Travel to Iran as a Solo Woman; Can Women Travel Alone?

Despite its reputation in the media, Iran is known among travellers to be one of the safest destinations in the world. Is it the same for a woman travelling alone? According to the testimonies of most solo female travellers, the answer is yes! Iran is undoubtedly one of the safest countries for women who want to travel alone, and here are the reasons why:

“Safer than in NYC”

Articles and blog posts of women who experienced Iran on their own are numerous, and they all praise the benefits of this experience. "I never once felt physically threatened, unsafe, or at risk, even when I was wandering the streets of Iran. I felt safer in Iran than if I was walking around in NYC. Even the tap water was safe in Iran!" wrote the famous travel blogger Annai.

According to the data, she is right! Iran is rated as safe as Sweden, Germany, Australia, and most Europeans countries by the independent experts of "International SOS" in their 2019 Travel Risk Map.

Iranians are eager to help travellers, women in particular

Of course, as safe as Iran can be, every woman knows that she has to remain on alert while travelling, as bad encounters can happen anywhere in the world. That's also why it's very useful to be familiar with the local dress code, which includes wearing a hijab but is rather simple. It’s far from the stereotypes and doesn’t require to be dress strictly in black, at all: read our dedicated article to know exactly what to wear in Iran!

Among Iranians, both men and other women, there is a tendency to protect a woman, especially alone. For sure, you won't be struggling long to find your destination, as several people will always come to your rescue in the blink of an eye, without even asking for help. Often, Iranians will insist to escort you from one place to another, and that's particularly true when coming out of a bus in a new city.

Safety in transportations for solo women

Because public transportations are separated by genders, and physical contacts prohibited in public, it somehow provides a sense of safety for solo female travellers. In the cities, women and men have different sections on the buses, and several cars are reserved for women in the metro.

For long-distance travel, bus drivers always pay attention to seat a solo woman next to another woman, or most of the time, alone. As a result, the seating configuration before the ride sometimes looks like a game of Rubik's cube, moving one person after the other!

The best way to experience Iran

Finally, travelling alone in Iran might be impossible for only one reason: you will meet people everywhere! Locals eager to invite you for tea, or do some sightseeing with you. Hostels in Iran are also having many other solo backpackers, so it's another opportunity to meet people and ride together for some time...!

All in all, there is no reason to be afraid to travel alone to Iran for women. On the contrary, it’s among the safest countries to experience such a trip. And it’s the assurance of having the most colorful and fulfilling experience!