Sisterhood, Suitcases, and Stories…

In 2019, I led a group of women on a multi-city journey through Morocco. By the end of it, something quietly extraordinary had happened: eight strangers had become lifelong friends. None of us set out expecting that kind of connection, yet there is a particular magic that unfolds when women travel together—free from obligation, expectation or explanation. In that rare, unguarded space, intimacy arrives without effort.

The pandemic, along with a series of personal hurdles, meant I couldn’t continue leading these trips. Around the same time, I noticed something else gathering momentum across India: a growing number of women curating and leading women-only travel groups. It felt almost like a soft rebellion—a refusal to believe that adventure, freedom and fun belonged primarily to men. These journeys were being designed by women, for women, rooted in trust, shared curiosity and the pleasure of discovering the world with a chosen sisterhood. Even Bollywood echoed the trend, with reports of icons like Asha Parekh, Waheeda Rehman and Helen heading out on regular girls’ trips, gently reminding us that joy, camaraderie and wanderlust are ageless.

Travel, Without an Age Limit
For Divyakshi Gupta, the seed for women-only travel was planted during the lockdown. She spent months living with a local family in a Himachali village, absorbing the rhythms of mountain life. When she returned, friends urged her to recreate that experience for them. Their enthusiasm soon grew into something larger. “These were women who wanted to immerse themselves in a destination, not just skim the surface like tourists,” she explains. “That’s how I travel, and I’m deeply passionate about showing places as I see them—sharing what I taste, feel and experience.”

The success of her Himachal journeys encouraged Divyakshi to look closer to home, drawing on her Punjabi roots to lead all-women trips to Amritsar that move well beyond postcard imagery. Often, these are less ‘girls’ trips’ and more ‘women’s journeys’, with spirited senior travellers rediscovering themselves along the way. “There’s no age bar,” she says, smiling. “If you’re fit to travel, you’re fit to have fun. I’ve had 78-year-olds on my trips, and they’ve loved every minute.”

Rashmi Chadha, founder of WoVoyage, arrived at women-only travel after years of travelling independently and leading mixed tour groups. Over time, a pattern emerged. “Women travel differently when they feel safe, seen and unjudged,” she says. “So many told me, ‘I want to travel, but I don’t have the right company,’ or ‘I don’t feel confident going alone.’ Women-only travel wasn’t a business idea at first—it was a response to a real gap.” Today, over ten lakh women have travelled with WoVoyage, each journey built on reassurance and belonging.

From Anxiety to Belonging
For many women, joining a group of strangers can be both thrilling and intimidating. Meena Bhatia of Let’s Go Women Travelers, who has been building her community since 2016, sees this emotional duality often. “Most women arrive with excitement mixed with nerves,” she says. “Some are travelling solo for the first time, others worry about fitting in or about safety. The questions are natural, but so is the quiet thrill of finally doing something just for themselves.”

Zinal Doshi, founder of The Flapper Life, has witnessed this transformation repeatedly over the past decade. “There’s a clear emotional arc,” she reflects. “Before the trip, anxiety is almost always present. Once the journey begins, there’s a softening.

When women realise they’re surrounded by others who feel the same way, something shifts. They find their tribe.” Conversations flow, laughter comes easily, and inhibitions dissolve without being pushed. “By the end, the change is undeniable. I often hear, ‘I didn’t know I could do this.’ With each day, confidence and self-trust grow. They return more grounded, more courageous, and visibly surer of themselves.”

For the women who lead these journeys, that transformation is deeply affirming. These trips are about far more than ticking destinations off a list. Each itinerary is crafted with care, designed to offer immersive, cultural experiences rather than hurried, checklist-style travel. That said, the challenges are real. Convincing strangers to place their trust in you is never easy. “Managing different preferences, interests and travel styles is the hardest part,” admits Meena. “There’s logistics, coordination, and the possibility of disagreements. You’re constantly balancing personalities alongside practicalities.”

Zinal adds that trust underpins everything. “It’s not just about the destination or itinerary. It’s about emotional reassurance and unspoken fears. Women want to know they’ll be safe, heard and cared for. That trust has to be rebuilt every single time, with every trip.”

Experiences Over Checklists
What unites these founders is a shared belief that experiences matter more than landmarks. Women today travel not just to see, but to feel—to walk, hike, cook, learn and live a destination. “Those moments stay with them far longer,” says Zinal. She recalls a Ladakh trip where the group learned a traditional wellness practice from a local woman. “It was rooted in her everyday life—health and self-care as she understood it. That stayed with the group because it felt real, not staged for tourists.”

Meena echoes the sentiment. “We align our trips with festivals and special moments—Bhutan during the Thimphu festival, Kolkata during Durga Puja, Kashmir during the tulip season— combining local culture, food and celebration.”

For Divyakshi, food often becomes the emotional anchor. “My culinary Himachal trips are always a hit,” she laughs. “Local dham meals, apple picking, jam-making with villagers, foraging, momo sessions—every trip I design has a strong food narrative.”

Whether travelling solo or alongside friends, these women-led journeys have created rare spaces where women can explore freely—without judgement, fear or apology. And perhaps that’s the quiet power of it all. After all, who understands what women truly seek from travel better than women themselves?