How women over 50 are redefining solo travel through culture, connection and purpose
Solo travel among women, especially older women, has boomed over the last few years, fuelled by a desire for independence, freedom and a longing to make up for lost time.
New research from women-only travel company, Girls’ Guide to the World, surveyed 330 women and has revealed how older women in their 50s, 60s and 70s are redefining luxury and reshaping solo travel.
The findings reveal a surging demand for soul-nourishing, curated small-group journeys which prioritise global experiences, connection and transformation, while avoiding tourist traps.
Of the women surveyed, 65 per cent said that they were craving more cultural immersion when it came to travel experiences, whereas 56 per cent want relaxation, and 44 per cent want adventure.
36 per cent want more sisterhood and connection whereas 28 per cent preferred more wellness travel.
“Many solo female travelers are driven by a deep sense of curiosity and a desire to make the most of this stage of life. For them, travel is about more than just seeing new places; it’s about experiencing the world with purpose and passion,” Liz Einbinder, head of partnerships and public relations at active travel company Backroads, tells Euronews Travel.
“They’re often inspired by the mindset of ‘If not now, when?’”
Why is solo travel among older women on the rise?
One of the key reasons solo travel is surging among older women is that many of them are going through major life transitions. This includes divorce, retirement, the loss of a spouse or children, becoming empty nesters, the end of long-term caring, selling a decades-old business and more.
For a lot of these women, their 50s and 60s are the first time that they’ve had the money, time, freedom, independence or support to travel and experience the world on their own terms, without any major constraints.
Many successful women are now unwilling to sacrifice meaningful adventures and self-care for professional accolades, as healthy work-life balance awareness grows.
For women like Deborah Dotson, host of the Senior Travel Adventures travel show, a lack of travel partners means that solo travel is the only option if they want to see the world.
“I started traveling solo because I was tired of waiting for friends to join me,” she explains.
“Whenever I mentioned a trip, they would always indicate interest, but then they wouldn’t follow through or make a commitment. I am 68 and married, but my husband no longer wants to travel, so that leaves just one choice!”
Solo travelling can offer older women the freedom and flexibility that group travel does not, allowing them to embrace new cultures and explore at their own pace, while building confidence along the way. By travelling during off-peak times, they can also save money.
Some women are seeking personal growth through travel and are driven by the joy of discovery and curiosity. In turn, it is helping them to rediscover themselves.
“Women over 50 are claiming the space that never used to exist for them. They want stillness if life was noisy. They want movement if it’s been routine. Their real motivator is to take back control and prove- to themselves most of all- that age doesn’t shut doors, it opens new ones,” Shelley Marmor, travel advisor at DiscoverCars.com, points out.
More community and small-group travel
Although more older women are travelling alone, they still want companionship in the form of other like-minded female solo travellers.
48 per cent of the women surveyed by Girls’ Guide to the World have already been on a women-only group trip, which can be a comfortable option for first-time solo travellers who don’t have a partner to go with.
Solo cruises can be another safe and liberating option. Most other cruise options can come with added costs like solo supplements, which is an added fee that solo travellers pay for a cruise cabin, hotel room or tour package meant for two people. They might also not feel as inclusive for travellers on their own.
“Women who travel solo and are meeting up with a group of potential new friends are excited to make new acquaintances and share the experience with them. Women in general thrive on bonding and sisterhood- we see this take place on every trip, and it's a very important part of the equation,” Doni Belau, the founder of Girls’ Guide to the World, says.
“Many women stay in touch with one another after their trip for years to come.”
Older women can spend big, but on things that matter
Solo female travellers in their 50s and 60s are rapidly redefining what luxury means to them. Forget marble bath tubs and first class flights, these women are willing to spend big on facilities that allow them to fully and deeply experience a destination, such as local guides and food.
27 per cent of women in the Girls’ Guide to the World survey were willing to spend more than €8,500 on a once-in-a-lifetime, one-week trip, but only if it offered depth and purpose, not decadence. 15 per cent would spend more than that on such a trip.
According to the survey, for 45 per cent of solo older female travellers, a private room was essential while choosing a group travel trip.
Francesca Elisabetta Owens, founder of slow travel company Travel from the Inside Out, backs up this finding, noting that older female solo travellers want to spend more but not on flashy accommodation. All they are looking for is somewhere that provides good sleep and personal space.
“It means beautiful, clean, private, and well-designed spaces. They don’t want to deal with someone else’s snoring, bathroom habits, lights clicking on in the night, or ringtones going off.”
An expert guide was vital for 41 per cent of women surveyed, whereas destination knowledge was necessary for 36 per cent of travellers. Local food was the top priority for 32 per cent.
Belau pointed out that there is a misconception that women won’t spend much money on themselves and only spend for upscale trips if they’re going with a spouse or family.
“We have seen otherwise. There has never been a time when women have had this much autonomy and money to spend. Most of our clients are professional women who’ve made their own money or supported a spouse for many years, raising the kids while he did,” she says.
“At this stage in their lives, they have ‘earned’ the right to a comfortable curated experience.”
Elika Dadsetan, a solo traveller in her late 40s is seeing a shift away from material luxury towards experiential richness, from staying in homes that tell a story to learning to cook from village elders.
“I’ve noticed a growing appetite for experiences that feel both grounded and expansive. This might mean slow travel, like a month in Lisbon or Oaxaca, or meaningful adventure, like taking a food and storytelling tour in West Africa. There’s interest in cultural immersion, nature, wellness, and reconnection- with self, with community, and often with heritage.”
Luxury increasingly means time, connection, space and access to them, instead of only amenities for these women.
Active holidays are on the rise among older women
Older female travellers are consistently seeking out destinations and activities which push them to their limits, both physically and mentally.
Active holidays, such as walking and hiking trips are especially popular as they challenge notions of older women not being as physically able to undertake challenging routes. It also allows for more immersive travel.
Nadine Gravis, adventure specialist at 10Adventures shares that more than 95 per cent of the older women she’s worked with on solo trips have booked self-guided hiking or walking tours. These usually go along planned routes without a guide or groups.
One of the tours she books is the famous Camino Frances route, covering 804 kilometres from France to Spain and taking about 40 days to complete.
“Last year I booked a solo female guest who was celebrating her 70th birthday while completing this route solo. She noted that she wanted to prove to herself and to her family that she could do something absolutely extraordinary. She did just that, and celebrated her 70th birthday on the trail, completing the route as planned,” Gravis said.
Other walking and hiking routes popular with older women include England’s Cotswolds, Arizona’s Saguaro National Park, the Great Smoky Mountains and the Canadian Rockies.
More older women are especially drawn towards riding holidays as well. Carlos Nasillo, the CEO of motorcycle rental company Riderly, notes that older women are often the ones most likely to over research directions and pack better than most. He has noticed that they are also usually better at dealing with the mechanical aspects of a trip than younger riders.
“We had a 62-year-old retired teacher from Ohio book our Portugal coastal tour last spring. She'd been dreaming of motorcycle travel since her twenties but put it off for marriage, kids, and caring for aging parents,” he shared.
“She completed the entire eight-day route without any support calls, sent me photos from clifftop stops saying it was the first vacation in 40 years where she made every decision herself.”
He adds that these women are shifting the idea of luxury away from conventional concepts and into deep explorations of meaning, according to him.
“For them luxury is not fancy hotels; it’s better gear and good bikes, plus the thrill of a second childhood.”
More cultural immersion and wellness
Cultural immersion was a top priority for 2026 travel for 60 per cent of women in the Girls’ Guide to the World survey. More women are seeking holidays which offer discovery, authenticity and purpose.
“Older women travelling solo are chasing flavor and rhythm: food tours, wine regions, craft workshops, slow walks through historic streets, bustling local markets,” Marmor says.
“Europe still holds the crown with its gastronomy, soft climate, compact routes, and a slow pace. In one day, they can browse a market, linger in a museum, sip wine at a vineyard, and still make dinner in a tiny neighborhood bistro- without exhausting transfers or back-to-back tours.”
Interest in hands-on activities and experiences such as authentic cooking classes on farms off the beaten path, pottery studios in Tuscany, art residencies in Provence and milking goats in the mountains of Crete is increasing among older solo women travellers too.
“No matter how many times they see these organic, back-to-nature processes like making cheese, pressing olive oil, harvesting and making wine, they love it,” Owens emphasises.
“They want to do it in the company of other women, where they can laugh, be involved, and feel like they’re participating.”
Other types of learning vacations, which provide more authentic connection with locals are popular too. That includes language immersion programs, archaeological digs and photography workshops, according to Paul Stewart, founder of My Baggage USA.
Wellness and slow travel are other major trends being seen, with calmcations standing out in particular. These are trips which focus on restorative holidays where digital detox, mental decompression and a robust connection with nature, instead of over-scheduled itineraries.
“Amid a busy world with increasing environmental concerns, calmcations push for sustainable, slow and considerate travel. These trips are breaks that leave you feeling refreshed, rather than exhausted and like you need another holiday,” Sarah Findley, travel expert at Total Travel Protection, says.
Women over 50 looking for a midlife renaissance of sorts are attracted to retreats aimed at providing emotional balance and spirituality.
“Their retreat choices reflect a profound shift towards self-worth, emotional clarity, and vitality, with a strong emphasis on deep spiritual and emotional resets, comprehensive self-care, and adventurous new challenges,” Chelsea Ross, founder of Goddess Retreats, a women-only retreat in Bali, adds.
When it comes to destinations, Italy remains a classic favourite, mainly because of the warm and hospitable culture, as well as wealth of places to explore. However, more far-flung destinations such as Mexico, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Japan, Zambia and Egypt are on the rise as well.
“Some of the most popular destinations with this demographic are India, Morocco, Nepal and Peru. They are also keen to connect with different cultures, such as visiting local Berber women in Morocco’s Agouti Gorge, where travellers learn traditional weaving techniques before preparing khobz flatbread together,” Joanna Reeve, general manager UK & Ireland at Intrepid Travel, points out.
Not chasing the party, but not a care home either
One of the biggest misconceptions about older female solo travellers is that they want nothing but benches and museums, according to Marmor.
“That’s fiction. Most of them want energy with intention. They’ll book tango classes, paddle a kayak through a lagoon, rent a car and drive from coast to mountains. Maybe they’re not chasing the party, but they refuse a trip that feels like a care home.”
She also points out that they’re mostly tech-comfortable, doing things like using GPS, booking online and joining interest groups.
Another misconception is that this category of women travellers are timid and need hand-holding, which is often not true.
“Many are incredibly confident and well-traveled- they’re not afraid of being alone, they’re tired of compromising,” shares Ruthie Kalai, co-founder of slow travel company One Week Each Year.
The older female solo travel segment can often be overlooked by trip organisers because of the above misconceptions.
“I think because we’re gray-haired and have more wrinkles, our identity can get lost or overlooked. We can become invisible,” Owens reflects.
“In reality, these women have put in a lifetime of working important jobs and raising families successfully. People don’t realise how deeply they want this final shot at life to be fulfilling. And they have the money to do it. They are a financial powerhouse.”