“Forget empowerment and focus on possibilities. Women don't need companies to tell you they're strong. They already know that. All they need is to meet them where they are It's an experience.”
These words from Nadine Smith, co-creator of the Kalahari Desert Women's Safari & Expedition, reflect the long-deferred sentiment in the safari industry.
For years, women-centric travel has been sold through predictable lenses, including self-discovery, empowerment, and independence. But the reason why women are increasingly seeking women-only safaris goes far beyond these overused stories.
Women-only safaris are gaining traction rapidly across Africa, not because women need peace of mind, not because they want freedom. They want experiences tailored to the way they want to connect with nature, people and themselves.
What drives demand for women-only safari?
Women's Only Travel is a fast-growing segment of tourism around the world with dedicated travel companies serving female travelers, which have grown by 230% in recent years.
In industries that often deal with niche demographics as marketing exercises, the risks are clear. If a female-only safari is designed to fit the story of empowerment, it will not be able to meet the depth of experience that female travelers are looking for.
“When people hear about women-only safaris, they assume it's about avoiding men, but that's not the case at all. It's about space. It's a different type of space,” says natural selection. Gaby Grieveson, one of the hearts behind the Kalahari expedition, explains.
Women's only safari offers space to offer.
It has something to do with freedom that has nothing to do with empowerment, and moving through the wilderness on your own terms. Focus on opportunities for depth beyond the width, checklists, and more focus on immersive moments. At a more adaptable pace, it offers flexibility beyond the traditional adventure vs. luxury dichotomy often envisaged in women-targeted travel.
“It's about being truly yourself. No matter what pressure you put, you're free from everyday pressure,” explains Smith and Gleaveson. “You will let those endorphins on your adventures, but you will slow down too. “Just walk. Walk 100 meters and take five minutes yourself.” And that's amazing – you pray, You can meditate, sing to yourself, or just lie down and stare at the sky. It is a space where as women we can connect, interact and just enjoy. ”
Beyond the checklist: How women are different
The safari industry has been built around a highly-initiated, high-intensity experience model to embark on an adrenaline-fueled adventure, spotting lodge-to-lodge jumps, bucket list species. However, different dynamics appear in female-specific safaris.
“It's not about ticking the Big Five and moving on,” Smith says. “Some women are craving physical thrills. They push the boundaries by sleeping in an open sky across a pot of salt, on a four-wheeler, but for others, It's about space and tranquility. Not everyone wants a safari run on a schedule.”
This approach challenges operators and rethinks how safari experiences are traditionally constructed for female travelers. Instead of boxing women on a gorgeous safari filled with spa treatments and yoga (assuming it's all that it wants), operators are layered, flexible and emotionally resonant You have to recognize the need for something.
“We definitely led the way in terms of introducing women's guides in the safari space. What we did was not to hire one or two, but a team of women-only guides. It was the whole thing. And to this day, we are still the only lodge I know in Africa that has it. Yes, it's a great marketing story, but the women on the team are way ahead of the men I knew that James Wilson of Desert & Delta Safari said:
How the safari industry avoids “empowerment” traps
As women-focused travel demands increase, more safario operators try to showcase their own women-only itinerary. But will they make it right?
Many brands fall into one of two tired marketing approaches when it comes to selling safari to women.
The story of “Girl's Power”: “Look at women who prove that they can do this on their own! See how strong they are!” The pitch of “emotional awakening”: “Yourself in the wilderness Come and find me…”
Both are outdated. And both miss the points.
“There's no need to put the word 'empowerment',” Smith says.
This means that Safari operators are thinking about creating an expedition focused on women. The key is to start by listening to what women really want from these trips.
“Solo female travellers – coming to Africa is not an obvious choice. Be honest, but when you arrive at our camps or lodges, you will see a woman in the senior positions running the camp. If you have it, it makes all the difference. Soon, you're in an environment where you feel comfortable as a solo traveler and a female solo traveler,” says Wilson.
A practical way to get it right
Most importantly, we move away from assumptions.
Women want adventure. But they also want to reflect on it. Create a balance without determining them. It offers an open itinerary that allows travelers to choose their own pace and activities. Some women come as solo travelers, some bring their daughters, others are multi-generational. Experiences need to deal with everything without assuming one central “story.”
Women want real experiences. Some people want to test themselves physically. Some people want to regain space for themselves after getting caught up in their life routines. Others are just having fun with like-minded women. Rather than prescribing stories, build a trip that offers those possibilities.
And it is, above all, a women's only safari (if done correctly): the possibility.
As we move forward, the safari industry has the following options:
Do you stick to a simple story or dig deeper? Market for female travelers – or designs for them? Do you talk about empowerment or simply create an experience that allows it to happen naturally?
What women want is space, freedom, and flexibility to shape their adventures in their own conditions. The question is, will the industry meet them there?
A practical guide to designing a resonant women-only safari
