African Safari Tours Designed for Women Who Want to See Africa Properly
Travelling through Africa as a woman should feel exciting—not like an administrative obstacle course involving seventeen browser tabs and a low-level fear that you have booked the wrong tent in the wrong country.
Girl in the Wilderness creates African safari tours for women who want honest advice, thoughtful planning and the freedom to experience Africa in a way that feels safe, personal and properly adventurous. Travel alone on a privately designed safari, join one of our small women-only groups or take the wheel on a supported Suzuki Jimny expedition through South Africa.
You do not need a partner, an entourage or the constitution of an Edwardian explorer. You simply need the right journey and people who understand the continent.
Find the African Safari That Fits the Way You Want to Travel
There Is More Than One Way for a Woman to Travel to Africa
This is the text area for this paragraph. To change it, simply click and start typing. Once you've added your content, you can customize its design. This is the text area for this paragraph. To change it, simply click and start typing. Once you've added your content, you can customize its design.
Service one
Join a Women-Only Small-Group Safari
Hosted set departures for women who want to arrive alone but not travel alone.
Travel Africa Solo—With the Right Support
Privately designed journeys for women who want independence, flexibility and a plan that does not unravel at the baggage carousel.
Drive Your Own Jimny Across South Africa
Supported small-group convoys offering the freedom of self-driving without being abandoned beside a suspicious puddle with a paper map and a rapidly declining sense of humour.
Which Type of African Safari Is Right for You?
| Travel style | Best for | Independence | Companionship | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women-only small group | Solo joiners, friends, first-time visitors | Medium | High | High |
| Privately planned solo safari | Independent women wanting flexibility | High | Optional | Tailored |
| Jimny self-drive convoy | Adventurous women who want to drive, friends travelling together | High | High | Supported |
Is Africa Safe for Women Travellers?
Women can and do travel safely throughout many parts of Africa, but safety varies considerably between countries, cities and styles of travel. The sensible answer is not to pretend that the entire continent is risk-free. It is to choose the right destination, arrange reliable transfers, work with people who know the ground and understand what support is available at every stage.
Safari travel is generally highly structured. Airport collections, lodge transfers, guides and accommodation are arranged in advance, which removes many of the uncertainties associated with independent city travel. We also speak honestly about the places where extra caution is needed because reassurance is only useful when it is true.
Best Places in Africa for Women-Only Safaris
Africa offers some of the world’s most breathtaking wilderness areas — but not all safari destinations feel equally intuitive, accessible, or safe for women travelling solo or in small groups. The destinations below are handpicked not just for wildlife or landscapes, but for female-friendly logistics, safety, guiding quality, and overall ease of travel.
Whether it’s your first safari or your fifteenth, these are the best places in Africa for women seeking a journey that feels wild, empowering, and beautifully supported.
South Africa—Best for First-Time Visitors and Self-Drive Adventures
Strong infrastructure, varied safari budgets, Cape Town combinations and excellent private reserves.
Why it’s ideal for women:
- World-class private reserves with exceptional guiding
- Smooth logistics and safe, reliable transfers
- Abundant Big Five sightings
- Excellent accommodation for every budget
- Perfect for both small-group and private women’s safaris
This is where many women choose to begin their safari journey - especially in regions like the Greater Kruger, where the wildlife density and viewer experience are world-class.
Kenya—Best for Wildlife, Culture and Iconic Landscapes
Excellent for first-time East African travel, migration seasons and combining safari with community experiences.
Why women love it:
- Incredible wildlife diversity
- Female rangers, female guides, and women-led community projects
- Unique activities: hot air ballooning, Maasai cultural experiences
- Ideal for photography and migratory season safaris
Kenya works beautifully for women travelling alone, mother–daughter trips, and photography-focused groups.
Tanzania—Best for a Classic, Wildlife-Intensive Safari
Extraordinary wildlife circuits, but distances and routing need careful planning
Why it’s a top pick:
- Serengeti’s Great Migration
- The Ngorongoro Crater, one of the world’s most dramatic wildlife habitats
- Excellent female guides in certain camps and regions
- A blend of adventure, culture, and comfort
Tanzania is ideal for women seeking a classic safari experience with spectacular movement and scenery.
Botswana—Best for Quiet Wilderness and Seamless Lodge Travel
Good for women who value space, wildlife and carefully managed fly-in logistics, but generally more expensive..
Why women choose it:
- Low-impact, low-crowd wilderness
- Stunning Okavango Delta water-based safaris
- Exceptional guiding
- Private concessions where sightings are intimate
This is where women come when they want exclusivity, quiet luxury, and untouched wilderness.
Zambia and Zimbabwe—Best for Experienced and Adventurous Travellers
Excellent guiding, walking safaris and less-manufactured wilderness, but not always the easiest entry point for a nervous first-time traveller.
Why it’s special:
- Best walking safaris in Africa
- Intimate camps that focus on connection and storytelling
- Excellent for conservation-minded travellers
- Victoria Falls extensions for a powerful finale
Zambia and Zimbabwe areperfect for women who prefer experience over glamour and crave a sense of true wilderness.
Namibia—Best for Independent Road Trips
Beautiful, logistically clear and ideal for self-drive travellers comfortable with long distances and remote roads.
Why it stands out:
- Extraordinary Desert Landscapes
- Wildlife in unexpected places
- Space, freedom and Solitude
- Spectacular Photographic Opportunities
Namibia offers vast landscapes, fewer crowds and the rare pleasure of travelling for hours without seeing another vehicle—or needing to make polite conversation with anyone.
Join the clan
Who Travels With Girl in the Wilderness?
There is no single type of woman who travels with Girl in the Wilderness. Some arrive alone, some bring their favourite people, and others have simply reached the point where waiting for everyone else’s diary to align feels like a spectacular waste of a perfectly good life.
Women Travelling Alone
Many of our guests travel alone—not because they have nobody to travel with, but because they are ready to go. You can join a small women-only departure or choose a privately designed solo safari with trusted support throughout your journey.
Wildlife Photographers
Our photographic journeys welcome everyone from enthusiastic beginners to experienced photographers. There is time to understand light, behaviour and composition—and no pressure to surrender a wonderful sighting because somebody has already taken three photographs and would now like breakfast.
Women in Their 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond
Age tells us remarkably little about how a woman wants to travel. Some guests prefer leisurely mornings and beautiful lodges; others want walking safaris, mountain trails and long days behind a camera. We plan around your interests, mobility and appetite for adventure—not the year printed in your passport.
Friends and Sisters
Whether you have known each other since school or bonded later over a shared intolerance of nonsense, Africa is an extraordinary place to travel together. We create journeys with enough shared adventure, breathing room and good wine to keep the friendship intact.
Mothers and Daughters
A safari gives mothers and daughters time together away from routines, responsibilities and the usual family roles. It might mark a birthday or major milestone, or simply create the space for conversations that rarely happen when someone is loading the dishwasher.
First-Time Visitors to Africa
Your first journey to Africa can feel exciting and slightly overwhelming. We help you choose the right destination, understand what to expect and manage the logistics, so you can enjoy the experience without wondering whether your airport transfer has quietly disappeared into the ecosystem.
Women Who Are Done Waiting
Sometimes the only reason you need is that you want to go. You do not need a partner, a milestone birthday or unanimous approval from the family WhatsApp group. If Africa is calling, we will help you find a way to answer.
Travel Designed by a Woman Who Actually Knows Africa
I have been leading journeys and travelling with women through Africa since 2011. Girl in the Wilderness was built from that first-hand experience—not from a desk several thousand kilometres away by someone who once spent a pleasant fortnight in Cape Town. I live and work in Africa. I understand the practical side of safari travel: the flights that look wonderfully convenient until you examine the connection time, the transfer that is far longer than the brochure suggests, and the beautiful lodge that may be entirely wrong for the woman considering it.
My experience covers safari logistics, guiding, wildlife, photography and the curious dynamics that develop when a group of strangers shares a vehicle before sunrise. I know when a group needs encouragement, when someone needs breathing room and when everyone would benefit from coffee before attempting further human interaction.
Most importantly, I give honest advice. A famous lodge is not automatically the right lodge. A popular destination is not always the right destination, and the most expensive itinerary is not necessarily the best one. I recommend places and experiences according to the woman travelling—not according to what photographs well on Instagram or happens to be fashionable this season.
Girl in the Wilderness is personal because women’s travel is personal. You are not handed to an anonymous booking department. You are guided by someone who knows Africa, understands how women travel and is prepared to tell you the truth—even when the truth involves removing a very glamorous lodge from your itinerary.
What Happens When You Plan a Safari With Us?
1
Tell Us How You Want to Travel
Solo, in a group, behind the wheel or with your favourite women in tow.
2
Get Honest, Africa-Based Advice
You receive destination and journey recommendations based on your interests, budget and comfort level.
3
Arrive Knowing the Important Bits Are Handled
Your accommodation, transport, guiding and support are organised before you travel.
The Questions we get asked most Frequently about Travelling on the African Continent by Women
Is Africa safe for women travelling alone?
Yes, many women travel safely through Africa, but the right destination, logistics and local support matter. Safety differs between countries and even between regions within the same country.
Can I join a women-only safari if I am travelling alone?
Yes. Most women-only group departures are designed to welcome solo guests, so you do not need to bring a friend or partner.
What is the difference between solo travel and a women-only group safari?
A solo safari is designed around one traveller and may be completely private. A women-only group safari follows a set itinerary shared with other women.
Which African country is best for a first-time female traveller?
South Africa is often the easiest introduction because it combines established tourism infrastructure, varied accommodation and straightforward safari logistics. Botswana and Kenya are also strong choices depending on budget and interests.
Are your safaris suitable for women over 50 or 60?
Yes. Suitability depends more on mobility, interests and preferred pace than age. Each journey should state its physical requirements clearly.
Will I have to pay a single supplement?
It depends on the journey and accommodation. Some departures offer room-sharing or reduced single supplements; private rooms may cost more
Do women-only safaris always have female guides?
No. A women-only guest group does not automatically mean every guide, pilot, tracker or lodge employee will be female. Girl in the Wilderness can be female-hosted while also working with excellent men throughout Africa. This distinction must be stated accurately.
What should women wear on safari in Africa?
Comfortable neutral clothing, layers, closed shoes and sun protection work for most safaris. Cultural expectations and weather vary by destination, so guests should receive destination-specific packing advice.
