It is often claimed that traveling solo means getting to know the real you and you should try it at least once. For these young Kenyan women, however, they have done it countless times and they shared their experiences with Nation’s Life&Style.
Wambui Gichobi
Wambui, who is in her early 30s, is an environmentalist and a visual media producer who has traveled to 49 countries.
Why do you travel?
My main mission for travelling is to try to connect funding to underprivileged students by giving scholarships, psychosocial support and also incubating talents and ideas through my venture known as Adventure 197.
The second reason for travelling is to show young adults of Africa that the world is our oyster too.
How do you document your travels?
I use my social media pages: @wambuigichobi or #Adventure197 for my travel stories. For our Education Fund and Incubator, check 197fund.org.
How do you finance your travels?
I backpack as I am unable to afford luxury travel. Like almost everyone, I work and save. When starting out, I sold everything I had and started my journey with a backpack and a few believers.
What will you never travel without?
My phone. These little devices are magic. To add to that list is a little bit of cash, a debit card and of course my passport.
Which places have you visited? What was nice about them?
So far I have been to 49 countries among them Liechtenstein, Dominica, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mexico, Greece, Belize, Guatemala, Switzerland, Austria, El Salvador, Rwanda, DRC Congo, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Lucia, Grenada and Barbados. My goal is to visit 197 countries.
All these places are unique in their own way.
In Liechtenstein, they have self-service shops where operations are based on trust. Imagine that level of moral awareness.
In Dominica, there’s a boiling lake nestled on top of some really beautiful hills that will take you five hours of hiking to get to. It’s hectic but worth it. They have black beaches in Greece, St Vincents and the Grenadines. High-speed trains are really something.
Dominica is a small island in the Caribbean that to me felt like a little piece of Eden. DRC and Rwanda have really beautiful thick equatorial forests that will make you understand why gorillas still thrive there.
The night skies in Turkana remain the best that I ever saw.
Lake Bacalar in Tulum and Cenotes in Yucatan, Mexico were unbelievable. Greece is gorgeous. From the ancient architecture in Athens to the volcanic rocks littered with white and blue buildings that jut out to blue-green sea in the islands of Santorini, Mykonos and Zakynthos.
Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Austria have really beautiful landscapes and lakes. Fall or autumn is really beautiful. The way tree leaves change colour is indescribable.
Adventure 197 is still on course. This means I still have 148 countries to visit and I am hopeful that I will be able to fundraise for the 197 Education Fund and Incubator during the rest of the travels.
Wangechi Gitahi
Wangechi, a polymath, is an award-winning travel writer and content creator under the brand Wangechi Gitahi Travels.
Why do you travel?
I travel mainly to learn, discover, explore, engage deeply with a destination, hear people and cultures and also share about myself. I think that I hold the title of “Modern-Day Female Version of Vasco Da Gamaa”.
How do you document your travels?
I run the travel website wangechigitahitravels.com. It was voted the best travel blog in 2019 at the Bloggers’ Association of Kenya (Bake) Awards. I also share my travel stories on my Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages named Wangechi Gitahi Travels.
How do you finance your travels?
My travels have mainly been financed by personal savings, family, and partnerships and sponsorships.
Which places have you visited? What was nice about them?
I have been to several countries among them Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Seychelles, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Dubai, Indonesia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan. I intend to visit every country in Africa.
Lea Wanjaria
33-year-old Lea Wanjira is a free-spirited soul who offers labour in exchange for accommodation.
Why do you travel?
Travel for me is a mix of new cultures, beautiful landscapes, interesting people and great food.
How do you document your travels?
I share my travel stories on my blog; walkwithlea.com.
How you finance your travels?
At the beginning of the year, I choose two to three destinations I want to visit in the course of the year. Then I do the budgets and develop a saving plan. I also devise ways to meet travel costs. For instance, I did eight months in Peru where I taught English and volunteered on a horse farm in exchange for accommodation and Spanish classes.
What will you never travel without?
Leopolo II, my tripod. Most of my pictures are self-taken thus he goes everywhere I go.
Which places have you visited? What was nice about them?
Tatra National Park in Poland, I experienced my first knee-deep snow experience. I enjoyed the most scenic drive along Chapmans Peak drive in Cape Town, South Africa. Rowing a boat on a crystal-clear blue picturesque Lake Bed in Slovenia is something that never leaves your mind.
I had the best shower at Champagne Ridge in Kenya. It has the best shower with a view of the rolling hills of Ngong.
I visited my dream destination, Santorini in Greece, when I was just 18. Visiting the place with some of my closest friends was a dream-come-true.
I plan to visit Japan and Cuba.
Are you normally a solo adventure traveller?
I travelled solo for five years since my first international travel in 2010. It is therapeutic to travel solo. I now travel mostly with my partner, whom I met while in Holland.
Caroline Somba
Somba, a costing finance manager for a CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) company, is in her early thirties and travels for food.
Why do you travel?
For food. I just returned from a food trip to Italy for my birthday, where I did a pizza-making class at the birthplace of pizza, Naples.
How do you document your travels?
I post them on my Instagram page @MyGlobalAttitude
How do you finance your travels?
I’m a finance girl so I keep a monthly budget and any savings I get from groceries, entertainment, among others, I channel to my travel account. For example, if I take a bus instead of Uber, the fare difference goes to travel, or if I cook instead of eating out.
Which places have you visited? What was nice about them?
I’ve been to 20 countries namely South Africa, Ethiopia, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Canada, USA, Netherlands, Belgium, France, UK, Austria, Germany, Italy, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Iceland.
My most memorable one was in Vietnam, where I went to a local street food restaurant and since they couldn’t speak English, they took me to the kitchen to point at which foods I wanted to try.
Later on that trip, I spent 48 hours in a boat in the middle of the ocean at Halong bay without internet.
I intend to visit Argentina and Brazil because I want to see Iguazu Falls, one of the biggest waterfalls in the world. I’ve seen Victoria Falls and Niagara Falls, and they’re dreamlike.
I also hope to do a food trip to Mexico and maybe watch my favourite tennis players at the Acapulco open.
Read more on Life &Style
