By Chelsea Ross, Founder of Goddess Retreats
There is a new word emerging in travel conversations: Slowlo.
A blend of “solo” and “slow,” it describes a growing movement of women choosing to travel alone. It is a quieter kind of adventure, where presence takes precedence over pace, and where the inner journey becomes just as important as the outer one.
As someone who has been leading solo women’s retreats for over two decades, I have witnessed this evolution firsthand. What was once called “taking a break” or “finding yourself” is now recognized as a powerful form of intentional travel. The women who attend our retreats embody the spirit of the Slowlo movement, even if they do not yet know it by name.
The Deeper Meaning Behind Slowlo Travel
We live in a world that encourages speed. Work faster. Scroll faster. Even travel faster. Many itineraries demand we fly in, check off a list of attractions, and fly out, often returning home more exhausted than when we left.
Slowlo travel offers a different path. It invites a conscious decision to pause, to feel, and to reconnect. It asks travelers to stay in one place long enough to hear its rhythms and to engage with it beyond the surface. It is not about sightseeing; it is about soul-seeing.
Slowlo is travel that transforms.
The Beauty of Going Solo and Slower
Traveling solo as a woman is a profound and empowering act. It teaches self-trust, strengthens intuition, and awakens parts of the self that often become muted by daily life.
Adding slowness to solo travel deepens this transformation. Instead of rushing through logistics and destinations, the Slowlo traveler sinks into the experience. She does not chase the next thing. She honors the present moment.
In that space, the nervous system finds peace. Creativity begins to whisper. The body remembers what it feels like to move without urgency. The soul, so often neglected, feels heard once again.
What Slowlo Travel Looks Like
At Goddess Retreats, we welcome solo travelers from around the world. Some are seasoned explorers. Others are venturing out alone for the first time. All of them, however, are seeking more than a vacation. They are seeking a homecoming to themselves.
Slowlo travel might include:
- Greeting the sunrise with mindful movement or meditation.
- Journaling in a garden after a nourishing breakfast.
- Engaging in heartfelt conversations with women who share similar values.
- Learning a new skill — such as surfing or yoga — purely for joy, not mastery.
- Resting without guilt.
- Eating meals that nourish the body and spirit.
- Letting go of the pressure to perform and simply allowing oneself to be.
- This is not indulgence. It is a return to natural rhythms. It is a radical act of wellness.
How to Begin Your Own Slowlo Journey
You do not need a passport stamp to begin living the Slowlo philosophy. It is a mindset that can be practiced anywhere.
However, if you feel the call to journey outward as well as inward, begin by asking yourself:
- What am I truly seeking?
- What pace feels healing to me?
- What would it feel like to travel without a rigid agenda?
- Where might I find safety, support, and the space to breathe?
At Goddess Retreats, we created experiences precisely for this purpose. Not simply to offer a holiday, but to offer a space for women to slow down, reconnect, and transform.
Solo travel changes you. Slowlo travel changes you deeply and beautifully.
Ready to experience your own Slowlo journey?
Discover our award-winning retreats designed for women traveling solo who seek rest, inspiration, and true transformation.
