Breaking Barriers: A Founder’s Guide to Solo Women Travel in India
Shilpa Sharma, founder of Breakaway, has a deep understanding of travel in India, especially as a seasoned solo woman traveller. Having traversed this terrain for several decades, she’s well aware of the concerns and challenges women encounter on the road while travelling within the country.
In conversation with her, it’s clear that she has valuable insights into what women look for and need, to feel secure and empowered while travelling. With Breakaway’s approach to womens’ travel, we hope to put their minds at ease, ensuring they can focus on enjoying the journey.
1. What safety measures do you recommend for solo female travellers in less touristy destinations?
I recommend taking certain precautions for solo female travellers in less touristy destinations. Personally, I avoid stepping out after dark in less frequented areas, and I always advise sticking with the driver or guide assigned to you—they’re there to help in any situation. It’s also important to have emergency contacts in place. At Breakaway, we offer 24/7 support and encourage our guests to stay connected with us whenever they feel the need to. WhatsApp is the best and most convenient way to connect (but of course, we are also a phone call away).
We don’t discourage visiting any particular places or experiences, but we do take a deep breath and pay closer attention when someone wants to visit areas that have seen unrest. That said, we try not to coddle our guests too much. We want them to enjoy their trip with the freedom they deserve, while ensuring that their safety is never compromised.
2. How do you vet accommodations and transport options to ensure they are safe for women travellers?
When it comes to vetting accommodations and transport options for women travellers, especially solo travellers, the process is something we’ve honed over many years. The ground transport handlers we work with are people we trust completely— they’ve been taking responsibility for our guests, whether during group or solo travels. We avoid working with anyone who doesn’t meet that standard of responsibility and accountability.
As for accommodation, I rely on my own comfort and sense of safety when travelling. I would never put a guest in a hotel or accommodation where I wouldn’t feel safe myself. For solo women travellers, we pay special attention to the location, often choosing areas that are a bit more populated and lively, where there are more rooms and other guests around.
3. How do you prepare women travellers for cultural differences, especially in conservative areas?
When preparing women travellers for cultural differences, especially in more conservative areas, the primary thing I emphasise is to dress modestly to avoid drawing unwanted attention.
At Breakaway, we stress the importance of respecting religious sensibilities that simply cannot be compromised.
We also recommend practical tips, like packing a scarf for visits to places of worship, being ready to remove footwear when required, and carrying a spare set of socks if that’s more comfortable.
That said, most of our travellers have been sensitive to these cultural norms, so reminders are rarely needed. No one has ever been difficult in that regard—no one’s said, “I travel the world like this, and I’m not going to make changes.”
Most people who come to India already have an understanding of the lines that shouldn’t be crossed, or they quickly adapt.
4. Do you provide tailored itineraries or resources specifically for women travelling alone or in small groups?
The bulk of our travellers are solo women or groups of women, which is why at Breakaway, we always tailor trips specifically to cater to their needs. For example, we wouldn’t schedule a walk after 9 p.m. unless there are men in the group or a male guide, and even then, we try to avoid it.
Curating these experiences is second nature to us—it’s like hygiene. The people we assign to our women travellers are trusted individuals, and we ensure they uphold that trust.
There’s a reason why solo women travellers choose agencies like Breakaway. We understand that they don’t want to constantly look over their shoulders, worrying about being followed, watching their belongings, or dealing with bad behaviour.
For example, if a guest is travelling from point A to point B and it’s getting late, she needs to be reassured that even if she’s alone with a driver we’ve assigned, there’s no reason to be anxious.
We are always looking out for them.
5. How do you handle situations where a woman traveller feels unsafe or uncomfortable during their trip? (driver, hotel staff, locals, etc.)
While we haven’t (touchwood) encountered such situations often, if a woman traveller feels unsafe or uncomfortable during her trip, our approach is to respond with empathy and urgency. Time is of the essence, so we aim to address her concerns immediately and alleviate her fears to the best of our ability.
If the discomfort is related to a specific accommodation, we work swiftly with the hotel or homestay management to resolve the issue. If necessary, we can send an on-ground associate to help her move to a different room, perhaps one closer to the reception, or arrange alternative accommodations. Similarly, if the issue involves a driver or guide, we would promptly arrange for a replacement.
Although these extreme situations are rare, we are prepared to handle them with the appropriate level of sensitivity and immediacy.
6. What advice do you have for women travellers regarding access to healthcare, sanitation, and hygiene in remote locations?
When it comes to healthcare, sanitation, and hygiene in remote locations, we’ve taken several steps to make the experience as smooth as possible. For most road trips, Breakaway has identified specific pit stops that have been vetted by both our travellers and our trusted ground handling teams. These are places we rely on, but frequent travellers of developing countries will know that facilities may not always meet the standards some travellers are used to. It’s an unfortunate reality, but until things improve, we encourage guests to manage their expectations and be prepared.
For feminine hygiene and sanitation, we suggest packing essentials like single use toilet seat covers and disinfectant sprays. These can make a big difference when the available facilities aren’t ideal.
7. How do you encourage women who are nervous about travelling alone to manage their travel anxiety?
Most of the solo women travellers or groups of women who come to us have often been referred by another woman who has already travelled with Breakaway. By the time they reach out to us, some of their initial nerves have been eased simply through that personal recommendation.
The rest of the process comes through the conversations they have with the Breakaway team. We take the time to address their concerns and do whatever it takes to ease their nerves. Stepping out of one’s comfort zone is different for everyone, but we provide the reassurance and support needed to make that leap a little less daunting.
8. How do you help women balance social interactions with maintaining personal boundaries during their travels?
We strive to help women balance social interactions with maintaining their personal boundaries during their travels. Although we haven’t encountered many issues, there was one instance where a traveller from a very egalitarian society struggled to understand why her homestay owner wouldn’t allow her driver to join her for a meal. The social norms and class distinctions in our country can sometimes be quite stark, and this situation escalated to the point where the homestay owner even called us to express his concerns, as he feared offending other guests. In this case, our local guide had to step in to mediate and resolve the issue.
While such incidents are rare, we do occasionally hear feedback from women who feel taken aback by perceived chauvinism or patriarchal attitudes when travelling with a male guide or driver. We hope our guests are prepared for these cultural differences and remain cautious when navigating social dynamics.
Our aim is always to ensure that their boundaries are respected while providing the support needed to manage any uncomfortable situations.
9. What tips do you have for women travellers who feel uneasy about dining or exploring alone in unfamiliar places?
For women travellers who feel uneasy about dining or exploring alone in unfamiliar places, we offer a few practical tips. Firstly, eating alone is rarely necessary, as we encourage our guests to lunch with their guide . We seldom ask our women guests to eat in at their own hotel, or the homestay, and not go out elsewhere for dinner unless accompanied by the guide.
By arranging meals within the safe and familiar environment of their accommodation, we aim to make the experience as comfortable as possible for our guests.
10. How do you handle situations where technology access (e.g., internet, phone signal) might be limited and leave women feeling more vulnerable?
As a solo woman traveller myself, I’ve experienced being in places with no network or internet access.
Breakaway is already aware of the locations where network coverage is poor, so we brief our drivers to stay vigilant and ensure they’re not too far away, which helps our guests feel more secure. We also make sure not to place our guests in random accommodations that might compromise their safety. In areas with limited technology access, we typically arrange for short day trips or ensure that the homestay or hotel provides Wi-Fi.
If a hotel doesn’t meet these requirements, we simply don’t work with them. Our vetting process is thorough to ensure that our guests’ safety and comfort are never compromised.
11. How can women effectively communicate their travel plans and precautions to family members to help ease their worries?
Communication is key when it comes to a woman traveller’s plans and precautions. The Breakaway team is more than happy to share our contact details with the traveller’s family, so they have a point of contact in case of any concerns or emergencies regarding the traveller’s well-being.
Beyond that, it’s important for the traveller to establish a clear understanding with their family by arranging regular check-ins. This way, family members stay informed and reassured throughout the journey. Additionally, the traveller keeping in touch with the Breakaway team regularly can provide an extra layer of reassurance.
Another helpful tip is to share the driver’s phone number with the family. We can ensure that drivers are briefed to respond to any calls from the traveller’s family, which can further help in alleviating concerns and ensuring that everyone feels more connected and secure.