Brilliant women travel bloggers to follow

To celebrate International Women’s Day, I selected a few talented women travel bloggers and asked them about their travel writing, adventures and tips.

I follow all of them and enjoy their writing, travel photography, perspectives and attitude. Some of them I also got to meet in person on my own trips.

Follow them to get travel advice, but also for the tons of inspiration they provide, especially for independent travellers.

These are the women travel bloggers you need to know:

Bianca malata-greenberg: itsallbee

I am originally from Zambia but currently living in London. Most people know me from my adventure tales at ItsAllBee, a blog that focuses on women’s solo travels, although I also document trips I take with my Instagram-husband-in-training. 

I have always wanted to travel and as soon as I was able to, I was off! 

I have been lucky that I worked within consultancy for at least 10 years which also came with plenty of travel that then allowed me to earn points that I could then use for non-professional trips. 

I became a full-time blogger beginning of 2019 and we all know what has happened to the travel industry since then…But it just means I now have time to review past trips that have yet to make it on the blog.

How did you get into travel writing?

It started as a way for me to keep my family updated on my travels and in a way acting as a safety protocol, so they knew where I was located just in case. 

As my blog audience has now grown and with people asking questions about how I plan trips or whether certain destinations are safe for women travellers or safe for travelling while black, my blog and travel writing have naturally evolved to be more informative.

That way they can plan the same or similar trips for themselves, their friends or with their families by reading through what I did on my trips. 

That has then morphed into other collaborations with other bloggers as well as with organisations.

What’s the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken?

This is a tough one as there are far too many. 

I am a lover of outdoor trips more than city adventure but even then, it would have to be my first solo international trip to Hong Kong. 

Nothing compares to the excitement, apprehension, of planning a trip so far away from home on your own and then getting there and going through the motions of exploring and experiencing new food, places, meeting new people, and just letting go of that churning fear of what if’s that go through your mind when you are immersing yourself into the unknown.

I absolutely love my trip to Hong Kong so much and the self-confidence it gave me to explore that I extended the solo trip to include an additional stop in China. It’s been non-stop ever since. Although, I hope the current political situation there gets better so that I can head back to visit.

What’s the best way to meet new people when you travel?

I love photography and have found that to be one of the easiest ways to meet people. Particularly now, with the likes of Instagram, Tik Tok…, everyone is basically a photographer. 

In almost every city or country you visit I can guarantee you will find people/strangers who meet up just for the love of photography in all its amazing forms. With this, you also get to see some of the city’s hidden gems too. 

Sites like Meetup are great for this.  Also, you can check out feature accounts on Instagram that tend to announce meetups too. This is not just for photography, you can also find lots of other groups in Meetup with varying interests, like languages, dancing, food groups. 

I used to have a colleague that used it to meet up with people who loved salsa dancing,  so whatever your interests there is something for everyone. I love that many of these groups end up at a cafe or restaurant after exploring so you really get time to get to know people too.

What’s your dream destination?

It would have to be Mozambique or perhaps Mali. Everything else just seems a bit too reachable than these two dream destinations. 

Mozambique neighbours Zambia but I have yet to visit and have seen so many beautiful pictures of stunning scenery, amazing beaches that I just cannot wait to visit someday soon. 

For Mali, I have been fascinated by the country’s history in being one of three ancient centers of learning located in Timbuktu.

It’s tied to the cool African Empires, like the Songhai Empire, figures the likes of Mansa Musa and in general, other African Empires that don’t seem to be as well documented. 

With the current political climate of Mali, that trip will have to wait a while but, in the meantime, as soon as we are allowed to travel I would love to explore Ethiopia, Tanzania, Malawi as well as visit the Caribbean which I have yet to visit. 

Name one other woman travel blogger that you love and follow.

There are far too many but currently, Insta-stalking Aileen of I am Aileen, Ciara of Hey Ciara or Katchie of The Solo Wandera. 

There are so many amazing women bloggers doing amazing things today and showcasing an amazing pool of destinations that are not just in the popular must-see places of the Instagram world.

I have also loved watching the journeys of these bloggers into women business owners within the travel industry.

Claudia tavani: my adventures across the world & strictly sardinia

My name is Claudia, and I manage two blogs. 

My Adventures Across The World has been live for 6 years now. It is an international travel blog where I share tips, hacks, itineraries and adventures with the aim of inspiring others to travel more, travel better and more ethically. Though it isn’t specifically targeting solo women travelers, I guess that since I am a solo woman traveler most of the readers that identify themselves with my site are also women. 

Strictly Sardinia was launched in May 2020 with the idea of promoting the region where I was born and grew up and to fill in the massive gap of information (in English) about the region. There, I share posts about travel but also food and wine, with lots of Sardinian food recipes.

How did you get into travel writing?

After a very eventful trip to Cuba. It was nothing like I had imagined and I felt compelled to talk about it – without filters – so that others would know what to expect.

I opened my blog out of fear of being censored if I ever wrote on other sites. I never stopped writing since!

What’s the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken?

Oh I have so many! My first trip to Argentina in 2012 made me fall in love with the country, and since then I have been 3 times.

But I also can’t forget my first trip to Africa. Waking up to the roar or lions at 4:00 am while camping in Botswana was definitely special! 

Also, I want to mention Israel. I went in 2016 for the first time and have been going twice a year since – it’s my home away from home. In 2017 I hiked the Jesus Trail with my friend Eyal and we had a blast!

What’s the best way to meet new people when you travel?

I’d have said hostels years ago, but I grew out of that phase and I don’t think I can ever stay in a dorm again. 

Guided day trips are definitely a great way of meeting other travelers. You sit on a bus for hours next to people you don’t know and you inevitably start talking!

What’s your dream destination?

The first that comes to mind right now is Alaska. I just need to see mountains, glaciers, bears.

Name one other woman travel blogger that you love and follow.

Just one? Margherita Ragg of The Crowded Planet is absolutely inspiring. She was talking about responsible travel already when the world had no idea what that was.
I am a big fan of Chrysoula Manika of Travel Passionate – she’s hard working, true to herself and smart.

Sarah mackenzie: myveggietravels

I’m Sarah and I’m the founder of MyVeggieTravels.com. A self-proclaimed penny pincher and animal lover, I write about how to travel on a vegan diet without spending a fortune. 

Hailing from Scotland, I’ve been travelling the continents solo for years and hope to inspire others to step out of their comfort zone and explore the world and all its hidden gems. 

With the world at breaking point, my blog focuses on cruelty-free travel, offers alternatives to animal entertainment, explores sustainable accommodation, and highlights some of the best places across the globe for plant-based eating (because nobody wants a bowl of chips/tomatoes for dinner). 

How did you get into travel writing?

Do you remember Tumblr? My ‘blogging’ actually started there. 

I was living and working in Thailand in a little tourist shop. The time between the morning transfer rush and mid-afternoon tour crowd could be pretty boring, so I started pulling together little fashion and vegetarian interest boards (were they even called boards on Tumblr? Extra points to those who can remember). 

I was combining that content with conversation across Facebook; dishing out advice to fellow travellers who were looking for vegetarian-friendly routes across SE Asia (I hadn’t quite fully made the switch to veganism at that point).

After a failed attempt at launching a travel and lifestyle blog with a friend (I wasn’t prepared to budge on lifestyle posts that included products that were tested on animals), I set to work on building my own WordPress site.

At the time, I was finding it really difficult to find content that gave users detailed vegan experiences and I just wanted to share what I’d found. 

My early blogs were short and (in hindsight) a little muddled. I wrote posts about vegan restaurants in Bangkok, Budapest, Edinburgh – places that I’d spent a lot of time exploring that had some wonderful hidden gems, but I knew nothing about SEO or targeting audiences. 

I was simply writing because I was excited about finding those tiny places that would make it easier for vegans and vegetarians to travel without having to tolerate ANOTHER dry salad. 

What’s the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken?

I get asked this question a lot. My head says Thailand, but my heart says Peru. I feel like I should say Thailand, because I loved it so much that I pitched up and never left (and that’s got to count for something, right?). 

However, Machu Picchu had sat firmly at the top of my bucket list ever since 7-year-old Sarah sat down to watch The Mysterious Cities of Gold and got lost in stories of hidden Inca trails and Andes legends. 

I spent 3 weeks in Peru and loved every minute of it. We finished the trip with a DIY trip to Aguas Calientes from Cusco, arriving in the town at a ridiculous time in the morning to head straight for the top of Machu Picchu. 

It was roasting hot, the climb took hours, and I ended up drinking the dregs of a water bottle handed to me by an older gentleman named Bill (thanks Bill). 

When we reached the top of Machu Picchu mountain, I was so overwhelmed that I just sat down and cried. I was in the one place I’d wanted to see my entire life; I danced between a muddled range of emotions, “I can’t believe I’m here” and, “What now?”. 

It wasn’t to last. It turns out, I really hadn’t been hydrating as much as I should have, and my moment of euphoria passed quite quickly, leaving me with a severe case of heat exhaustion and a particularly nasty couple of days (and hallucinations). 

What’s the best way to meet new people when you travel?

Hostels! Without a shadow of a doubt. I’m pretty extroverted, so I can quite confidently stroll up to a stranger and begin a conversation, but I appreciate that that doesn’t come as naturally to a lot of people (especially first-time travellers).

If someone’s loitering around the communal areas of a hostel, the chances are, they’re looking for a new buddy just as much as you are. I always recommend that those looking to make new travel friends prioritise ‘Atmosphere’ in their hostel searches – I’ll take a less sparkly bathroom over loneliness anytime.

An alternative? This is controversial, but Tinder has also been a great place for me to make new travel friends. I’ve met some great people who have really gone out of their way to show me around their city. Just stay safe and always make sure you meet a stranger in an open public space. 

What’s your dream destination?

Petra is the next big one on my list. It blows my mind that new parts of this huge city were only just discovered in 2016. I’m absolutely fascinated by its sheer size and the detail cut into the rock. 

I’ve been reading up on overnight stays in a traditional Bedouin cave in Little Petra, but I’m also trying to factor in that a lot of these tours involve camel rides. I don’t ever allow my travels to incorporate the use of animals for travel or entertainment purposes. 

Name one other woman travel blogger that you love and follow.

I’ve been following Sanna from Vegan Cruiser for years! I have a somewhat limited experience of cruising (it doesn’t tend to fit with my budget travel lifestyle, and I was always frustrated by the lack of vegan options – despite each ship having multiple restaurants).

However, Sanna’s website is my go-to for anyone asking for plant-based cruise advice. She also provides readers with information around sustainable and carbon neutral travelling, which is a topic that’s close to my own heart.

Kay kingsman: the awkward traveller

My name is Kay and I am a travel blogger at The Awkward Traveller. In a nutshell, my blog is all about sharing helpful and relatable travel tips through stories of my own misadventures abroad and in my own country. 

I am a strong advocate for decolonizing the way we (travel enthusiasts) view travel and being mindful of our own preconceived notions and biases when we venture out, and opening our minds to understanding another’s culture and history through their perspective. 

That and hilarious retellings of silly shenanigans I find myself in haha. I don’t take myself, or my blog, too seriously, because I want to keep the energy of travel being a fun enriching activity that everyone should ENJOY for the sake of travel, not as a race to visit as many places as possible or to flex for social media (though there’s nothing wrong with taking a cute picture!). 

I also strive to continue using my platform to advocate for greater accessibility in the travel space and hold the industry accountable for championing for more genuine diversity and inclusion efforts. 

How did you get into travel writing?

I got into travel blogging…by accident. I never intended to start a blog or become a travel influencer of any kind. I was just a kid who liked to travel. 

However, I am also a fiction author, and one day while procrastinating working on my novel, I decided to write about a hiking trip gone wrong. 

I much prefer the narrative side to travel blogging, but I also want to provide free and easy-to-digest resources to help others gain confidence in traveling and finding solutions to common travel barriers (money/time/balancing responsibilities) so that they can fit leisure travel into their lifestyle. 

I have only recently begun travel writing for other publications, and that stemmed from me wanting to broaden my writing skills and experience. It’s certainly an interesting avenue that I’m just now learning more about! 

What’s the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken?

Wow, that’s a hard one. And not because EVERY trip I take is memorable (I mean, just being honest, some of them aren’t haha), but because trips have become memorable to me for different reasons. 

A trip that first made me take a HARD look at my own privilege was my trip to Cuba, especially when I wrote about common myths and misconceptions about Cuba with Cuban locals. 

A trip that was the most frustrating and challenging for me as a traveler was my trip to China, and was a stark wake up call in terms of culture (and convenience) shock. 

My trip to Greenland was memorable in a way that I never would have thought I would SET FOOT on the island, I had an unfortunately VERY bad trip to Costa Rica (no fault of the country), Japan was my first group trip, and Hawai’i made me feel at home. 

So I think a little piece of my travels stick with me, but in different ways. But I don’t think I could pick a most memorable one. 

What’s the best way to meet new people when you travel?

Ahhhh…you see, as an awkward traveler with pretty intense social anxiety – I actually strongly dislike meeting new people when I travel. 

I KNOW I KNOWWW but that’s most people’s favorite parts! Immerse yourself with the locals! Find other travel lovers! Make friends around the world! Yah yah yah! 

That part of travel is very hard for me. While I would like to do all of those things, in theory, trying to force myself (or set those expectations) while traveling really negatively impacts my mental wellbeing. 

So, one tip I have learned if you are someone who is not naturally keen on striking up conversations with strangers, I would recommend joining a small-ish group tour. Emphasis on small-ish because large groups can feel overwhelming and if the group is too small (only one or two other people), it might be too nerve-wracking to be comfortable. 

Usually, people on tours are more open to making new friends and will often initiate the talking themselves! Also, hanging out in social areas such as hostels, classes, parks, and even social media groups are a great way to meet other travelers abroad. 

What’s your dream destination?

Well, I currently have my eye on Antarctica, but looking at that price tag…it might be another year or two before I am able to visit.

In the meantime, I don’t have many travel goals or bucket lists, but I do think it would be pretty awesome to visit every state and province in Canada, USA, and Mexico. 

I greatly value domestic travel, and I enjoy being the go-to person for both my friends who don’t want to travel TOO far, and for people who don’t live in North America but want ideas on where to visit.

I personally think it’s a great honor as a travel blogger to know a lot about your home country and region. 

Name one other woman travel blogger that you love and follow.

Oh, I LOVEE giving love to my friends. One travel blogger guru that has really held it down over the past year has been my sister Millette from The Next Somewhere.

Her graphics alone blow my mind, and I love that she doesn’t shy away from embracing her creativity when creating her travel content. It is a quality that I wish more bloggers were empowered to pursue, instead of making content that “works best for social media.” 

Millette also is super down-to-Earth, ready to jump in to help ANYONE, and has fostered her travel community to be open and welcoming of honest and productive discussions. Plus, she is a hilarious human with a heart of 24-karat GOLD. I love her because she is a travel blogger that is relatable to the everyday travel lover. Millette is seriously built DIFFERENT.

Kelly duhigg: girl with the passport 

My name is Kelly Duhigg and I am the owner of Girl with the Passport, a blog for solo women travelers that specializes in New York City travel.

Initially, I started my blog because I was miserable at my job. See, I had been a nanny for years and was tired of being overworked, underpaid, and basically living for the weekends. 

I just hated that immense feeling of dread and anxiety that would overwhelm me on Sunday evenings when I realized that the weekend was over and that I had to go back to work. 

So, I decided to make a change. I impulsively started my blog, did everything wrong, and spent many long weekends trying to figure out how to be a successful blogger. 

Now fast forward four years later and I am a full-time blogger who does what she loves and makes way more money than she ever did nannying. 

How did you get into travel writing?

I first got into travel writing when I started my blog. I mean, I had always had a passion for writing but just didn’t really know how or where to share my love of words.  

Thankfully though, once I started a travel blog and finally got to write something that I loved, the words just poured out of me since I finally had a way to express my love and passion for travel.

Then, once my blog started to get seen by a larger audience and I began to write for other bloggers, I had a ready-made portfolio that I could then use to transition into paid work and projects for larger websites like Get Your Guide. 

What’s the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken?

I am a travel disaster. Basically, everywhere I go, I make a ton of mistakes and have a ton of ridiculous things happen to me. 

That’s why my most memorable trip has to be when I went to visit Lugu Lake in western China. I visited because at the time this area was one of the last matriarchal societies in China.

And while I expected to have life-changing experiences with unique local cultures, what I got was a wicked awful case of food poisoning. Yeah, it was so bad that it lasted for three days and I never left the bathroom. A bathroom that was a communal bathroom that I shared with everyone else in the hostel…or not shared as the case may be since I literally did not leave that room the entire time. 

Finally though, I emerged, still feeling a bit queasy and a solid five pounds lighter. But I needed to get out of there if I wanted to catch the one van that departed daily for the bus station at 5:00 am. 

Thankfully, I got to the van on time and we were on our way out of Lugu Lake. Only to discover that a landslide had completely blocked the road the previous night.

So, we all had to get out of the van, grab all of our belongings, and hike across the mountain of rocks that were strewn across the road. We then continued on for another half mile down the road to a second van waiting on the other side. All this while I was still feeling ill and being bombarded by excited high school students who wanted to practice their English with me. 

But the best part? It was my birthday. Yup. Happy Birthday to me indeed. I eventually made it to the bus station though and after an eight-hour train ride followed by a ten-hour train ride, I finally made it to my final destination, Guilin, China. 

What’s the best way to meet new people when you travel?

When I was younger I used to love staying in hostels since they have a fun and friendly atmosphere about them that makes it really easy to meet people. I mean, all you really need to do is attend one trivia night or go on one free walking tour and you immediately find a ton of different people that you can hang out with. 

However, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve outgrown hostels a bit and now like to go on group tours to meet people instead. Usually, other travelers are extremely friendly and more than willing to talk to someone other than their travel companion. It’s also a great way to meet other solo travelers that you can hang out with once the tour is over. 

What’s your dream destination?

Oh gosh, there are so many places I want to go to. I think Iceland, New Zealand, and Australia are all pretty near the top of the list though. 

Name one other woman travel blogger that you love and follow.

Oh man, this is so tough! There are so many amazing women travel bloggers out there but I think one of my all-time faves is Christina from Happy to Wander. 

She gives great travel advice, seems like an all-around amazing human, and has a fun and funky personality that leaps off the page and always makes you want to read more.

Anita sane: the sane travel

I love to travel and I began my international travel a few years after my country Latvia restored its independence in 1990. In 2005 I started my independent and solo travel.  

Ten years later, my travel blog was established. Thus far, I have visited 56 countries. I like cities and architecture, nature and hiking in the mountains. I love classical music and art. I am also interested to learn about the culture of the places I visit. My special interest is travelling by scenic railways. 

I plan my trips by myself and am fond of detailed plans with schedules and lists of sights to visit. My blog, The Sane Travel, is all about giving inspiration for readers’ own journeys, no matter how big or small.

The aim of the blog is to give readers confidence in their ability to travel solo and independently. Every post is filled with practical information and stunning photos with ideas for readers’ future travels.

How did you get into travel writing?

I am an avid photographer and I have collected a lot of my travel photos over time, which I wanted to showcase to the world. 

In 2015, I got the time and opportunity to learn how to develop my own website and I did that. So for me photography comes first and travel writing second. 

I believe that pictures get much better with a great story. So I try to do my best to have both.

What’s the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken?

My most memorable trip was when I visited two incredible mountains in China back in 2017. 

The first was the Rainbow Mountains in the Zhangye National Geopark, which is known for incredible colours. It is located in the Gansu province to the northwest of China. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009 and is the destination for many Chinese and some international tourists.

The other place I visited on that trip was the Avatar Mountains in Zhangjiajie. Zhangjiajie became popular in foreign travellers’ eyes after the movie Avatar. The Hallelujah Mountains in Avatar were inspired by Heavenly Pillar in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Zhangjiajie is located over 1,000 kilometres from both Shanghai and Beijing. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park was the first national park in China, established in 1982. 

What’s the best way to meet new people when you travel?

You may have heard that Latvians are known as quite introverted people, so maybe I am not the best person to answer this question. Anyway I will try to do my best. 

I would suggest joining a local walking tour and talking to other participants. You may also start a conversation with the person sitting next to you on the plane, train, coach, etc. Look for a local travel blogger and arrange meeting with him or her when visiting new place. Couch surfing also is not a bad idea.

What’s your dream destination?

I am a lover of China’s history and nature, so my dream destination is China. 

I would like to visit Huangshan or the Yellow Mountains, rural areas in Jiangxi province and the former capital of China Hangzhou. I also cannot wait to see historical sites and West Lake.

Name one other woman travel blogger that you love and follow.

Barbara Weibel, the owner/publisher of Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel.  She, like me, is interested in photography, writing and travel not necessarily in this order.