Inspiring Voyages to Celebrate International Women's Day
International Women’s Day, 8th March 2018, honours women’s achievements and gender equality all over the world, covering everything from political, social, professional and yes...even travel accomplishments.
We are celebrating this day by looking at iconic female explorers throughout the years and their incredible trips to help inspire you for your next holiday. After all, 2018 is the year to dream big, with 45% of travellers having a bucket list in mind and 82% planning to tick one or more destinations off their list*.
Be inspired by these amazing women travellers and seize the moment in 2018!
Annie Londonderry
Annie was the first woman to cycle the globe between 1894 and 1895. Starting in the US, she made her way across Europe and onto Asia before sailing from Yokohama, Japan to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and then onto to Los Angeles, through Arizona, New Mexico and on to El Paso. Quite the adventure!
If you’re a fan of cycling but fancy an adventure on a smaller scale, one of the top destinations around the world endorsed for cycling by our travellers is Yangshuo, China. The countryside here is a cycling paradise full of village trails and paths taking through amazing scenery. There is no shortage of scenic routes from Yangshuo through winding roads, tea plantations, caves, rivers and villages. Stay at the Li River Resort for a relaxing riverside retreat, offering Chinese style accommodation. Make sure you enjoy the outdoor swimming pool, walk in the garden or take an organized cycling and hiking trip.
Valentina Tereshkova
In 1963, at just 26 years old, Valentina was selected to be the first Soviet woman to be sent into orbit. She was chosen as she was a regional skydiving champion and had a working class background. She spent almost three days on the spacecraft which orbited the Earth 48 times. Even today, she remains the only woman to ever have been on a solo space mission.
You may not be able to travel into space but why not venture to a great destination for stargazing for your next trip? Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, is one of the top endorsed destinations for stargazing and it’s easy to see why. Lake Tekapo boasts beautiful clear skies, especially within the stunning Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve where travellers can combine stargazing tours with visits to hot pools. Stay at Lakeview Takepo, located in the Dark Sky Reserve and enjoy the beautiful views of Lake Tekapo and the Southern Alps. The luxury apartments that all come with a sky window in each bedroom for stargazing.
Junko Tabei
Junko was a Japanese mountaineer and the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1975 as well as the first women to ascend “The Seven Summits”, the highest summit of every continent. She also played a huge role in challenging cultural stereotypes in her homeland about women’s roles in society.
You may not be ready to take on Everest, but get up close to this incredible landmark with a trip to Nepal. The Everest Base Camp trek takes you on a 15 day adventure giving you great views of this incredible mountain. Start or end your adventure in The Dwarikas Hotel in Kathmandu, a luxury stay inspired by Kathmandu Valley’s rich cultural heritage. Guests can enjoy the outdoor pool, restaurant options, beautiful architecture and spa before or after setting off on their trek to see Everest.
Laura Dekker
In 2010 Laura Dekker was the youngest person to ever sail solo around the world, aged just 15. She was brought up sailing, spent the first five years of her life at sea and owned several boats – all named Guppy. Her journey took one year and five months, starting in Gibraltar and going onto Canary Islands, Panama and the Galapagos, Tahiti, Fiji, Australia and South Africa before finishing in the Netherlands.
If you’re a fan of sailing, one of the top destinations around the world endorsed for sailing by our travellers is Cowes, Isle of Wight. Home to one of the longest running and largest regattas in the world, the Cowes Week, takes place in August every year. You can participate, nomatter is you are a weekend sailor, a professional or on a Olympic level. The North House, is a boutique hotel offering guests an outdoor swimming pool, restaurant and beautifully decorated rooms. A peaceful stay not far from the action of Cowes Week.
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* Research commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a sample of adults who have taken a trip in the last 12 months/plan to take a trip in the next 12 months. In total 18,509 respondents were surveyed (1,000+ from the UK, US, Brazil, China, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, India, Singapore and Russia and 500+ each from Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong, Croatia, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Thailand and Taiwan). Respondents completed an online survey in August 2017