High Atlas Mountains, Morocco
For solo women seeking high-altitude adventure, Morocco’s Three Peak Challenge is an unforgettable journey. Over the course of a week, summit North Africa’s three highest peaks – Mgoun (4,068m), Ouanoukrim (4,089m), and Mt. Toubkal (4,167m) – on a guided trek with operators like Imlil Morocco Explorers through Berber villages, fossil-strewn ridges and alpine lakes. Evenings bring camaraderie around campfires and cosy refuge stays, and with local guides, outfitters tailored for solo travellers, and group support available, the region is a great adventure for first-time high-altitude trekkers looking to push their limits. The challenge begins and ends in Marrakech, giving you time to explore the medina, unwind in a traditional hammam and stay at the city’s first Black woman-owned hotel, Jnane Tamsna, founded by Meryanne Loum-Martin, who was honoured on this year’s Women Who Travel Power List for her dedication to fostering an environment where, in her words, “it feels like you’ve been invited to someone’s home for the weekend.”
Tbilisi, Georgia
Georgia is fast emerging as a solo destination, thanks to its affordability, rugged natural beauty and vast network of hiking trails, and famously warm hospitality. “Georgia has an unparalleled hosting culture that will go over and beyond to make you feel welcomed and taken care of – especially if you’re seen travelling alone,” says Polina Chesnakova, author of the upcoming cookbook Chesnock, which features 100 regional recipes from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, offering a personal portrait of the Soviet diaspora through food. “No trip to Georgia is complete without experiencing its world-renowned food and drink,” she says. “Don’t sleep on the khinkali (soup dumplings), khachapuri (cheese bread), and badrijani nigvzit (eggplant rolls with walnuts) – or a pickle plate featuring the unusual jonjoli (bladdernut)! Wash it all down with a punchy Rkatsiteli amber wine aged in qvevri (buried amphora) or a bold Saparavi red. And if you’re feeling something more fiery, a shot of chacha, or Georgian grappa, will do.” Chesnakova recommends starting in Tbilisi, the capital, known for its art cafes, historic bathhouses and cobbled lanes. “Head to Pictograma for the best khinkali in town or post up at Stamba – a Soviet-era publishing house turned internationally-acclaimed hotel – for an afternoon of people-watching and khachapuri,” she recommends. From Tbilisi, head to walkable cities like Batumi and Kutaisi, where it’s easy to tap into the country’s rich culture and history. From wine tasting in Kakheti and trekking the Transcaucasian Trail to sunning on the Black Sea or skiing in Svaneti, Georgia offers something for every kind of traveller – and at a fraction of the cost of Western Europe.
This story was originally published on Condé Nast Traveler US
