The BEST First-Time Solo Female Backpacking Guide

Organising your first backpacking trip: Step-By-Step

This guide will take you step by step from deciding you want to travel solo to embarking on your first trip.

1. Decide Where You Want To Go

The first thing you will have to decide on when planning your first solo female trip is where you want to go.

You can choose any place you want to visit. However, some destinations will be easier to navigate as a first-time solo traveler.

I suggest two options for a first-time female solo traveler:

• stay close to home
• go to one of the most popular backpacking destinations

Go local or stay close to home

Start small to build confidence before tackling longer trips. Even your hometown can be a great place to begin.

Explore it like a tourist: walk around, take photos, and ask strangers to snap one of you. If that feels too awkward, visit the next town over!

For my first trial solo trip, I went from my student town Leuven to Brussels. Yes, I even asked tourists to take my photo! That may seem easy to extroverts, but introverts I know you get it.

My first real solo backpacking trip? Two amazing weeks backpacking Central Europe: Budapest, Prague, and Poland.

Go to the most popular backpacking destination.

When you are ready to fully immerse yourself in the solo backpacking world, the best thing is to go to one of the most popular backpacking destinations.

For me, that was backpacking Thailand.

Many people I met on that trip were on their first solo backpacking trip!

It is a country that is easy to navigate, despite it being a completely different culture super far away from Europe. (Which is where I am from, and I am writing from my perspective as a European). 

If you want to visit Europe for your first solo backpacking trip, check out my guide on everything you need to know before you travel to Europe in the summer.

If you decide to visit one of the top backpacking destinations, you are almost guaranteed to have a good backpacking trip.

Why?

Because there is already a whole infrastructure built for the solo backpacker type of traveler.

There are plenty of hostels where you can stay and meet other people.

Social life is based around hostels, which usually organize day trips where you get to meet other travelers. They organize nights out, and they will even arrange your transportation.

2. Think What You Want to Do

Once you know where you want to go, it is time to start thinking of your travel itinerary.

What experiences do you want to add to it?

It’s good to have an idea of what would you like to do on the trip, so you know how much is that going to cost you.

Also, you’ll have to check if your timing works with the weather, and whether you’ll be able to do things you want to do at certain times of the year.

For example, summer months are the worst time to visit Cambodia because it is in the middle of the rainy season. If you’re hoping for sunny beach days, you might be quite disappointed.

3. Start Saving Money

I can’t stress this enough: you need enough money to fund your travels.

As a solo female backpacker, I always play it safe. That means having a solid trip budget plus an easily accessible emergency fund.

Once you’ve picked your destination, check transportation costs and research a suggested daily budget. Multiply that daily amount by the number of days you’ll be traveling—this is your minimum. To feel more secure, aim to have at least 30% extra.

Having enough money gives you freedom. Solo travel is empowering, but you’ll make smarter, safer choices when you’re not stressed about cash.

Also, don’t forget pre-trip expenses, like a good backpack or travel clothes. Budget for those, too.

4. Figure Out What You Need

Now you have your destination and your budget for the trip sorted out. You set up your savings goal, you are saving for your trip, or you already have all the funds you will need.

The next step is to figure out what will you need to bring with you.

Check Travel requirements

Firstly, you will have to bring all the essential documents with you. Also, you will need to keep an eye on them throughout your whole trip.

You are alone, nobody will remind you to check if you took your passport.

Be sure to check all the entry requirements for your destination.

These days, entry requirements change daily. Some countries open up, and others restrict entry.

Check that you have a visa if you need one and all the necessary vaccinations if your destination asks for them. 

Get your insurance

There is no easy way around this. Accidents happen.

You do not want your accident to happen when you are in a foreign country without insurance. Especially on your first solo female travel.

These days, some countries ask for proof of insurance to let you in the country, to begin with.

I use Safetywing because they’re so simple to set up, you don’t need to be in your home country when buying the insurance and the rates are quite affordable.

Take your electronics

Make sure that you have your chargers for your phone and camera if you will be taking them.

A phone will probably be enough to take photos but take your camera if you are an avid photographer.

Take an external charger or two! Your electronics will run out of battery, and you will wish you had them with you.

Pack a tripod/selfie stick for your photos. All of the photos on this post were taken by myself with my tripod!

If you are not going to be working on your trip, I do not think you will need your computer.

Pack weather and culture-appropriate clothing.

Depending on where you are going to go, you will need a different type of clothing.

Check the weather and pack accordingly. Do not overpack.

In my experience, you will need the same amount of clothes whether you are going on a 2-week or 2-month trip. Take advantage of the washing machines. 

A general rule I follow when I pack clothes for my solo backpacking trips is this:

• Enough underwear and socks for every day of the trip
  If my trip is longer than two weeks, I stop on 10-14 pairs, because after two weeks I will be doing my laundry.
• 2 bralettes
  I pack one black and one nude bralette. I only pack a sports bra if I know I will be doing something active.
• 2-3 bottoms that can easily match my tops
  Depending on the season, this is usually 2 pairs of pants and 1 skirt. 
  If I am traveling in the summer, I will take a pair of shorts, a skirt and a pair of long wide pants.
  If it is winter, it will be just 2 pairs of jeans, black skinny and blue mom-style jeans.
  I will usually travel in sports leggings, so that is an additional pair of bottoms.
• Enough tops that I can change every day
  The number of tops I take depends on whether I am traveling in the summer or the winter. 
  In the summer, I will usually take some dresses, so I will not need that many tops. 
  In the winter, I will usually take 2-3 jumpers, but I will also pack double the short-sleeved shirts or thermals to wear underneath them. That way, my jumpers stay fresh longer, and I change those thinner pieces of clothing underneath them every day.
• 2 dresses for summer
  If I travel in the summer, I will pack 2-3 summer dresses. Two will be everyday dresses, and one will be my fancy dress. 
  Sometimes I will pack a dress for the winter travels too. It will be my “nice outfit”. I can not be asked to explore and freeze in the European winters wearing a dress and tights.
• 2 pairs of shoes + flip-flops for hostels.
  I do not think you will need more than two pairs of shoes. 
  If I am traveling in the winter, I take a pair of boots that I will be wearing when traveling and sneakers. Not necessarily running shoes, I will take a nice pair of sneakers that can be dressed up or down. However, for up to a three-day trip, I would stick to just one pair.
  In the summer, I wear sandals instead of boots and still the same sneakers. 
  If you stay in hostels, you will want to pack flip-flops. Just trust me. You do not want to walk barefoot. FLip-flops are useful if you want to go to the beach, and they take up no space!
• A “nice” outfit
  I did not take a nice outfit when I was backpacking the Cyclades in Greece and I regretted it. I felt super underdressed when I went out for dinners in Santorini. At the same time, I never felt underdressed when backpacking Thailand! Research your destination and figure out whether you will need a nice outfit.
• Pyjamas
  Do not forget to pack something to sleep in, especially if you will be sleeping in dorms!

Also, keep in mind the culture of the place you are going to.

My packing list differed from when I went to Thailand from when I went to Morocco.

Keep your skincare and hair care routine minimal

You can’t bring your whole cosmetics cabinet backpacking, nor should you!

When it comes to skincare and haircare, less is more. Stick to the essentials and leave the rest behind.

As for hair, skip the styling tools. Need ideas? Check out my article on the best backpacking hairstyles for travel hairstyling ideas!

What kind of backpack to take for your solo trip?

I can usually fit all of my summer things for a 1-week trip in a Ryanair “personal item” sized backpack.

If I want my things to fit that backpack in the winter, I can not take any additional shoes and usually have to make do with one chunky jumper that I wear on a plane.

I know not all of us can fit clothes for a week in the free luggage-sized bag, but that is ok. There is no reason to feel bad about it.

My advice is to minimize the number of clothing items you bring with you, as you will probably not need as much as you think you will!

For a longer trip, I take my 40l or 50l backpack. The 40l can usually pass as a carry-on, while the 55l one should theoretically be checked in.

I do not travel with a suitcase unless I am going on a short trip where I will be staying at the same place.

Make sure that you can carry your bags

You might not be a minimalist packer like me, but please make sure that you can at least carry your bags.

There is nothing worse than not being able to navigate the world with your luggage because it is too heavy or too bulky. 

5. Figure out Transportation to your destination

You will have to figure out the best way to get to your destination. Some places are only accessible by planes while you can take trains and busses to others. 

Research the best, cheapest, and most sustainable way to reach your destination on your first solo female travel.

Figure out if you value comfort more than price. If you are traveling alone, you might find it easier to take one flight instead of multiple trains or buses. 

Make sure that you do not have to change your transportation in the middle of the night.

Or that you do not have to wait overnight if you have to take a different mode of transportation to your final destination. 

I looked at the flight recently that was landing too late for me to catch the last train of the day to my final destination.

I would have to spend 6 hours at the train station to take the first train at 4 am. 30€ savings was not worth it, and I am an experienced solo traveler. 

6. Getting around your destination

You finally reached your destination! Great, but now what?

If you are traveling by plane, the first thing you will have to figure out is how to leave the airport and get to the city center and your accommodation.

I will usually check the airport website. They suggest different transportation options, including public transport.

If you want to be more comfortable, check the taxi rates before you are at your destination. Check how much the usual price is for a taxi ride, so you are not being scammed at the airport.

If you are traveling by train or bus, the same rules apply. Check on Google maps beforehand how to get to your accommodation. 

The benefit of figuring out the public transportation before you are at your destination is you will know what kind of ticket you will need and how much they cost.

Also, it is complicated trying to figure these things out if you do not have mobile data at your destination. 

7. Accommodation for your first solo backpacking trip

Where you want to stay will depend on the type of your trip. If you are backpacking, that will probably be a hostel. Don’t worry, you’re not too old for hostels!

If you are on a more luxurious trip, it will be a hotel or Airbnb.

Before you leave for your trip, do some research on accommodation options for your destination.

I like to have the first few nights booked, even on trips when I want to be spontaneous.

It is good to bookmark some of the most recommended and highest-rated hostels. That way you are not wasting time trying to figure that out once you are at your destination.

If it is your first time staying in a hostel alone, you might want to book a female dorm. You will be sharing a room with other women, and it can be a gentle way to ease into hostel life. 

Hostels can be loud and intimidating, so you can start by sharing a room with other women, or picking a room with fewer beds.

I don’t mind mixed dorms, but if I’m tired and want to sleep early I’d go for a female-only dorm.

8. Making friends when traveling alone

Even though you are traveling solo, you might want to make some friends on your trip.

Making friends while traveling solo can seem intimidating, but there are many ways to do it!

• Stay in hostels: If you are a solo female backpacker and stay in hostels, it should not be too hard to make friends in hostels. If your hostel has a communal area, try to hang out there and start talking to people.
• Join group tours and free walking tours: You know I love free walking tours. They are a great way to get introduced to a new city. They are also a great place to meet people! You will spend the next few hours together, so why not make a friend? 
• Join online travel groups: There are a lot of Facebook travel groups these days. You can join some and ask if somebody will be at the same destination as you at the same time!

9. Traveling With Dietary Restrictions

If you are vegan like me, be prepared that it might be more challenging to find vegan food.

Some destinations are known as vegan paradises, while others do not even know what vegan means.

• Check the vegan culture in your destination, and be prepared for what you will find there.
• Write down the words for animal-based products in the local language. 
• Download the HappyCow app and bookmark some places that you see there.
• Just in case, take snacks from home. I always take a couple of emergency energy bars.

10. Staying Safe backpacking alone as a woman

In this section, I will point out some things that I know you already know. However, it is good to think of them before going on your solo trip. 

Stay cautious, smart, and alert

This part is not meant to scare you. I know you are staying safe at home, and that is all I am suggesting here.

Do not do things you would not do at home. Some people think that rules do not apply once they are abroad, but they do.

• If you do not know how to ride a scooter, do not rent a scooter.
• You would not drink and drive at home, do not do that when traveling.
• You would not tell where you live to a suspicious person asking you that at a bar at home, do not tell that to a random guy abroad either.
• If you would not take a drink from a stranger that you did not see where it comes from at home, the same applies to traveling.
• If you would not leave your things unattended at home, do not do that abroad.

It is really just common sense.

We can not control everything, but we can at least be smart and do the best we can about what we can control.

Even if you’re going to some of the best European party destinations, you can stay safe and enjoy the party!

I have a whole blog post on how to enjoy nightlife and parties as a solo female traveler, so check it out for more detailed information.

Let people at home know where you are 

I am not saying that you should get a location app to notify your family of your every move.

Also, I am not saying that you should call your mom every day. Although, she would probably appreciate that. 

Before you go, set some “check-in” rules with your friends and family.

What I mean by this is that if you are going to be unreachable, just tell people you are going somewhere where there will be no connection.

When I took a slow boat from Thailand to Laos, I did not have internet for 2 days. I let my family know that I would not be available for two days, so nobody panicked.

Solo female travel is empowering. You are away from home, but you do not want your family reporting you as missing while you are enjoying some time unplugging and being perfectly safe.

Sending a message to a reliable friend letting them know your location every couple of days is a responsible thing to do. You do not have to be dramatic and disappear from everybody. 

11. Mindset Work

You should be mentally prepared to be alone and that you are the one responsible for yourself.

It is not as scary as it sounds, and chances are you will not be alone most of the time. But, you should be prepared as if you will.

Know all the basics of the country you are visiting. Know the currency, where can you exchange money, and if the ATMs are widely available.

Download offline maps and write down the address of your accommodation. Have the route to your accommodation already figured out before you leave for your trip?

It is not embarrassing to be solo, you are always solo in your town, and you see people out and about by themselves everywhere.

You will have some meals alone, and nobody will judge you. You might take some tripod photos, do not let other people stop you from getting the best shot!

Everybody is living their lives, worrying about themselves, and you are living your best life!

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