Solo Travel Guide For Globetrotting Girlies

Tracee Ellis Ross isn’t the only Black woman enjoying her own company while living her best life in delightful foreign cities. Two well-travelled sisters share their top tips for planning a solo trip abroad 

By

Stephanie Claytor

 
Published December 19, 2025
Maryam Khaleghi Yazdi

Have you ever wanted to jet set alone across the world, but don’t have the guts to do it yet? Solo traveling is definitely a hot topic lately, with “black-ish” and “Girlfriends” actress Tracee Ellis Ross presenting her three-part docuseries, “ Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross”, streaming on The Roku Channel.

Last summer, she said on the Today Show, if you’re afraid to solo travel, “the first thing to do is see if you can go to dinner by yourself…if you can do that and you still feel nervous about checking out a trip, go to some place you’ve been with other people, but go by yourself…The best thing to do is to ask yourself what kind of solo travel do you want.”

While traveling anywhere involves inherent risk, solo travel is so important! It’s an opportunity to explore new places and cultures, and take it all in without worrying about anyone else’s needs or opinions. And that’s why I wrote this article, to help you take the plunge and to answer all of your essential questions about logistics.

A little about me: I’m a travel blogger who has visited 23 countries and territories outside the United States. I’ve written a book about living abroad, called Blacktrekking: My Journey Living in Latin America. Besides moving abroad by myself to the Dominican Republic and Colombia, I have also visited the Netherlands and Ghana, where I participated in a naming ceremony. I enjoyed my trip to Ghana so much that I returned home and wrote a children’s book about it (available at blacktrekking.com). This year, I took a solo trip to Guatemala.

To add to my tips, I interviewed Lauren Gay, a devoted grandmother from Florida, who is one of the co-founders of the Black Travel Alliance and the founder of “.” Her solo travel stories are featured in Lonely Planet’s new book, “Women Travel Solo.” Lauren has been taking solo trips since 2015.

What’s the best way to ease the anxiety of family members when I announce I’m taking a solo trip abroad?

I’ve found that taking precautions, instead of winging it, is key. Definitely research the destination beforehand and make sure it’s friendly toward your lifestyle, as some countries are less accessible to people with mobility issues and others are not LGBTQ friendly. Often, I spend the money to hire a driver and tour guide who knows the area to ease the anxiety of everyone involved.

My family was worried about me traveling to Guatemala, as they were concerned about the security risks, considering the United States government had issued a Level 3 Travel Advisory for the Central American nation, which stated, “Reconsider Travel,” due to crime.

While I was a bit anxious about leaving my children and husband for a few days, I consulted with many Black and Latino friends who had visited there, and they all had positive reviews.

The trip was important to me because I wanted to visit Guatemala’s historical city of Antigua, which the UNESCO World Heritage Convention recognizes. I’ve also seen jaw-dropping photos of Guatemala’s Lake Atitlan, which some consider to be the most beautiful lake in the world. Also, I love taking solo trips abroad to places where I’m forced to speak exclusively in Spanish. Spanish was one of my majors in college; I’m fluent, but I rarely get to speak it at home.

Where do you find guides and drivers?

Social media can be very helpful. I found my driver in Guatemala, Carlos, on the Facebook group “Black Travel Movement,” where he was highly recommended. I’m glad I did, because he mapped everything out for me.

You can also find guides by checking the businesses listed on the destination’s tourism website or by searching sites such as Viator.com or GetYourGuide.com.

I think I’d rather go with a group. Where can I find group trips that cater to Black culture?

Groups are beneficial for beginner travelers. Lauren said she likes the group trips planned by companies such as Traveling Black Women, Up In The Air Life, and Nomadness Tribe.

And what about the headlines I’ve read where tourists mysteriously died in their hotel rooms?

Many of those deaths were related to carbon monoxide poisoning. To avoid that, I always bring a carbon monoxide detector that plugs into the wall.

I also bring a door alarm to prevent anyone from entering my lodging without my knowledge. When I arrived at my villa in Guatemala, it was dark and raining, and the security guard got confused. The entry code wasn’t working when he tried to take me to my villa, so he entered through a sliding glass door and let me in. As soon as the door opened, I saw clothes on the table and realized we were in the wrong villa.

We found my villa across the walkway. I made sure to lock my sliding glass door and set my door alarm underneath it, so if anyone entered my unit, I’d know about it. Aside from that, the view from my villa of Lake Atitlan was breathtaking and worth every penny.

Lauren also recommends traveling with a whistle and registering with the United States State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program when traveling abroad. That way, if anything does happen, the U.S. embassy is notified and can assist.

To avoid getting sick, I bring Imodium and Dramamine and follow the medical advice offered on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Travel Health Notices for the destination. I also consult with my doctor before traveling abroad to learn about any additional health risks; it’s also a good idea to research the hospitals in your destination and their level of care.

Dramamine definitely came in handy in Guatemala. I knew there were volcanoes in Guatemala, but I thought the highways would have tunnels that go through the mountains as they do in West Virginia, not up and down them. Nearly the entire three-hour ride from the airport in Guatemala City to Lake Atitlan was up and down and around mountains.

Lauren and I are both big proponents of purchasing traveler’s insurance. Typically, it will help you with many unexpected circumstances, including if you get sick.

How do I stay in touch with family while I’m abroad?

In my opinion, the best thing to do is to pay your provider to have cell service and data. Lauren also recommends sharing your location with trusted family members or friends, as well as your itinerary and important documents. To allow myself to use my phone throughout the day, I always bring a portable phone charger.

What do I do about money?

This often depends on the destination, so you’ll have to do your research before traveling. Some places operate as cash-based economies, where most vendors only accept cash, so you’ll want to bring plenty to exchange. I typically keep different amounts in my purse and then more in a thin fanny pack that I wear underneath my clothing.

One thing I learned in Guatemala is to ensure that I bring immaculate bills without tears or writing on them; otherwise, the banks or cash exchange centers may not accept them.

Always bring a travel credit card as well, for emergencies. If American Express is your preferred card, consider bringing a backup, as it may not be as widely accepted as Visa or Mastercard.

So, tell me, why are solo trips worth the money and risk?

Lauren summarizes this nicely, stating that these trips provide us a rare opportunity to be selfish.

“Black women in particular really need to make creating joy for ourselves a priority…Solo travel for Black women is freedom and intentional joy.” Lauren said. “I gained confidence and reassurance that I can do hard things. I have also gained new friendships along the way.”

The most important piece of travel advice I can give you is to embark on your trip with a positive attitude and travel with an open mind. While mishaps or unexpected things can happen on any trip, the adventures, friendships, and memories you gain from traveling somewhere alone will likely far outweigh the negative and remain with you for years to come.

Have you travelled to another country on your own? Would you like to? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Stephanie Claytor is a writer and travel blogger. She is the founder of the travel blog www.blacktrekking.com and the author of the travel memoir, “Blacktrekking: My Journey Living in Latin America.” She’s spent much of her career as a television reporter covering the news across the South. She lives in the Tampa Bay area with her husband and son. Find her @blacktrekking_ on Instagram and @claytorreports on Twitter.