Looking for gifts for an outdoorsy girlfriend? Or simply present ideas for the adventurous woman in your life? Welcome to our gift guide, based on decades of living life to the full as a great big, grand outdoor adventure. Let’s go.
The Best Travel Gifts for an Adventurous Woman: Presents for an Outdoorsy Girlfriend
This post contains affiliate links. If you book or buy through the affiliate links on this page, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Plus, some of these gifts were gifted for review purposes but we kept the right to include them, or not, on the list. It’s all a bit pointless otherwise…
Adventure Awaits T shirt from HomeDesignUKShop
Adventure Awaits T-shirt
Start the day with the right attitude with this gorgeous Adventure Awaits T shirt from Home Design UK on Etsy.
Audiobooks for long journeys
Did you know that you can gift an Audible subscription from Amazon? That provides one audiobook per month and the recipient gets to keep the books if and when you cancel the subscription. And it’s not just about books. You’ll also find podcasts, radio shows and theatre plays included.
The Right Camera for Adventurous Women
A camera is a deeply personal purchase. But if you get it right, it’s one of the best gifts for an adventurous woman that you can find. Perhaps the perfect gift.
I’m always asked about which type of camera is best for travel (and therefore outdoorsy women) and, well, there’s no one size fits all answer.
“Big” cameras like DSLRs and the next generation mirrorless cameras take world class photos but most people don’t need them, most of the time. Even putting aside the expense, they are heavy and bulky and need some skill to make them worthwhile.
To be completely honest, for most people, a smartphone will do. Specs have come a long way, the camera is small and, crucially, people will always have it with them.
But for an adventurous woman who loves the the act of pressing a camera against their face and pressing click… buying a gorgeous travel camera is hard to beat.
The Best Travel Cameras for 2024
- For women who also fancy moving into vlogging, the Panasonic Lumix G100 ranks the best.
- The FujiFilm X-T30 combines high performance with a gorgeous, classic style body for a sense of retro glamour.
- And for “big” cameras, I’d recommend the one I use myself: the SONY alpha 7 R III for its 42 MB image processor, with this SEL24-240 lens.
The Outdoorsy Travel Journal
Billed as a backpacking journal, you could use this Outdoorsy travel journal as a gift for adventurous woman as a general diary, trail record or dream planner.
The Outdoorsy Travel Journal
This hiking journal is a little more specific, with prompts for recording the weather, elevation, distance and so on. Your outdoorsy friend can also record wish lists, National Parks to conquer, road trips and more.
Buy your copy of the hiking journal here.
Travel Gifts for Adventurous Women
Adventurous women tend to like to travel. And that opens up the world of flying and travel gadgets for your gift list inspiration.
The right headphones make sleeping on a plane a breeze…
NOISE-CANCELLING HEADPHONES
These days, you don’t need to put up with the roar of the jet engine, the shudder of the Underground or the chatter and whining of children (safety caveat: this excludes your own.)
- The SONY WH-1000XM4 are a top pick here. They have a built in microphone for phone calls and easily pair with Alexa and Google Assistant. This design provides the best sound but obviously takes up more space in your hand luggage. The model provides battery life for up to 30 hours so they’re great for long journeys with frequent connections and a whole lotta background noise. Check current prices for the SONY WH-1000 here.
- The Sony WF-1000XM3 win the top place for the best wireless earbuds and their dinky little size makes them perfect for women who love to travel light. Despite being able to fit in the palm of a small child’s hand (one potential danger!) they also have an in-built microphone and the ability to pair with Alexa. With 32 hours of battery life and such a small size, these make one of the best gifts for women who love to travel. Check current prices for the SONY WF-1000XM3 here.
The Secret Travel Scarf
First of all, a decent travel infinity scarf is a must for any adventurous woman. It functions way beyond simply keeping your neck warm and can double as a pillow, a head covering or face covering, it can act as a makeshift bag and even tie broken equipment together.
But, Speakeasy Travel Scarves have taken this to a new level by adding a secret compartment for your passport and other essential documents.
Genius idea! Much more stylish and way more comfortable than having a money belt stuffed down your trousers.
Packing Cubes
It can be easy to laugh at packing cubes before you’ve tried them. But every pro traveller I know recommends them for a reason. They work! They’re an essential part of my travel gear and top travel tips.
Yes, it shouldn’t make that much difference to your packing. But it does.
If you’re not sure what they are, they’re zippable containers that come in different sizes and help you to pack by compartment. The best ones, like these ones from Osprey, come with a small mesh area so that you can see what’s inside, and handles to make them easier to carry or hook onto hotel rooms and shower rooms.
The slippery surface stops clothes getting creased and the whole set up makes it much easier to find what you need and stay organised while on the road.
You can buy many different types, but I recommend these Osprey packing cubes because of the company’s approach to sustainability.
Clothes for Outdoor Women
Some of the best outdoor gifts are those that keep you cosy and warm. Specialist clothes really do make a difference when it comes to enjoying the great outdoors, from headbands to sleeping bags and a whole range of camping gear.
But let’s start with clothes.
Merino Wool Base Layers
If the adventurous woman in your life hasn’t discovered merino wool base layers yet, then her life is about to change! These snug leggings and tops can keep you warm in almost any situation and also double as pyjamas our outerwear if you mix and match them.
Finnish friends first recommended them to me when I was heading to the Arctic Circle on assignment. I now know how useful they can be for just about any outdoor environment, even sleeping at night in the desert.
Hiking Socks
Now, hang on with me a moment! Yes, hiking socks sound spectacularly dull rather than the gift of the moment for an adventurous woman or your outdoorsy girlfriend.
But. As I said in my hiking packing list over here, nothing beats a good hiking sock when you’re out trekking, except for maybe some hiking boots. But, let’s face it, those are harder to buy as a gift for someone.
So. Buy these hiking socks and I promise that things will work out! They are outdoorsy gifts that will reward you!
More Gifts for Outdoor Lovers
WATER BOTTLE
Everyone needs one of these. Not only are plastic water bottles one of the easiest ways we can cut down our individual plastic and pollution footprint, but, well, people get thirsty on the road and this can help.
Stainless steel, powder-coated water bottles are all the rage at the moment. But for travel, I’d suggest something with a handle and without a straw for hygiene reasons.
- Recommended: these stylish water bottles with handles for travel.
WORLD MAP
You can find so many sumptuous world maps these days, as well as funny maps and interactive maps.
For those with a love or a necessity for Britain, check out these detail-filled, fun maps from Marvellous Maps. There’s a Great British Music Map, a Great British Literature Map, one for kids and my favourite: the Great British Food & Drink Map.
TRAVEL PILLOW
For years, I sneered at these. My mistake. A good travel pillow can make all the difference, whether you’re on a long haul flight or a passenger on a road trip.
You can buy inflatable travel pillows like this to cut down on space or indulge in a luxury travel gift like this travel pillow from Tempur.
My friend, a veteran luxury travel blogger, swears by this J-shaped travel pillow.
For outdoorsy women, these in-flight travel pillows can also double up at camping or glamping locations.
Practical Gear for Outdoor Women
If you’re looking for practical gift ideas for an outdoor woman and want to get what she needs, rather than what she wants, then you need to look at the gear lists and work out what camping equipment she already has.
We have:
- What to wear in the Amazon Rainforest
- What to pack for a Hiking Trip
- What to pack for a Cycling Holiday
- The Ultimate Road Trip Essentials
- What to Wear Canyoning
- The Ultimate Packing List
- The Glamping Packing List
Check those out and they will lead you towards what an adventurous woman needs for each of those activities.
Stocking Fillers for Outdoor Lovers
Be Brave, Seek Adventures Keychain
Gift a lovely daily dose of inspiration with this Wander and Explore keychain.
TRAVEL ADAPTER
Nothing scuppers a perfectly good trip faster than flat electronics and cameras. You can investigate and purchase the travel adapter for the country in question if you wish. But the best gift for a woman who loves to travel is a worldwide adapter. This will work for all products in all countries. You buy it once and the job is done.
- Recommended: go all out with a worldwide travel adapter like this
POWER BANK
When it comes to travel in the 2020s, everything’s on your phone. That means, you need power and that means a power bank. Fellow travellers swear by the Anker Powercore for its triple USB port, fast charging and sleek fit.
Aromatherapy Necklace
Let’s face it, travel can be a smelly business! One of the best stocking fillers for women who love to travel is an aromatherapy necklace. She can add the scent she likes to the fabric strip and then wear the necklace to ward off anything unpleasant!
Enamel mug from wylliecatdesigns
Enamel Outdoors Mug
Travel with a mug and the outdoors is yours. Nothing beats a hot cup of tea or a cool mug of water when you’re on the road. And these designs from Wyllie Cat Designs inject humour and art into the everyday as well.
What makes these gifts for an outdoorsy girlfriend?
Hey there! Regular readers know that I absolutely hate all this gender stereotyping that goes on.
So, why I have I called this article the best travel gifts for her? Because that’s how most people find it when they type in the words in Google.
But. Of course. These also work just as well for him.
One day, we will realise that we can be free to enjoy what we like and dislike what we don’t. No matter the marketing label.
How to Choose the Perfect Gift for an Outdoorsy GIrlfriend
Still confused?
Here’s a summary to help you find the best travel gift for her.
- If she’s a frequent traveller, then opt for the travel camera (high budget) or the aromatherapy necklace (low budget.)
- If she’s about to head out on a big trip for the first time, then opt for the worldwide travel adapter or a sumptuous travel pillow.
- If she has a niche interest, then look for niche ideas, like these vanlife gift ideas for those who love campervans.
Happy shopping!
More Travel Gift Ideas
None of these quite fit? Not to worry, we have specialist gift guides and lists for you as well. Check out the following:
- The best travel themed gifts for toddlers, children, tweens and teens
- Gifts for an outdoorsy girlfriend and adventurous woman
- The best luxury travel gifts for him
- Italy themed travel gifts for people who love Italy
- Last minute travel themed gifts that still show you care
- The best gifts for hikers
- What to buy someone going to Japan