See What You're Made of on an Adventure Vacation

Womens adventure travel allows you to test your limits without competition from your male counterparts.

Grab your girlfriends and skip the spa; experience the adrenaline rush of outdoor adventure vacations! These are definitely our most exciting vacation ideas.

This is also one area where we will focus on women only vacations; men can certainly enjoy a cooking trip or spa, but when it comes to adventure vacations, competitiveness can come into play and spoil the fun.

cowgirl with saddle and chaps

Adventure vacations can also be very good for solo travelers - you can compete against yourself, not your friends. Test your limits and see what you can do! You'll be in the company of like-minded women, so you'll be safe; you can travel solo without being alone.



Womens adventure travel can be "soft adventure" (more active and out-of-the-ordinary than your usual bus or walking tour), or it can be of the "extreme sports" variety.

For the most part, these women only vacations fall into the "soft adventure" category:

• AdventureWomen - Probably the first travel company devoted to women's adventure travel, AdventureWomen has been around for over 25 years.

From backpacking and kayaking in the northwest wilderness to sailing and diving in the Caribbean, AdventureWomen will have something of interest for you.

Many of their vacations are walking or hiking tours, but there are also culinary adventures, horseback riding, and, of course, water adventures.


Their offerings have evolved over the years, from strictly "roughing it" to a balance of physical challenges and comfort. Their vacations are designed for women of all ages and a variety of experience levels.


• Adventures in Good Company - Specializing in womens adventure travel and active vacations for women of all ages, this company offers tours throughout the US and around the world. You'll enjoy backpacking, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, or horseback riding with your fellow travelers. A good option for those traveling solo, as you're not alone with this group.

• Sisters on the Fly offers outdoor adventures for women of all ages. They specialize in fly fishing and horseback riding, and have a "Cowgirl Caravan" of vintage trailers that travel to their events.

Events are scheduled around the country, so check their calendar to find something near you.

• WomanShip has been teaching women to sail since 1984. There's nothing more adventurous than piloting your own "ship" on the seas! (or maybe I just think that because I don't even swim - sailing seems pretty scary to me!)

Offering sailing lessons from the East coast to the Caribbean - and even New Zealand! - Womanship makes a vacation into an adventure. They also offer sailing instruction for couples and families, so if you want a women-only excursion, check the schedule or contact them directly.

Chica Surf Adventures in Costa Rica, is a surf camp specifically for women.

They offer yoga, horseback riding, and massage along with surf lessons, and start their days with a hike into the nearby mountains where you'll see monkeys, toucans, and other native wildlife and plants.

They have week-long programs as well as 3 and 5 day getaways.

• Women on the Road is another informational site for women backpackers and solo travelers.

Traveling the world alone in an adventure in itself! Even if you choose to have your sisters or friends accompany you, there are things that affect women travelers differently than their male counterparts (security, for instance!).

This site is about independent travel rather than escorted tours, and covers volunteer vacations and teaching English in foreign countries.

Other Sites Suggested by Readers

We love reader suggestions! (You can click on the "suggest a site" button to the left, or "advertising", if you have an activity you think our readers would like).

Here are some of the sites others have suggested:

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