I planned a solo trip through Central Asia. Then my mum asked to come.

Sophie Sickert spent years planning three months of solo travel through Central Asia. She kicked it off on SoFe’s Kyrgyzstan trip for the World Nomad Games, with an unexpected travel buddy: her mom.

Five years in the making

I’d been planning a trip to Central Asia since around 2020. Things obviously didn’t work out then. This year I finally made it happen: three months traveling solo between Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

The long delay had one upside. I’d started learning Russian in the meantime, since I’d read it would come in handy across the region.

My plan was to start with an intensive Russian course and then ease into solo travel. The timing didn’t work. Many of the beautiful mountain passes close after September, and the World Nomad Games were happening shortly after I arrived. There was no way I was going to be in the region while the Nomad Games were on and not go.

A tour that fit a solo trip

Without my language skills up to scratch yet, I felt a little less confident about navigating unfamiliar transportation on my own. So I started looking at tours that included the Games, and found SoFe.

It was a great fit. It got me to the Games, and it was also a proper introduction to Kyrgyzstan as a whole. Since the rest of my trip would be mostly solo, I loved the idea of starting out with an informed guide who could introduce me to the region.

Then my mum asked to come

What I hadn’t taken into account was that my excitement might be contagious. A few weeks after I booked, my mum asked if she could join me for the first month of my trip.

Honestly, I shouldn’t have been surprised. My parents are the ones who taught me to love traveling. We quickly booked her onto the SoFe trip too.

SoFe is built for solo travelers, but it was amazing to go with my mum. For one thing, I already knew my roommate very well before the tour started.

“It was very fun to be on a trip where I was actually making memories with my mum, instead of just writing home to her about them.”

Tatiana and Dima

Our guide, Tatiana, was incredible and so well informed about her country. There wasn’t a single question that seemed to stump her, and she could recall an impressive amount of history, facts and dates. Her husband, Dima, was our driver and a wealth of information in his own right, with stories about Kyrgyz cooking customs and the country’s growing tourism industry.

Our group was small, and somehow perfectly sized: six of us, plus Tatiana and our SoFe rep. Everyone had so many interesting stories and experiences to share. We left with great memories of Kyrgyzstan and a whole new list of countries to explore, recommended by the others.

The Nomad Games, and everything else

The World Nomad Games were unquestionably a highlight, from the opening ceremonies to the games fields in Cholpon-Ata and Kyrchyn Gorge.

But so much else will stick in my memory. Crafting workshops with local women’s cooperatives. A cooking class and shared meals with local families. A horse trek up to the gorgeous Song Kul lake. A private eagle hunting demonstration. Nights in both traditional and modern yurt camps. The list goes on.

What surprised me

Two things. First, how absolutely safe I felt, at all times.

Second, the food. With influences from the local Uyghur and Dungan communities, we were served much more than the boiled meat I’d come expecting, and more delicious food than could possibly be eaten in one sitting.

“We were served much more than the boiled meat I’d come expecting.”

A country changing fast

Kyrgyzstan, and Central Asia as a whole, is changing incredibly quickly right now. New roads and infrastructure are going up everywhere as the country adapts to more tourism. It’s hard to know how those changes will affect the people who live there.

On our trip, Tatiana did an amazing job of showing us traditional Kyrgyz hospitality while keeping us comfortable with modern accommodations, clean toilet stops and endless good food.

Something we'll always share

I always try to keep people back home updated on my travels, but it’s different when someone is there with you in person. Our time in Kyrgyzstan is now something my mum and I will always share.

I’d recommend Kyrgyzstan to any traveler interested in nature, nomadic culture and real connections with local people. My mum and I loved our time there, and we came home with a much better understanding of a part of the world we’d only ever read about in books.

I found my people on seven women-only group trips

Jess Witkins is a public librarian, a self-described jokester, and a SoFe regular. Since her first trip to Egypt, she’s traveled with SoFe to Lebanon, Mongolia, India, Nepal and Bhutan, Ecuador, and Romania. Here’s what keeps her coming back.

It started with a friend. She found SoFe, we signed up for Egypt together, and I loved it so much that I came home and read through every other trip they offered. Seven trips later, I’m still not done.

People ask if I get nervous traveling with a group of strangers. Honestly? Not anymore.

A researcher at heart

I work in public libraries, so I research everything before I go. I read as much as I can, watch documentaries, and try to learn a few phrases in the local language. That’s how I get excited for a trip.

What I don’t do is tell many people where I’m going. I love the surprise of posting “Hello from sunny wherever” and letting everyone find out at once.

All that prep makes me a better traveler. But it can’t prepare you for the people. That part you have to show up for.

You'll find your people

On my seven trips I’ve traveled with women in their 20s, women in their 70s, and everyone in between. That range is one of my favorite things about SoFe. You hear so many stories. Someone asks a question you never would have thought of. And you always come home with a list of new places to go, because these are women who travel.

SoFe makes it easy to connect. There’s always a welcome dinner. There’s bus time between cities. And there’s the group WhatsApp, which is where the magic happens. “Night owls are meeting here to chat.” “Early birds are getting coffee.” You’ll find your people.

I’ve roomed with a friend I came with and with women I’d never met. It’s worked out every time. SoFe puts real thought into those matches.

“Some of the women I’ve traveled with, I’ve met up with on other trips. With others, we’ve basically become our own made-up book club.”

Is every group perfect? We’re all adults, so you have choices. If you need quiet time, take it. If you want to talk about the day over dinner, someone will want that too. On the rare day someone is bringing the mood down, it’s usually something they’re going through, not the trip. We all have off moments. And if it’s really affecting the group, you can say something to the guide. They want everyone to have a good time too.

The guides are the secret

My favorite part of every SoFe trip is the guide. Somehow they keep getting better.

They know the history and the culture. They also know where to exchange money, what to do when your SIM card dies, and where the nearest pharmacy is. I think the sign of a good tour is that you never notice the logistics, and I usually don’t. Meeting points, what to pack for the day, when to be ready to move cities, what to leave in the safe. It’s all handled.

By the end of most trips, my friends and I are asking the guide, “Do you need anything? What can we get you?” Now, they’re friends who happen to be working.

In Egypt, our guide Sameh did two things I’ll never forget. First, he taught me a few funny phrases in the local dialect. Egyptian markets can be intense, especially as a woman, with a lot of attention and catcalling from vendors. I’m a jokester, so I started using Sameh’s lines, and suddenly the vendors were laughing with me. I went from bracing myself to actually having fun in the market.

Second, after a full day in the Valley of the Kings, he gave us options and nudged us toward the workers’ tombs, which weren’t on the itinerary. They had some of the most beautiful color artwork we saw all trip, and it became a lot of people’s favorite stop that day. Seeing the royal tombs next to the everyday ones is the kind of thing you only get with a guide who’s paying attention to what you love.

In Romania, our guide Daniella was basically our mom for the week. Funny, organized, and she knew everything. That might be the best group I’ve ever traveled with.

Finding home (and a few moms) along the way

In Lebanon, we had lunch with a woman who ran a kind of co-op out in the countryside. She’s known for her olive oil, and her community barely uses money. They barter. One neighbor is known for bread, another for oil, and they trade.

She fed us huge plates of comfort food and told stories until we felt completely at home. On her wall was a bulletin board covered in letters from past guests. I jokingly asked if she’d adopt me. She told me that so many of her guests already call her Mom. Hospitality is in her genes.

I hugged her goodbye and got a photo with her. It’s my favorite feel-good travel story, because it proved something I believe: wherever you go, you can find a sense of home.

“I don’t often get homesick, because I tend to find home wherever I am.”

Also in Lebanon, the woman leading our cooking class wouldn’t let me chop a tomato. She’d seen enough of my knife skills. Fair. The food was incredible anyway, and making it together and eating it as a group was the whole point. (Egypt, for the record, gave me koshari. If I could take a bath in it, I would.)

The trip I screamed about

Mongolia is the trip that blew past every expectation. Years ago I watched The Eagle Huntress and was in awe of the Golden Eagle Festival. It never occurred to me that I could actually go. When SoFe announced a Mongolia trip, I screamed across the house to my husband, “I’m going to Mongolia!”

It was everything. Driving through the countryside. Dinner with a Mongolian family and a Kazakh family, seeing how differently their homes are built and decorated. Then a meditative hike in Terelj National Park and a night in a ger camp, sleeping in the kind of home we’d just learned about. Then back to a comfortable hotel in Ulaanbaatar. That balance of comfort and adventure is something SoFe does really well.

The Golden Eagle Festival was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. There were 145 competitors and I never got tired of watching. Some of the traditions can be hard to watch by American standards. But I found I could be at peace with it, ask questions, and learn. These are people living in some of the harshest climates on earth, practicing a way of life they weren’t allowed to practice for years. Now they’re bringing it back. It felt like watching history happen in front of me.

Not every room is perfect. That's the point.

I’m not picky about where I sleep. Mostly I care that the hotel is central so I can go explore on my own. SoFe hotels are usually nicer than anything I’d book for myself. They’ll also help you add nights before or after the trip, which I’ve done to see more.

But my favorite stay? Aswan. It’s a gorgeous city full of brightly painted houses, and our hotel sat on a little island you could only reach by a one-minute boat ride. More than once, that boat conked out halfway across. The AC topped out at “baking.” The Wi-Fi mostly didn’t. And I accidentally flooded our room because I couldn’t figure out the shower drain.

I loved it. It was beautiful, off the beaten path, and unlike anywhere else. Not every stay needs to be maximum comfort. Sometimes the quirky ones are what make the trip.

Travel that gives back

Every trip has an “aha” moment, where real understanding happens. In some places we’ve seen real poverty, and I’ve become more aware of the privilege of being able to travel at all. I think a good traveler steps outside her comfort zone and learns from the place, without expecting it to adapt to her.

On our India trip, we visited Sambhali Trust, which helps women build skills and continue their education so they can earn money and live independently. At their school, my traveling librarian friends and I swapped welcome songs with the kids. We also visited Sheroes, a cafe run by acid attack survivors, and heard their stories. It was deeply moving. SoFe never expects you to give anything, but after meeting these women, you’ll probably want to keep supporting them once you’re home.

Braver on my own

As women, we’re taught to be scared of the new. To be cautious, avoid risk, stick to safety in numbers or find a protector.

Safety matters to me, and I’ve always felt safe with SoFe. They’re upfront about what to watch for, where to go and not go, and how to dress. Knowing why Amanda started SoFe, and what she went through traveling solo, I trust that they’re building something to make travel safer for more women. And if you’d rather not go out alone at night, the group chat has you covered.

What surprised me is how much braver SoFe made me on my own. A guide, a group, and free time in small groups were my baby steps. Now I’m a more confident solo traveler, more open to conversations with strangers, and a lot more okay with making mistakes.

“Don’t waste your one life.”

Just book it

If you’ve always wanted to see a place but haven’t had anyone to go with, or didn’t know how to plan it, this is the way to start. You don’t have to do seven trips like me. (I hope you do.) I especially love SoFe’s brand-new trips. Things don’t always go to plan, they’re asking for feedback constantly, and you get to help shape them.

Every time I get home, people can’t believe how much we packed in and how much time we spent with locals. That’s because Amanda and her team put so much care into their local partners and actually take feedback seriously.

I’m always sad when a trip ends. I miss the women, the guides, and the places. So how do I feel when it’s over? Mostly I just want to know when I can go on the next one.

Follow Jess’s adventures on Instagram.

My friend’s travel photos made me jealous. So I booked India.

Dana Strahnson, from Minneapolis, had never traveled internationally on her own. Then she joined SoFe’s India trip for Holi and came home with lifelong friends, a rug she can put faces to, and a new sense of what she’s allowed to want.

The jealousy was telling me something

Jess and I worked at the same library years ago. Different departments, friendly but not close, the kind of friends who follow each other on social media. Then Jess started posting from Lebanon. Mongolia. Egypt. Places that weren’t even on my radar. How was she doing this?

The secret was SoFe.

Every post made me inspired, curious and, honestly, a lot jealous. Eventually it occurred to me that the jealousy was telling me something. I wasn’t making travel a priority the way I could have been.

So I crunched the numbers and went to SoFe’s website. There was an India trip. India had been on my list since college, when I passed on studying abroad there because I didn’t think I was ready. I’d always felt like I missed my chance. This was my jump moment, so I booked.

Little did I know Jess had booked the same trip. Icing on the cake.

Alone, but not really

I was nervous. I’d done work trips, but I would never have called myself a solo traveler. Tackling India on my own? Not happening.

That’s what makes SoFe great. You’re alone, but not really. Of course, a group comes with its own nerves. It felt like middle school or summer camp. What if they don’t like me? What if I don’t make any friends?

My biggest worry was the roommate. To make the trip affordable I needed one, and I was dreading it. SoFe has a roommate quiz, and I got matched with Christie, another acquaintance who’s now a lifelong friend. Every night felt like a sleepover.

Before we left, SoFe kept us on top of everything: appointments, insurance, flights. They also held a Zoom call to prepare us for India. There’s poverty, and here’s what helps. Things will be unpredictable, so you’ll need to let things go and stay present. That advice made my trip. I don’t think I’d have had a good time without that mindset.

The one thing SoFe can’t control is your flight. Mine was on time, and the second I walked into the Delhi airport and saw our driver, I took a big, deep breath. I knew I was in good hands.

Strangers on day one, inside jokes by the end

It really was like summer camp. You show up on day one not knowing what you’ve gotten yourself into, and you leave with inside jokes, shared stories and real friends.

Around day two or three, I realized I didn’t know what anyone did for work. But I knew who’d been to Antarctica. I knew who’d been to Egypt, who loved traveling solo and who usually didn’t. Travel was how we got to know each other, and I can’t think of many places in adult life where that’s how you connect. It was the richest peer learning I’ve ever had.

“I didn’t know what anyone did for work. But I knew who’d been to Antarctica.”

Jess, Christie and I are getting together next weekend. Our group chat is lively. We’ve watched Bollywood movies together over FaceTime.

Looked after

India comes with safety risks. Traveling anywhere does. What reassured me was knowing SoFe had done the research. Our hotels were vetted, our transportation was handled, and there was no chance of ending up in the wrong city. Those logistics are exactly what stop a lot of people from traveling.

One moment sticks with me. About halfway through, we were in Jaipur and a few of us needed an ATM. That meant crossing a busy road, and a big group of mostly American women walking out of an ATM isn’t the best look. Our drivers offered to walk us across.

It felt a little silly at the time. I know how to cross a street. But it wasn’t part of their job at all. They were just looking out for us, and I still think about it warmly.

No trip FOMO

I have terrible trip FOMO. When I plan my own trips, I cram everything in, which doesn’t always make me the most fun to travel with.

With SoFe, I knew everything we did was intentional, researched and worth it. That took so much pressure off.

Take the Taj Mahal. I honestly thought it might be overrated. It wasn’t. And I got to spend that morning in actual wonder instead of stressing about camera angles, timing or what I could bring in my bag. I still got my photos and heard the history from our guide. I just never had to think about where I needed to be next.

The days I couldn't have planned myself

In Jodhpur we had a jam-packed day. A potter’s home. A rug weaver. Five or six stops in all, ending with lunch at Sambhali Trust. I remember thinking, that’s a lot of logistics. And it just flowed. Our guide watched the clock. We just showed up.

On my own, I never would have found those places. Now I can picture the faces of the people who made the rug in my living room and the stuffed toys I gave my nieces. At Sambhali Trust, we met women learning to sew while their kids were looked after during homework time. There was so much joy and love there. It isn’t in any travel guide, and being there felt like an honor.

Jaipur was my favorite city. By then I had my India legs under me. We started with a block printing workshop and saw how many hands go into a single scarf. Then free time: coffee across from the Hawa Mahal, photos, shopping. Then a rickshaw tour with Pink City Rickshaw, driven by fearless women drivers, with roadside chai along the way.

That night, nobody wanted the party to end. We took over our hotel courtyard, ordered pizza and wine, and played get-to-know-you games. Total slumber party energy. It was action-packed, and it never once felt like too much.

What I loved most was how much supporting women and women-owned businesses was baked into the whole trip, from Sambhali Trust to Sheroes Cafe. I couldn’t have replicated that on my own.

We stayed in a palace

I knew our hotels would be safe, clean and in good areas. I didn’t know we’d stay in an actual palace.

Our hotel in Jodhpur sat on palace grounds with a lake, horses you could ride, and monkeys and peacocks wandering around. Where do you even find these places? I never would have found it on my own, or been willing to pay for it.

It mattered more than I expected. Jodhpur was our first city to really explore, and my first walk to the market was full culture shock. Sounds, smells, people, rickshaws, mopeds, cows and dogs, all at once. I was overwhelmed and honestly a little scared. Can I handle this?

Then we went back to the palace, and it was peaceful. Knowing I had that calm place to come back to is what let me head out the next day and keep exploring.

The gutter guards

Before I booked, I left the SoFe page open for a week. I knew the dates worked. I knew I could make the money work. And there was still a voice in my head: Are you sure this is worth it? You could use that money for gutter guards.

(We did end up getting gutter guards.)

I finally pressed the button because I knew I would regret not going. India had been on my list since I was 20. If I didn’t say yes then, I might never give myself permission. There are seasons in life when a trip like this isn’t in the cards. This was my season.

Coming out of the pandemic, I’d been recognizing my anxiety and the ways I wanted to grow. This trip was how I challenged myself. If I could tell my pre-trip self anything, it’s this: you’ll be okay. You’re allowed to travel without guilt. It isn’t selfish, and it isn’t frivolous.

“Investing in a SoFe trip was really an investment in myself.”

What a solo traveler really looks like

In my head, a solo traveler was fearless. Two backpacks, speaks the language, nothing fazes her.

The women on my trip showed me something different. Everyone was at a different place in her travel journey. Being a solo female traveler doesn’t mean you’re alone. It means you’re willing to make travel a priority.

Also, I could not convince my husband to go to India. So I’m grateful there was a way for me to go anyway.

“Being a solo female traveler doesn’t mean you’re alone. It means you’re willing to make travel a priority.”

Should you go?

India isn’t for everyone. Plenty of people have told me they’d never go, and I respect that. But if it’s on your list, I can’t recommend going with SoFe enough. If you can handle a little chaos and not being the one in control, this trip could be everything for you.

I celebrated Holi. I saw a sliver of a country the whole world owes so much to. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.

And honestly? Udaipur is on the next itinerary, and it looks amazing. I’m a little jealous of the next group.

Behind The Scene Of Our First Solo Female Traveler Tour

Amanda here 👋, founder of this group and our Meetup Tours to 15+ countries around the world. Today, we specialize in tours to countries often considered less safe or challenging for solo female travelers—think Egypt, India, Morocco, Mongolia, and more. But go back 6 and a half years to our first-ever trip, and you might wonder why I chose Bali—a safe, easy destination—as our debut tour.

💌 P.S. We still offer Bali today (but it’s even better now)!

Behind the Scenes of My First Ever Tour with The Solo Female Traveler Network

Why Bali?

I was living in Australia on a work holiday visa, unsure if anyone would book a spot on my tour. I needed somewhere close to home, affordable, and a destination people would actually want to visit. Bali checked all those boxes, so I took the leap and booked my own flight for $358. I’ll never forget that number—it was the first financial risk I took for this company, my long time dream.

Self doubt and good friends

A few years after my mom passed, I was still grieving. She had been my biggest cheerleader and best friend, and I felt deeply lost without her.

When the idea to run a tour came to me, I called a friend who was also a successful business owner. We sat in a little booth at a budget outlet mall, and she gave me the pep talk of a lifetime. I’ll always be grateful for her patience, passion, and support that day. As women, we rarely hear a heartfelt “YES, YOU CAN DO THIS!” from the world. So, we have to be that voice for each other—because, girl, we can do whatever we set our minds to.

Time to get to work

To create a website, I needed some branding. Our “logo” isn’t just a design—it’s a symbol of our community of women, with deep meaning.

The triangle with a line through it represents both the Earth and women. I added a compass on top for travel and transformed the line into an arrow to symbolize our forward journey. I love it so much, it’s tattooed on my wrist—but that’s a story for later.

When I started SoFe, I was a broke backpacker working below minimum wage at a pizza place in Melbourne. We were built on passion, grit, and a little luck—not investors or funding. I remember sitting in my ex-boyfriend’s friend’s filthy bachelor pad, surrounded by piles of dusty video games, agonizing over the website design. I changed the WIX background to baby blue, thinking it looked good! The website was ugly, but it was done, and I was ready to launch the Bali trip I had nervously planned.

From Zero to Oversold

I published the webpage for our first tour, and the response was overwhelming—it sold out fast! I wasn’t fully prepared for the rush, and I ended up accidentally overselling the trip. In the end, it worked out better than I could have imagined. I booked larger villas in Bali to accommodate everyone, and the experience turned out to be even more magical than I anticipated.

We stayed in two stunning villas, one in Canggu and one in Ubud. I included all meals for the group, which, in hindsight, was a bit too much. It made travelers feel like they needed to stick with the group to eat, limiting the solo time that many craved. After all, these tours are meant for solo female travelers, and I wanted everyone to have space to enjoy their independence.

We had 17 amazing women join us on that first trip, and even though we’ve done many tours since, it remains one of the most special ones to date.

Hiring the Team in Bali

One of the biggest lessons I learned on that first trip? Not hiring help to put together the team. It’s a lesson I take with me to every destination now and think about often. I didn’t account for cultural nuances and, honestly, I had no way of predicting the problems that would pop up.

I ended up hiring our team myself— a cook, a driver, a day tour guide, and an operations assistant. But I had no idea that the Balinese assistant and the Javanese driver wouldn’t get along due to long-standing cultural differences. The driver wouldn’t listen to my assistant, which led to extra work and some operational hiccups. The travelers were thankfully unaware. In the end, as long as the travelers are happy, I am happy, but this was a serious challenge behind the scenes!

Then there was the cook, who was Muslim, and the guide, who was Hindu—another culture clash I hadn’t seen coming. We had a bit of a rocky start, but I quickly learned how to resolve things. Thankfully, the one thing my team had in common was a respect for authority, and after stepping up with some strong leadership, things fell into place.

What a wild ride! Now, I always hire a local operations person who has amazing connections in their home country. This ensures the team clicks and trusts each other before the tour even begins. These days, our teams are rock-solid, and it’s one of my favorite parts of running this business—the incredible people I get to work with all over the world.

A total success!

Running our very first tour to Bali was hands down the most challenging thing I’ve ever done in my career. But it was also one of the most successful tours I’ve ever led. 9 of the 17 women on that trip ended up getting the logo tattooed, because they truly felt the community, freedom, adventure, and joy that I always envisioned The Solo Female Traveler Network to embody. I’m so proud of that first tour, and I’m deeply grateful to everyone who helped make it a success.

What started as a dream to create something meaningful has become a community of bold, adventurous women who share in the joy of exploring the world on their own terms. This isn’t just about the places we visit—it’s about the connections we make, the courage we find within ourselves, and the memories we create together.

While there were some bumps in the road on our first tour, we have been running trips for 7 years, have established and incredible teams, and have perfected our itineraries to include local known places and experiences with our friends and colleagues you probably wouldn’t find on your own. You don’t have take my word for it though, read what our traveler’s say.

The Golden Eagle Festival & The Solo Female Traveler Network

There is a certain something about Mongolia that is hard to put into words. It’s one of those places you can’t understand unless you experience it for yourself.

It’s in the nomadic lifestyle that is passed down through generations, the deep vibrations of the Mongolian throat singing and the ancient flavors cooked over an open fire. It’s in the beauty of the snow capped mountains, and rolling hills dotted with nomadic ger tents. It’s in the timelessness of Kazakh culture and temples.

Mongolia is where you go to give yourself a different perspective of the world. It’s where you’ll experience moments, lifetimes away from the bustle of everyday life.

Traveling through Mongolia with The Solo Female Traveler Network isn’t just a great photo op (okay, it is that too) – but it’s actually one of the most unforgettable, unique experiences of all of our tours.

The Eagle Huntress & The Solo Female Traveler Network's Inspiration

We were inspired to travel to Mongolia after our founder Amanda watched the 2016 National Geographic documentary, “The Eagle Huntress”. It’s a film featuring the Golden Eagle Festival in Western Mongolia, where a 13-year-old Kazakh girl, Aisholpan, became the first female to enter – and then win the competition. Amanda was so inspired, she brought it to the team and we got to work on curating a trip that would allow us to be a part of the festival ourselves.

It took a few years and a brief pause while COVID concerns shut down borders – but we made it to Mongolia in 2023 and this trip was more than we ever expected. It was completely different from any other place we had ever been in the world. Traveling around Mongolia gave us that awe-struck feeling of traveling for the first time – over and over again.

We were lucky to have such a unique experience on our trip to Mongolia in 2023. Our highlight of the trip was without a doubt, The Golden Eagle Festival, and we are so excited and honored to be invited back once again for 2024 and 2025.

Golden Eagle Hunting in Mongolia

The Golden Eagle Festival takes place every year in early October in the remote Mongolian village of Ulgii. It celebrates the ancient tradition of eagle hunting and it helps preserve these practices among the nomadic Mongolian lifestyle.

Golden Eagle Hunting dates back to the 1100’s – so we’re talking nearly a thousand years. In a literal sense, it highlights a beautiful, symbiotic relationship between human and eagle, where the hunter releases the eagle into the sky and pursues the signaled prey. It then captures the animal and returns it to the hunter, who gives it a piece of meat as a reward. Typically, Golden Eagles are treated as very prized pets and given the utmost care.

The Golden Eagle Festival with The Solo Female Traveler Network

At the Golden Eagle Festival, skilled hunters participate in traditional games while locals gather together to celebrate Kazakh culture.

As we learned in the documentary, “The Golden Huntress,” for the last 500 years, men have been the only people to compete in the Golden Eagle Festival until everything changed in 2016. This past year when we attended, 145 Mongolian men enrolled in the competition and only one female signed up. The female who was competing was also a 13-year-old girl, named Ay Moldir, just like the 2016 Golden Eagle winner, Aisholpan.

Obviously, our girl gang of SoFe travelers were ecstatic for the young girl to compete. We cheered her on endlessly, and got a chance to talk with her and have her share a little bit of her experience with us. After much anticipation, we were beyond thrilled to witness Ay Moldir win the entire competition. She beat the other 145 male competitors and our collective SoFe travel group shared the kind of moment that only women truly can.

Coming into Mongolia we were excited for The Golden Eagle Festival and had high hopes for more female competitors. As a group of female travelers, this experience was very powerful and impactful for us all. Watching a young girl face adversity and succeed immensely in a male dominated tradition was humbling. Although many of us are from a different world than Ay Moldir and Aisholpan, we feel connected to them and drawn in by their courage and bravery, reminding us that all over the world, iconic women and girls have made magnificent impacts with seemingly small changes.

All-Women Mongolia Trip Highlights

After such an incredible trip to Mongolia in 2023, we want more women to experience the Golden Eagle Festival and the eye-opening lifestyle Western Mongolia has to offer. Here are some highlights we are looking forward to in our 2024 Tour to Mongolia.

- Ay Moldir is competing in the Golden Eagle Festival again and we will be there to cheer her on. Not only will we be able to watch her compete, we will also have the opportunity to visit her at her family’s ger (Mongolian home) before the competition to wish her luck.

- On our next Mongolia tour we have been invited to be a part of two traditional local family dinners. One is a planned tour and the other is organized through our guide while we are already in the country. With help from our guide we will go shopping to provide gifts and food and head to our destination to eat and experience an authentic dinner with a Western Mongolian family. This is a one-of-a-kind experience to be welcomed in by the Kazakh people and gain perspective on their everyday lives.

- Our SoFe Travel crew will head to Terelj National Park to stay at a luxury ger camp to enjoy the stunning views of Mongolia’s mountains. Experience a traditional Mongolian ger, similar to a yurt, but enjoy it with a few more comforts of home. With heated floors, private bathrooms and gorgeous scenery, this part of the trip is rejuvenating and luxurious and the perfect place to enjoy the golden sunsets of Terelj National Park!

If you want to hear some Mongolian throat singing, watch Ay Moldir at The Golden Eagle Festival and have a life-changing experience, then this trip is for you! Words truly can’t describe the rich Kazakh culture and the authentic and traditional ways of nomadic Mongolian life. Sign up now for our Women Only Tour To Mongolia. We can’t wait to see you there.

My First Tour With The Solo Female Traveler Network: Bali

Traveling to a new place is always an exhilarating experience, but traveling with like-minded women on a tour with The Solo Female Traveler Network was such an empowering experience and one that I look forward to every year since.

As I stepped out of the Bali International Airport the heat and humidity were the first to welcome me. “We don’t get weather like this in Los Angeles,” I thought to myself while I made my way to exit the airport to meet my driver holding a sign for “The Solo Female Traveler Network”.

After exiting the airport, I was met with a young Indonesian man by the name of “Ketut” as he held the “The Solo Female Network” sign. He was waiting for my arrival.

He took my luggage and we walked to the van that was meant to take us to the villa where we were staying. He assured us it was going to be a long ride, but it didn’t matter. The long stretch of Indonesian temples and shrines as we drove through the streets, took my attention away from yet another long journey.

Here's How My Bali Tour with The Solo Female Traveler Network Went

Meeting The Solo Female Traveler Network in Bali

When we all arrived on the first night, we shared a nice cultural dinner at a small restaurant near the villa where we were staying. Just like strangers meeting for the first time, we semi-formally introduced ourselves, learned about each other, and talked about the trip that was set before us.

We had a very diverse itinerary with every day filled with activities. But the following were my favorite experiences as part of the Bali Tour.

The Offering Class in Bali

All over Bali, there are these beautiful fragrant-floral masterpieces that can be found almost everywhere. On the streets, in the temples, in front of shrines, decorating the shops, and etc.

They are literally everywhere.

Canang Sari is a spiritual offering that is practiced every morning by the Balinese Hindus. Its symbolism includes warding off demons, attracting prosperity, and honoring ancestors.

First, we arrived at another villa where we were met with some locals who welcomed us and gave us a lesson about the Balinese Hindus religion, the symbolism of the canang sari, and how to make it. Then we were taught how to make it from a variety of fresh colorful flowers that came in white, red, yellow, blue, and green. Each floral had its own meaning and each item was meant to be placed in a specific direction. After completing the workshop, we were directed to a little private temple, where we presented our canang sari to the gods.

Learning about the Balinese Hindu religion through the canang sari workshop was a pleasant experience. Although the canang sari looks simple and dainty, it is actually a very intricate item with so many meanings. Had it not been for this workshop I would not have known what these floral offerings were and what they represented.

Tegalalang Rice Fields with The Solo Female Traveler Network

Considered as one of the most beautiful places to visit in Bali, the Tegalalang Rice Fields is where you want to be. By the way, did you know that its a UNESCO World Heritage Site? If that’s not more of a reason for you to visit, then I don’t know what is.

It’s stunning beyond belief.

When we arrived, we all walked towards Tegalalang, enjoyed the view from the top, and took advantage of the many photo opportunities that we could get. If you are an Instagrammer, this is your spot.

Do you know that “I Love Bali” sign you see on everyone’s feed? Yeah, It’s here at the Tegalalang Rice Fields and trusts me when I say there is no better place to take that picture. At the top of the rice fields lines an array of cute cafes, shops, and photo-op stations (the picturesque swing and birds nest is there) that all overlook the rice field.

It was such a great place to relax, hang out with new friends, and enjoy the scenery. If I ever go back to Bali, this would be the place I would want to visit the most.

I’m not into nature at all but visiting the Tegalalang rice fields with The Solo Female Traveler Network was an inspiring moment for me. The entire landscape is just breathtaking that no picture (or filter) can do it justice. I had one of those moments where I began to realize how big the world is, how much of the world I haven’t seen, and I started to remember why I loved traveling in the first place. How much I wish that I could share the moment with friends and family at home. But it is not the same. It’s never the same as being there in person.

The Balinese Cooking Class

For this experience, we drove to a remote area, and when we arrived at our destination we were greeted by our host, “Wayan”, with a decorative and refreshing welcome drink. At the start of our experience, we were given a lesson on how to make coconut oil, followed by an introduction to the variety of ingredients found in traditional Balinese dishes.

All the ingredients, cookware, and cutlery were prepared. Before the preparation of each course, we were given instructions on how to make it and what we needed to do. Then we worked together in pairs to handle different parts of the meal such as de-seeding the chili, finely chopping them, cooking the meat, etc. Every so often, we would rotate stations to ensure that everyone was able to experience different cooking practices.

Wayan and his team orchestrated the class smoothly, and with his humor, instruction, and his team, we had the best time ever. At the end of the class, we all sat together, enjoyed the feast that we all prepared and delved into deep conversations and laughter all through the night.

I truly enjoyed this experience because not only were we introduced to Balinese cuisine but this was such a great activity to do with new friends. The cooking class was fun and at the end of the meal, we really got to taste our own blood, sweat, and tears which by the way was very tasty. Just kidding. The food was delicious but the company of the SoFe ladies was what made the experience the most memorable for me. To feel connected during the meal made gave me a sense of belonging.

Of course, I slept well after the biggest food coma of my life. It was worth it.

Conclusion About My Time On The Solo Female Traveler Network's Tour in Bali

The Solo Female Traveler Network tours is one of the best ways to travel, but making new friends and sharing memorable experiences with them was what I needed most.

Traveling to a new place is always an exhilarating experience for any traveler. But traveling with like-minded women on a SoFe Travel Tour was such an empowering experience and one that I look forward to every year since.

There were deep conversations, late-night swims, and a whole lot of laughter. I couldn’t have asked for a better trip than with the girls that I met and traveled with.

Now, I can’t tell you exactly what was the best part of this trip because everything was amazing. But what I do know is that after the trip I came back home looking forward to book my next SoFe Meetup: Morocco.

About the author

CHRISTINE DE LA FUENTE

Christine de la Fuente has been on four tours with The Solo Female Traveler Network: Bali, Morocco, Yosemite, and India. She is a creative travel blogger from Los Angeles, California. She enjoys traveling the world solo just as much as she loves traveling the world in LA. Most of all she travels to visit historical sites, eat good food and experience festivals all around the world.