don’t know and with languages and customs you may not know – one of my best tips would be to take an organised tour where you will have the Travel Director to look after you and give you advice.
- You will also meet all the group and very quickly we become a family and look out for each other. In the evenings many trips are organised for you with door-to-door service so you don’t need to worry about finding transport late at night in a city you don’t know.
- Always put your valuables and documents in the safe. Have a record of your credit card numbers and keep them in a separate place to your bag – if you lose or have the card stolen, you will need this info to cancel the card immediately. If you are between hotels and have all your cards, money and valuables on you, wear your bag with the strap across your front and tucked under your arm – not in a backpack. Always be aware of anyone looking suspicious, especially if in a large group.
- Groups quickly start looking out for each other. Don’t travel with expensive jewellery. If you are nervous sleeping in hotel rooms, you can purchase door stoppers that offer extra protection.
GET INSPIRED BY: Highlights of Turkey (Women only)
Feeling motivated to experience female travel in 2022? Leave us a comment below!