From Budget To Bravery: What It Really Takes For Women To Travel Solo

For many women, travel isn't about ticking off tourist spots—it's a means to stay connected with themselves. However, solo travel for women, especially in or from India, is less about leisure and more about agency. It’s about budgeting for freedom, planning for safety, and choosing routes not just for beauty but for survival. I've always believed that there's more to women's solo travel than just creating an Instagram grid. It's about independence and the bravery of navigating unfamiliar terrain, both in the world and within one's own limits.

To understand the nuances of solo travelling better, I spoke to Mahulima Mukherjee, who has journeyed through over 80 countries, and continues to explore the globe while living and working abroad. Through the conversation, I realised how Indian women are reshaping what travel looks like—and feels like—for themselves.

Travel Is Not a Luxury; It's a Way of Living

For Mahulima, travel isn't merely an escape from work; it's an integral part of her life. Based in countries like the UK, USA, and now in Finland, she has woven travel into the fabric of her routine. Public holidays become long weekends. Work trips double up as detours. Long layovers are welcome: "I treat travel like an investment in experiences. Once you start making it a priority, everything else aligns." For instance, when she visited Argentina, she didn't book a direct flight but flew via Madrid, splitting her journey to save costs. This level of planning stems from a clear intention rather than a luxury mindset.

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Freedom Has a Cost — And Women Pay It Smartly

 While wanderlust fuels the dream, safety shapes the execution. Women travellers face a constant negotiation between mobility, cost, and comfort, and they’re learning to make smart decisions around all three. IntrCity SmartBus, a mobility platform in India, has seen a 135% rise in solo women travellers in just two years, from 90.7K in 2023 to 2.13 lakh in 2025. COO Aparajita Mukhopadhyay credits this to investments in verified boarding lounges, GPS tracking, clean onboard washrooms, and female hosts. "Safety is the most important thing," she says. "But staying within budget matters too.

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These are real and grounded concerns. Mahulima also keeps a separate emergency fund, pre-books accommodations in well-reviewed neighbourhoods, and never compromises safety just to save a few rupees. "I often spend a bit more on accommodation if it means staying in a safer area," she explained. "Well-lit places, good reviews, and sometimes even hostels with strong security make all the difference."

How Women Are Rewriting the Budget Travel Playbook

There is a common myth that international travel, especially solo travel is out of reach for most women. Mahulima's story proves otherwise. Her approach? Flexibility, frugality, and fearlessness. When it comes to flights, she books those with long layovers if it means saving money. For food, she chooses local eateries and avoids tourist traps. Regarding accommodations, she mixes budget hotels, homestays, and hostels; sometimes, she also considers luxury stays if warranted. For transportation, she self-drives through challenging conditions, including sandstorms and snowstorms. Every detail of her planning is intentional. She understands that the way one travels greatly influences how far one can go.  

Mahulima even opts for visa-friendly routes, such as combining countries under the Schengen visa or the CA-4 agreement in Central America, to avoid costly and time-consuming paperwork. To cut costs further, she travels with just one cabin bag to avoid luggage fees, books accommodations with kitchen access, and travels during shoulder seasons when prices are cheaper and crowds are smaller.  

What We Forget About Women's Emotional Labor While Traveling

The emotional labour involved in being a woman traveler is seldom discussed, the invisible planning and constant vigilance required to navigate unfamiliar places with confidence. "Being cautious is smart, but staying afraid will only hold you back from growing," Mahulima says. "Most people I've met while travelling have been kind. You have to trust yourself and start somewhere." That's the essence of it. Solo travel is not always comfortable, but it is profoundly transformative. It begins with planning spreadsheets and culminates in personal growth. 

To Young Women Dreaming of Their First Trip

So, what does it take? It requires the willingness to start, even if you don't have all the answers. It demands research, planning, and compromise. Most importantly, it requires faith in yourself. "Start saving little by little. Plan trips that fit your means. Every challenge will teach you something," Mahulima advises. And if you ever find yourself questioning whether the effort is worth it, the costs, the uncertainties, the second-guessing, remember this: The world is waiting.  

And maybe, it's waiting just for you.

Views, facts and observations expressed by the author are their own.