Solo Female Safaris in Africa

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You Do Not Need a Travel Companion to Experience Africa

Girl in the Wilderness creates tailor-made African safaris for women travelling alone. We arrange your accommodation, transfers, guides, safari activities and essential connections, creating a journey that feels independent without ever leaving you unsupported.

You can join other guests for game drives, meet new people around the campfire and then retreat to the glorious peace of your own room. There is no need to wait for a partner to develop an interest in wildlife or for six friends to align their leave, budgets, children, knees and opinions about canvas walls.



Africa is ready when you are.

Tailor-made for women travelling solo

Trusted Support from arrival to departure

Solo, Supported Travel

Planned by an Africa-based female safari expert

Can a Woman Go on an African Safari Alone?

Yes, a woman can absolutely go on an African safari alone. When it is properly planned, a safari can be one of the easiest and most supported forms of solo travel.

Most safari journeys follow a carefully coordinated network of airport representatives, professional drivers, safari lodges and trained guides. Your transfers are arranged in advance, your accommodation knows when you are arriving, and your wildlife activities take place with experienced people whose job is to look after you.

This does not mean you are required to spend the entire holiday in a group. You can have your own room, decide how sociable you want to be and enjoy plenty of time to yourself. At most lodges, you will join other guests for game drives and may dine together in the evenings, giving you company without surrendering the independence that made you choose solo travel in the first place.



The important distinction is between travelling alone and being left alone to manage an unfamiliar destination. A well-planned solo safari gives you freedom, but it also gives you support at every important stage.

Is an African Safari Safe for Solo Female Travellers?

A properly planned African safari is generally safe for solo female travellers, but safety depends on the destination, itinerary and people responsible for your journey.

Safari camps operate in remote wildlife areas where guest movements are carefully managed. Activities are led by trained guides, transfers are arranged in advance and staff may escort guests between their rooms and communal areas after dark. This is partly for personal security and partly because elephants have never shown much interest in lodge pathways or carefully worded guest policies.

The sections of a journey requiring the greatest thought are often outside the safari itself. Airport arrivals, city stays, road transfers and tight flight connections all need to be planned with the same care as the lodge.

We improve the safety and ease of your journey by:

• Using reliable transfer companies and professional drivers
• Arranging airport meet-and-greet services where appropriate
• Avoiding unnecessary late-night arrivals
• Choosing established lodges and camps
• Allowing realistic connection times
• Providing clear travel documents and emergency contacts
• Remaining available if something changes during your journey

No responsible travel specialist should describe an entire continent as completely safe. Africa consists of 54 countries, each with different regions, infrastructure and practical considerations. Our role is to understand those differences and create a journey in which foreseeable risks have been properly considered.

Explore Our Women-Only African Safaris

Our scheduled women-only safaris are designed for women who value good guiding, honest advice and experiences with more substance than a decorative gin station. Each departure has its own character, pace and level of activity, allowing you to choose a journey that genuinely suits the way you want to travel.

Kenya brings together exceptional wildlife, vast landscapes and a strong sense of place. This hosted small-group journey is designed for women who want to experience the country beyond a hurried checklist, with time for wildlife, photography, cultural connection and the pleasure of allowing somebody else to manage the logistics.



Dates: November 2027

Duration: 8 nights / 9 days

Group size: Minimum 6 & Maximum 12

Starts in: Nairobi

Ends in: Nairobi

Price: US$ 4,508.00

Availability: Open for bookings

Botswana offers exceptional wildlife, intimate camps and vast wilderness with remarkably few crowds. This hosted small-group safari is designed for women who value excellent guiding, meaningful wildlife encounters and the quiet pleasure of travelling through some of Africa’s wildest places.

Dates: March 2027

Duration: 9 nights/10 Days

Group size: 6 Guests in Shared Accommodation

Starts in: Johannesburg

Ends in: Johannesburg

Price: US$ 9,925.00

Availability: Open for bookings

South Africa combines outstanding wildlife, varied landscapes and straightforward safari logistics. This hosted small-group journey is ideal for women seeking a comfortable first safari, meaningful adventure and plenty of time to experience the country without being hurried through it.

Dates: April 2027

Duration: 7 nights/8 Days

Group size: 5 Guests in Shared Accommodation

1 Single Spot Available

Starts in: Johannesburg

Ends in: Johannesburg

Price: US$ 3,200.00 per person Sharing

50% Single Supplement

Availability: Open for bookings

What Is a Solo Female Safari Actually Like?

A solo female safari is more structured, sociable and comfortable than many women expect. You travel independently, but most of your activities, transfers and meals are organised for you.

A typical day begins early with tea or coffee before heading out on a guided morning game drive. You return to camp for breakfast or brunch, followed by several quiet hours in which you can read, sleep, sit beside the pool, edit photographs or watch whatever wildlife wanders past the deck.



In the afternoon, you head out again for a game drive, guided walk or boat activity, often stopping for sundowners before returning to camp for dinner.

At many safari lodges, solo guests join other travellers for scheduled activities. Meals may be served at individual tables, communally or with the camp manager and guides. Some camps are naturally warm and sociable, while others are built around private villas, private dining and guests who largely keep to themselves.

Neither approach is wrong, but the atmosphere of a lodge matters enormously when you are travelling alone. We take this into account when choosing where you stay.



You can meet interesting people without having to organise your holiday around them. You can enjoy conversation around the fire and still close your door at the end of the evening with the quiet satisfaction that nobody is snoring beside you.

Which Type of Solo Safari Is Right for You?

Travelling solo does not mean that every part of your safari needs to look or feel the same. The experience can be shaped around your confidence, interests, budget and the way you naturally prefer to travel.

Some women arrive in Africa wanting to test their independence, while others simply refuse to keep postponing the journey because nobody else can come. Both are entirely valid reasons to travel, and neither requires you to prove how brave or self-sufficient you are.

What matters is that the safari feels comfortable without becoming restrictive, supported without feeling managed, and adventurous without leaving you responsible for logistics you cannot reasonably assess from thousands of kilometres away.



Understanding the different ways a solo safari can be arranged will help you choose an experience that feels genuinely right for you, rather than accepting a standard itinerary built for couples with one person quietly removed.

What Are the Best African Safari Destinations for Solo Female Travellers?

The best African safari destinations for solo female travellers combine reliable tourism infrastructure, professional guiding, welcoming accommodation and well-managed connections. The right country also depends on your budget, experience, wildlife interests and preferred level of adventure. South Africa may be ideal for one woman, while another will feel far more at home in the waterways of Botswana or the wide-open landscapes of Kenya.

Is South Africa Good for a Solo Female Safari?

Is Botswana Good for Solo Female Travellers?

Is Kenya Suitable for a Woman Travelling Alone?

Is Tanzania a Good Destination for a Solo Safari?

Are Zambia and Zimbabwe Safe for Solo Female Safaris?

Can I Go Gorilla Trekking as a Solo Female Traveller?

Which African Country Is Best for a First-Time Solo Female Safari?

There is no right or wrong answer...it depends entirely on you...

South Africa is often the best choice for a first-time solo female safari because it combines excellent wildlife, dependable tourism infrastructure and a broad range of accommodation.

Flights and road transfers are generally easier to coordinate than in more remote fly-in destinations. The Greater Kruger region has many established private reserves where accommodation, meals and twice-daily guided game drives are included.

Kenya is another strong first-time option for women wanting a classic East African safari, while Botswana suits those seeking remote luxury and comfortable with a higher budget.



The best destination is ultimately the one that matches your interests, confidence and available budget. A famous country is not automatically the right country for you, and we would rather recommend the right journey than the most obvious one.

How Much Does a Solo Safari in Africa Cost?

South Africa generally provides the widest range of options for different budgets. Botswana, Rwanda and remote fly-in itineraries tend to cost more. Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe can vary significantly depending on season and travel style.



We prefer to work from an honest budget. Tell us what you are comfortable spending and we will explain what it can realistically achieve, rather than enticing you with a suspiciously low starting price that excludes the flights, transfers and half the things you actually need.

Do Solo Travellers Pay a Single Supplement on Safari?

Some safari lodges charge solo travellers a single supplement, but many reduce or waive this fee during selected seasons.

Safari rooms are commonly priced on the assumption that two guests will share. When one person occupies the room, the lodge may add a supplement to recover part of the lost second-person revenue.

There are several ways we can reduce the additional cost:

Travelling during the green or shoulder season can provide excellent value, but price should not be considered in isolation. Weather, wildlife movement, camp accessibility and the activities you want to experience are equally important.



A waived supplement is not much of a victory if it places you in the wrong area at the wrong time.

Will I Feel Lonely on a Solo Safari?

Most solo travellers do not feel lonely on safari because game drives, meals and camp life provide natural opportunities to meet other guests.

A safari vehicle makes conversation remarkably easy. Everyone is focused on the same wildlife, so there is no need to manufacture small talk or explain why you are travelling alone. By the time you have spent twenty minutes following a leopard through the bush, introductions tend to take care of themselves.



Many lodges offer communal or hosted dining, drinks around the fire and shared activities. Others provide more private experiences. We will ask how sociable you want your safari to be and recommend camps accordingly.

You may still experience moments of solitude, but that is often one of the great pleasures of travelling alone. There is an important difference between loneliness and sitting quietly on a private deck while elephants drink below you.

Things we get asked about Women Only Safaris in Africa

Can I Join an African Safari as a Solo Woman?



Yes. Women travelling alone are welcome on our small-group departures, and many guests join without knowing anyone else before the safari begins.

Joining independently does not necessarily mean travelling privately or spending the journey alone. You become part of a hosted group from the agreed meeting point and follow the planned itinerary together.

Before departure, you receive practical information about the journey, meeting arrangements, accommodation and what to expect. You will know where to be, who will meet you and what happens next—considerably more useful than being told simply to “look for someone holding a sign.”

Read About Solo Female Safaris in Africa

What Is It Really Like to Join a Group of Women You Have Never Met?

Joining a group of strangers can feel intimidating. That is entirely normal. Most women wonder whether they will fit in, whether everybody else will already know one another and whether they will be trapped beside someone who provides a live commentary on every meal.

In reality, everyone begins with something in common: they chose Africa, they chose this particular journey and they were willing to come. The first conversations tend to begin naturally—at the airport, over dinner or when somebody spots the first elephant and all remaining social formality leaves the vehicle.

A good group does not require everyone to be the same. Some women are outgoing; others need quiet time. Some want to photograph every bird; others remain unconvinced that there need to be quite so many species of small brown thing. The aim is not to manufacture identical personalities. It is to create a respectful group in which different women can enjoy the same journey.

Read about the Personalities you will encounter on a Women-Only Safari

why we stand out

Every journey is approached using first-hand knowledge of safari logistics, wildlife, accommodation and group dynamics. That means looking beyond whether a lodge photographs beautifully and asking more useful questions: Is the route sensible? Is the experience worth the cost? Does the lodge suit this group? Is there enough time to enjoy where we are, or are we simply moving women and luggage around the continent with impressive efficiency?

We do not believe that adding women to a standard itinerary automatically creates a women-only safari. The pace, support, accommodation, activities and group size all matter. So does honest communication about what a journey involves.



We will tell you when a safari is active, when the transfers are long, when the mornings are early and when a famous lodge may not be right for you. You deserve enough information to make a good decision—not a brochure full of adjectives and a small-print ambush later.

Is a Women-Only Small-Group Safari Right for You?

A women-only small-group safari is ideal if you want to explore Africa with the support of an experienced host and the companionship of other women—without disappearing into a large tour group where everyone is issued a lanyard and expected to move as one organism.

These journeys may be right for you if:

• You want to travel to Africa but do not have the right travel companion.
• You enjoy meeting women with different backgrounds and life experiences.
• You value expert planning and clearly organised logistics.
• You want companionship while still having space to be yourself.
• You are comfortable following a planned itinerary.
• You enjoy wildlife, nature and experiences that occasionally begin before the sun has shown any interest in participating.
• You can approach group travel with flexibility, curiosity and a sense of humour.

You do not need to be particularly outgoing, experienced in group travel or capable of making friends before breakfast. You simply need to be respectful of other women, open to the experience and willing to share the journey.

A Group Journey May Not Suit You If…

A scheduled departure may not be the right fit if you want complete control over every day, prefer to make decisions as you go or need the itinerary to revolve around your individual interests. Group travel requires some flexibility around departure times, activities, meals and how long the group spends at a particular sighting.

It may also feel restrictive if you prefer complete privacy, find prolonged social interaction exhausting or strongly dislike sharing vehicles, meals and communal spaces with other human beings. While there is room for quiet time, you will still be part of a group and your choices will occasionally need to accommodate the women travelling with you.

Specific dietary, medical, mobility or accommodation requirements do not automatically exclude you, but they should be discussed before booking. Some remote camps have limited facilities, fixed activities and very early mornings, while others may involve light aircraft, uneven terrain or climbing into safari vehicles with rather more determination than dignity.



None of this means Africa is not for you. A privately designed solo safari may simply give you the freedom, flexibility and privacy you would enjoy more.

How Safe Are Women-Only Safaris in Africa?

Women-only safaris are generally highly structured, with accommodation, transfers, activities and guides arranged before departure. This removes many of the uncertainties associated with travelling independently through unfamiliar destinations. However, no responsible safari company should claim that any journey is entirely without risk

Girl in the Wilderness considers safety when selecting routes, accommodation, transport providers and activities. Guests receive clear meeting information, practical pre-departure guidance and contact details for the people responsible for their journey.

On safari, wildlife activities are conducted according to the rules and procedures of the relevant reserve, park or operator. Guests must still follow guide instructions, exercise ordinary travel awareness and disclose any medical or mobility considerations that could affect participation.



Our approach is straightforward: give women enough honest information to feel prepared, supported and confident. Reassurance is only useful when it is based on reality.

Are Women-Only Safaris Always Guided by Women?

No. A women-only safari means the guest group is exclusively female; it does not necessarily mean every guide, tracker, pilot, driver or lodge employee will be a woman.

Girl in the Wilderness journeys are hosted by Antje Mouton where specifically stated. Throughout Africa, we also work with experienced local professionals—both women and men—chosen for their guiding ability, destination knowledge and the quality of the experience they provide.

Each departure page will clearly state who hosts the journey and how the guiding arrangements work. There should be no mysterious transformation between what you believed you booked and who appears beside the vehicle on day one.

Simply put, Antje's extensive network of guides, selects the best local lodge guide for the group. We do not discriminate between Male & Female Guides. Instead Antje chooses the best guide for the location based on experience, personality and special interests.

Are These Safaris Suitable for Women Over 50 or 60?

Yes. Women in their 50s, 60s and beyond regularly enjoy African safaris. Suitability depends far more on the itinerary, mobility requirements and preferred pace than on age alone.

Some journeys involve flights between camps and wildlife viewing from vehicles. Others may include walking, climbing into 4×4 vehicles, uneven ground or long travel days. Every departure should state these requirements clearly so you can decide whether the journey suits you.

We do not assume that women over 50 need to be placed near a daybed and discouraged from unnecessary movement. Some prefer a relaxed pace; others will happily walk into the mountains while considerably younger travellers complain about the Wi-Fi.

If you are uncertain, speak to Antje before booking. The aim is to find the right safari—not to persuade you into the wrong one.

Will I Have to Share a Room or Pay a Single Supplement?

Room arrangements and single supplements vary between departures because African lodges price accommodation differently.

Some journeys may offer:

• A private room at a single supplement.
• Twin-sharing with another woman.
• Roommate matching where appropriate.
• A limited number of single rooms.
• Reduced or waived supplements on selected departures.

The itinerary will state the available room options and additional costs clearly. If you don't want to pay a single supplement, we can attempt to match you with a roommate.

No woman should discover the true cost of travelling alone only after developing an emotional attachment to the itinerary.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Women-Only Safaris