Hi! Beth Whitman here.
With nearly 30 years of travel under my belt, I’ve made a bit of a name for myself as a women’s travel expert.
Much of my early travels were on my own. But I realized that not all women had the confidence or know-how to travel independently, so I wrote Wanderlust and Lipstick: The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo to encourage more women to travel, well, solo.
Funny thing is, they still wanted guidance and I often got asked if I led tours. Resistant at first because I wanted these women to have the experience of traveling on their own, I soon realized that not everyone has the time, energy or wherewithal to arrange their own travel. So I launched WanderTours and began leading trips to off-the-beaten-path destinations as well as culinary tours to popular cities in North America.
As part of our international tours, we visit and donate to charity organizations at each of our destinations. These usually (but not always) support disadvantaged women and children.
I regularly speak at events throughout North America and the world. My goal is to inspire would-be travelers into action through what I believe to be engaging talks not only about travel but about living a life that helps you become a better version of yourself.
Today I consider myself a contemporary Wanderer. I’ve been fortunate to have combined my love for travel with volunteer work, philanthropy, adventure trips, fitness, travel writing and business.
How I got here
I’ve traveled a lot and have had what many would consider some pretty adventurous trips.
I’ve completed the 25-day, 220-mile Snowman Trek in Bhutan (one of the most difficult treks in the world), ran my first marathon at 50, qualified for the Boston Marathon (twice), run a Quadzilla (four marathons in four days) and am now the co-race director for the Epic5 Run in Hawaii (five 50Ks in 5 days on 5 Hawaiian islands). I’ve also ridden a motorcycle solo from Seattle to Panama and driven the AlCan Highway to Alaska, twice.
I now lead tours and get to travel regularly to India, Papua New Guinea, Bhutan, Morocco, Ireland, Vietnam & Cambodia, Burma, Thailand & Laos, Peru, Ecuador, Bali & Java, Tanzania and beyond. And then I get to eat my way through New Orleans, Santa Fe and Seattle (my hometown)!
I’ve also written a guide For Women Traveling to India.
Still on my wish list? Travels deep into the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, exploring the western half of the island of New Guinea, Christmas-time in Germany and running the 4 Deserts (250K across the Namib, the Gobi, the Atacama and Antarctica). That last goal was to happen in 2020 but is now slated for 2021!
