Solo Female Travelers

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Maria Kamau, a Kenyan travel writer and certified travel coach who has visited over 100 countries with a Kenyan passport. Together, they explore passport privilege, visa inequality, and what it really takes to travel the world when your passport doesn't offer the same freedom of movement as others.

From complicated visa applications and expensive fees to unexpected challenges at immigration, Maria shares the realities of traveling with a less powerful passport. She recounts her journey from her first international trip to Germany in 1989 to reaching...

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Jase Hatcher, Senior Campaigner for Climate and Oceans at Friends of the Earth USA, to explore the environmental impact of cruise ships and what travelers should consider before booking their next cruise vacation.

Cruises offer convenience, entertainment, and the opportunity to visit multiple destinations without constantly packing and unpacking. But behind the all-inclusive experience lies a complex environmental footprint. From wastewater discharge and air pollution to fuel consumption and the effects of large vessels on marine ecosystems, Mar and Jase discuss the environmental consequences...

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Meg is joined by Kelcie Miller-Anderson, environmental scientist, disability advocate, and creator of The Chronic Explorer, to explore the unseen challenges and incredible possibilities of traveling as a wheelchair user.

After being diagnosed with a rare disease in 2018, Kelcie's relationship with travel changed dramatically. But rather than giving up exploring the world, she discovered how using a wheelchair could give her back her independence and open the door to new adventures. From swimming with whale sharks to adaptive skiing and exploring Oregon's accessible beaches, she shares how travel...

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Lisa Abend, freelance journalist and creator of The Unplugged Traveler, to explore what happens when we put our phones away and rediscover the joy of traveling without digital distractions.

After noticing how social media, online recommendations, and travel algorithms were making travel experiences increasingly predictable, Lisa decided to try something different: visiting unfamiliar destinations without using Google Maps, researching attractions, or booking accommodation in advance.

Lisa shares how her unplugged adventures across Europe have brought back the spontaneity and unexpected discoveries that...

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Alessandra Lotufo Alonso, founder and managing director of Women in Travel CIC, to explore how female tour guides are transforming the way travelers experience cities while creating new opportunities for women in tourism.

Alessandra shares how Women in Travel CIC supports underserved women, including immigrants, refugees, and women rebuilding their careers, through its Tour Guiding Academy. The program helps participants develop storytelling, guiding, and entrepreneurial skills, turning their personal experiences, cultural heritage, and local knowledge into meaningful tours that visitors can book.

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In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by her business partner and fellow co-founder Meg Jerrard to break down everything you need to know to plan a trip to Australia. Drawing on Meg’s experience growing up and living across Australia, as well as the many trips Mar has taken around the country, they explain why Australia is an incredible destination for solo female travelers, and why its enormous size makes planning ahead essential.

They cover how long you should spend in Australia, the best time to visit different regions, how to bu...

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Dr. Karla Boluk, professor at the University of Waterloo, to explore the complicated ethics of Last Chance Tourism: traveling to see places, ecosystems, wildlife, or communities before they disappear or change irreversibly.

They discuss the paradox at the heart of this kind of travel. Visiting a threatened destination can create awareness, emotional connection, and even inspire conservation, but tourism itself can also contribute to the very pressures putting that place at risk. From melting glaciers and polar bears to gentrifying neighborhoods and fragile communities...

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Meg and Mar dive into six years of data from the annual Solo Female Travel Trends Survey to uncover what women really want when they travel alone. They challenge some of the most persistent stereotypes around solo female travel, including the idea that women travel alone because they have no one to go with, or that shopping, spas and Instagram-worthy destinations drive their travel decisions.

Using insights gathered from thousands of women around the world, they explore why women choose to travel solo, the biggest barriers they face...

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Cepee, founder of She Hit Refresh and author of An American’s Ultimate Visa Guide to Living in Europe. Cepee shares her story of moving from the US to Spain at 35 after realizing that the stable life she had built wasn't the life she wanted. Together, they explore what it really takes to turn the dream of moving abroad into a realistic plan.

They talk about finding your “why,” overcoming the fear that you're too old to start over, choosing the right destination, taking a scou...

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Anastasia is joined by Meg Ten Eyck, founder and CEO of Every Queer and a longtime advocate for LGBTQ+ travel and inclusion. Together, they explore what it really means for a destination to be welcoming and affirming to queer travelers, beyond rainbow flags, Pride campaigns, and LGBTQ-friendly marketing.

Meg shares her experience traveling to more than 80 countries and explains how queer travelers often have to make safety and visibility calculations that other travelers may never consider. They discuss researching destinations, deciding when to disclose your identity, traveling with...

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar and Meg Jerrard explore a question that sounds simple but is surprisingly personal: is group travel right for you? Rather than trying to convince everyone to join a tour, they unpack the different types of group travel and why the right choice depends on your personality, expectations, travel style, and stage of life.

They talk honestly about the trade-offs between group and independent travel, from freedom and flexibility to the mental load of planning, cost, access to unique experiences, and the compromises that come with traveling alongside...

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Marinel de Jesus, a former civil rights attorney turned mountain nomad, filmmaker, tourism equity advocate, and founder of Equity Global Treks and the Porter Voice Collective. Marinel shares her journey from practicing law in Washington, DC, to building a life around hiking, community-led tourism, and advocating for the workers who make some of the world’s most famous treks possible.

Together, Mar and Marinel take a closer look at the realities behind trekking in places like Peru and Nepal, including po...

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Gaby Orozco, a former cabin crew member who spent five years working in aviation and now works with the Solo Female Travelers team. Together, they go behind the scenes of life as a flight attendant and explore what passengers rarely see once they step onto a plane.

Gaby shares the reality of working at 35,000 feet, from crew rest areas and what really happens to leftover food and drinks, to passenger upgrades, gift bags, emergency situations, onboard medical issues, and the unexpected ways cabin crew...

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Ellie Hamby and Dr. Sandy Hazelip, better known as the Traveling Nanas, whose adventures prove that there is no age limit to exploring the world. After meeting through a medical mission in Zambia, their friendship grew into decades of independent travel and, eventually, an epic journey around the world in 80 days at age 81.

Ellie and Sandy share some of their most memorable travel stories, from riding the Trans-Siberian Railway and unexpectedly becoming witnesses to a crime to navigating Syria as conflict began and relying...

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Dr. Vincie Ho, founder and Executive Director of RISE Travel Institute, for a thought-provoking conversation about what it really means to decolonize travel. Together, they explore how colonialism continues to shape the way we travel today, from the maps we use and the passports we carry to the language we choose, the experiences we seek, and the impact our travels have on local communities.

The discussion covers topics such as voluntourism, overtourism, cultural appropriation, community-led tourism, traveler privilege, and the importance of reciprocity when...

Planning your first trip to Scotland? In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Anastasia is joined by Scotland tour host Naomi to share practical advice for making the most of your visit. From choosing the best time of year to exploring the Highlands, Edinburgh, and the Isle of Skye, Naomi explains what travelers should expect, how to get around, and why slowing down and connecting with local communities leads to a much richer experience.

The conversation covers everything from driving versus public transportation, how many days to spend in Scotland, and what to pack for...

This week’s episode brings your favorite co-founder duo, Mar and Meg, back together for a fun and very honest conversation answering all the questions you have about Solo Female Travelers and our trips.

They answer the most asked questions they get: Am I too old or too young? Does everyone really come solo? Will I fit in? They also get into the practical details, including payments, what is included in the trip price, dietary requirements, when tours are confirmed and how Meg carefully matches roommates. She is quite the matchmaker, hopefully helping you find your bestie an...

Travel photography doesn't have to be complicated or intimidating. In this episode, Meg sits down with professional photographer Anastasia Novosyolova-Blatt to share practical, beginner-friendly tips for taking better travel photos, especially when you're traveling solo.

They cover everything from choosing the right camera setup (spoiler: your phone is probably enough) to finding the best lighting, asking strangers for photos with confidence, using simple accessories like tripods and remote shutters, and deciding when it's worth hiring a professional photographer. Anastasia also shares her favorite editing tips and explains why mindset is often the biggest factor in getting photos...

Thoughtful travel can sound like a fancy buzzword, but it does not have to be complicated or hard to achieve.

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Meg sits down with Amanda Kendle, travel writer, podcaster, and host of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast, for an honest conversation about what it actually means to travel with more intention.

Amanda shares how her love of travel began with a six-month campervan trip through Europe as a child, how moving to Japan in her twenties helped shift her anxiety and open up her world, and how...

Antarctica is one of the most remote places on Earth, but visiting it isn't as simple as booking a cruise. From choosing the right expedition to understanding the rules that protect this fragile environment, there's a lot to know before you go.

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar sits down with expedition guide and Antarctica expert Lori Gross, who has spent nearly 20 years guiding travelers across the White Continent.

Together, they talk about what it's really like to visit Antarctica, how to choose the right expedition, the differences between ships and...

So much of travel is built around what we can see. We talk about sightseeing, bucket-list views, and must-see attractions. But what happens when you experience the world differently?

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Meg sits down with author, speaker, podcaster, and disability advocate Lois Strachan to talk about travel, independence, and what it means to truly be present in a place.

After losing her sight in her early twenties, Lois continued pursuing her lifelong love of travel, visiting more than 20 countries and developing what she calls a different way of...

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar sits down with Fatima Haidari, Afghanistan’s first female tour guide, for a deeply personal conversation about courage, displacement, identity, and rebuilding a life after unimaginable loss.

Fatima’s story is also part of our own. When she first left Afghanistan, she worked with Solo Female Travelers during those early, uncertain moments of starting over. This conversation feels especially meaningful because we get to reconnect with her a few years later, hear where life has taken her, and witness the strength, clarity, and purpose she continues to carr...

When most people think about traveling to Greece, they picture Santorini sunsets, Mykonos beach clubs, and crowded whitewashed streets packed with tourists.

But what if some of the best Greek islands are actually the ones you've never heard of?

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar sits down with Stella, our Greece tour host and a travel industry expert who has spent more than 25 years working across the Greek islands as a wedding planner, tour leader, cruise director, and travel specialist.

Together, they talk about what tourism is really like...

Packing light sounds simple in theory, but for many travelers, fitting everything into a carry-on can feel almost impossible.

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Meg sits down with Mar to unpack the strategies, mindset shifts, and practical tips that have allowed her to travel carry-on only for more than 20 years.

While Meg openly admits to being a lifelong overpacker, Mar has refined her packing system through thousands of flights, years of business travel, and countless trips around the world. From capsule wardrobes and versatile clothing to choosing the right suitcase and...

Bali is one of the most visited islands in the world, but beyond the traffic, beach clubs, and Instagram photo spots, there is another side of the island that many travelers never experience.

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar sits down with Henni, our local Bali host, to talk about what Bali is really like from a local perspective.
Mar has visited Bali 13 times over the last 16 years and has watched the island change dramatically. While overtourism, traffic, and destructive development have dominated headlines in recent years, much of Bali still remains...

What happens when romance, solo travel, and modern dating collide?

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Meg sits down with Sabrina, a sex educator, TEDx speaker, and founder of After Sex Ed, to talk about dating, intimacy, boundaries, and safety while traveling solo.

Meg shares some of her own experiences with travel and dating, while Sabrina explains why travel can feel so freeing emotionally and psychologically, and why so many people are drawn to romance while away from home.

Together, they discuss vacation romances, solo travel dating safety, setting boundaries...

A lot of people hear about pet sitting and immediately think: free accommodation, cute animals, dream lifestyle.

And sometimes… it really does look like that.

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar sits down with her longtime friend Sabrina, a blogger, digital nomad, and long time pet sitter who has completed nearly 200 pet sits around the world over the last 12 years.

From luxury condos in Singapore to cat sits in Bangkok, Bali, and Vietnam, Sabrina shares what this lifestyle actually looks like day to day, beyond the perfectly curated Instagram ve...

Ecuador received 1.4 million visitors in 2025. In comparison to the nearly 100 million people who visit Spain each year, this is only a small fraction.

Those who venture there find more than they ever expected. A magic that is hard to describe but easy to feel.

Mountains that stretch as far as the eye can see, topped by year-round glaciers; rainforests that teem with vegetation and protect some of the highest biodiversity in the Amazon basin; islands that inspired Charles Darwin and are home to endemic species so friendly you’ll have to step back not to to...

Most conversations around safety, especially for women, tend to focus on what to avoid. Where not to go, what not to do, how to stay out of risk. But this approach is rather limiting and incomplete.

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, we sit down with Nicole Snell, CEO of Girls Fight Back and founder of Outdoor Defense, to rethink what safety actually means. 

With over 20 years of solo travel experience and a background in empowerment-based, trauma-informed self-defense, Nicole shares a perspective that goes far beyond tips and checklists.

We t...

Adventure doesn’t have to mean crossing deserts or taking on extreme expeditions. Sometimes, it starts with simply stepping outside your comfort zone. But Alice is ready even for the grander adventures.

In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, we sit down with Alice Morrison, an explorer, writer, and former BBC journalist who left her career to pursue slow, long-distance journeys across some of the world’s most remote regions. 

From cycling across Africa to walking the length of Saudi Arabia, and even traveling to places like Timbuktu following the salt trade, Alice share...

Most travelers never see the real impact of their trips, not because it’s hidden, but because we don't always see where our money goes or who truly benefits.

In this episode, we sit down with Lily Palma, founder of Zapotec Travel and our Oaxaca tour host, to talk about what ethical travel in Oaxaca actually looks like and how community-led tourism works in practice.

We get into the realities of how the travel industry operates, from commission-based models and hidden pricing to why “cheap” tours often come at a cost to local communities. Lily shares...

Welcome to the first episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast!

In this episode, co-founders Meg Jerrard and Mar Pagès share the stories that shaped their relationship with travel and ultimately led them to create Solo Female Travelers. They are also joined by Operations Manager Anastasia Novosyolova-Blatt, who supports the team in tour operations, creative work, photography, and in the production of this podcast.

From first solo trips, 20 years in the navy and international careers to motherhood and reinvention, this episode introduces the women behind SFT and the experiences that shaped the company’s mis...

Welcome to the Solo Female Travelers Podcast.

This show is brought to you by the team behind Solo Female Travelers Tours and our global community of women who believe the world is meant to be explored  on your own terms.

If you're already part of our community, read our weekly newsletter, or have traveled with us before, you know what we're about: supporting women who want to travel the world, the women who help show it to us, and the women who make it all happen behind the scenes.

And now we get t...