Solo travel should be at the top of every woman’s to-do list. Not bucket list, to-do list; there’s a difference. Besides the usual causes for concern, i.e. safety, solitude, affordability, there are ways to travel solo without truly “traveling solo”. Piggybacking on small group tours, or hostel-work-stays as two prime examples. Another stupendous suggestion: Voluntourism. Haven’t heard of that term? Don’t worry, I’ll explain it in more detail in a bit. Along with a handful of reasons why voluntourism is actually ideal for solo female travelers.
The concept quite obviously combines tourism and volunteering and is in many ways a form of sustainable traveling. Which is leaving a lasting impact on the places you visit via donating your time, talent, or monetary blessings. It’s the definition of traveling with a purpose.
Ready to learn more about it?
Travel with a purpose
Women who wish to solo travel, but hesitate, should actively consider voluntourism. It offers direction and gives traveling a sense of purpose. It may also serve to give loved ones back at home, less to stress about while you’re away. Not to mention some solid bragging rights. Soon they’ll be blabbing to the neighbors or passersby in the bread aisle of the grocers that their kid/friend/bae is off “saving the world”. Painting you as a modern-day heroine of sorts vs worrying about your safety in some far off European hostel. We’ve all seen the movie, right?
Now, take a moment and research what kind of volunteer opportunities exist in your wanderlust destinations of choice. I bet you’ll be surprised at what you find. You may also be surprised to see that many volunteering opportunities require a hefty payment. These payments are typically re-routed back into operations, which allows for the organization to exist.
As a former digital nomad backpacking through SE Asia, I once eyeballed volunteering with Orangutangs in Borneo. Before joining the U.S. Peace Corps I was researching coral reef restoration organizations in the Caribbean. I also looked into manatee conservation in Florida and considered a stint in Costa Rica with Habitat for Humanity.
Let these serve as just a handful of ideas of the type of voluntourism that awaits you.
Safety fallback
Another solid reason why voluntourism is actually ideal for solo female travelers is the safety fallback. When you volunteer you become part of a community. In other words, people are looking out for you. Most accommodations will be shared and in trusted and secure locations. Further, emergency protocols will most certainly be in place, which is aces because emergencies do in fact happen.
For most females considering traveling solo, safety is the number one deterrent. That’s not to say that volunteering doesn’t come with its own risks. All of which one should assess and consider prior to agreeing to begin. For example, when volunteering in Thailand at an elephant rescue, I was briefed thoroughly about the dangers on the grounds. The elephants themselves weren’t the only danger, so were the snakes, and spiders nesting in the fields.
Not only was I volunteering with the elephants but also in local beach clean-ups. For me, volunteering in this capacity helped me establish friends while in a foreign country. It also fulfilled the necessary element of sustainable travel during my time in the country.
Having flexed my sustainable travel muscles on three different continents, it truly has become a practice of sorts. And practice makes perfect, right?
Sustainable travel practice
The future of travel is sustainable. The sooner tourists can get on board with that notion, the better. Leaving a positive impact in the places we visit to unwind and explore is the safest way to ensure that experience can be enjoyed by generations to come. Making volunteering the objective of your stay is one way of adopting a sustainable travel practice.
In other words, you would be doing your part to help the industry while directly impacting the local community the volunteering is taking place. While some people still don’t know the truths about sustainable travel or how best to get involved, the truth is out there. Other sustainable travel practices include:
- Slow traveling- Exploring one place slowly and for a longer period of time in order to build rapport with local businesses and people.
- Overland traveling- Not using aviation, so van-lifers, Roadtrippers, backpackers, etc.
- Responsible tourism – Leaving a destination the same as or better than you found it.
And just like, that you’re an eco-tourist.
Make the ideology a reality
Can you see now why voluntourism is actually ideal for solo female travelers> For any traveler, really. The safety fallback it can provide can help all parties involved breathe that much easier. Especially if this is someone’s first solo adventure. Giving your travels a purpose can unknowingly give the entire journey profound meaning and provide a lasting impact. And lastly, it’s a brilliant way to join in on the sustainable travel movement.
What more proof do you need? Get out there and get voluntouring!
Wanna volunteer, but on the go too much to do so in a physical location? Try contacting Nomads Giving Back. I connected with them earlier this year and have been volunteering limited Social Media services -from my selection of freelance services- to an organization based in the UAE centered around providing specialized education for refugees. Check them out, follow & support, if you’re so inclined @_naamal_
