Wheelchair accessible guide
Things are definitely improving when it comes to accessible tourism.
Accessible holidays around the world
The days are thankfully long gone when accessible holidays meant you were limited to identikit resorts or vast cruise vessels. No-one is denying that there is still much more to do, but the fact is that travel has never been so wide-open for people with disabilities, especially those that are prepared to rough it a little in order to see the world. Travelling with special requirements does involve detailed planning on your part and that of the operator, but with time and flexibility, practically any challenge can be overcome. We have a growing number of suppliers ready and willing to adapt their itineraries to make them as inclusive as possible. From small ship cruises in Alaska and Antarctica to African safaris, watersports in Croatia or horse-riding in Catalonia, Cuban road-trips in classic cars and even skiing in India, this page showcases some of our most exciting and accessible holiday destinations.
Our Accessible travel Holidays
Wheelchair accessible Kerala tour in India
Culture, Nature, Wellness all together in God's own country
From
€2500 to €6000
10 days
ex flights
Accessible activity holiday in Catalonia, Spain
Accessible country hotel with activities for everyone.
From
€314 to €695
8 days
ex flights
Wheelchair accessible holiday to Japan
Wheelchair-friendly version of Japan's highlights
From
£3800
11 days
ex flights
Catalan countryside hotel, Spain
Eco Costa Brava countryside sports hotel with 25m pool
From
€45 to €115
per person per night incl breakfast
Learn Spanish and walking holiday for partially sighted people
Trained guides and lessons based around listening and speaking
From
€659
7 days
ex flights
Self drive South Africa holiday
Explore Cape Town, the Winelands and the Garden Route
From
£2300 to £4500
15 days
inc UK flights
Wheelchair accessible holidays, Egypt
Tour of Egypt designed for wheelchair travelers
From
£1700 to £2547
10 days
ex flights
Sri Lanka family holiday
A fabulous family holiday including the best of Sri Lanka
From
£1650 to £2200
15 days
ex flights
3 day Rwanda gorilla safari
A gorilla safari taking in some of Rwanda’s iconic locations
From
£1250
3 days
ex flights
Umbria accessible tour in Italy
Umbria Accessibile gourmet tour: discover food, wine & art
From
€1840 to €2300
7 days
ex flights
Wheelchair accessible Nile cruise, Egypt
Egypt wheelchair accessible Nile Cruise
From
£1350 to £1555
8 days
ex flights
Accessible Golden Triangle tour in India
Experience the famous Golden Triangle of India barrier free
From
€2500 to €6000
10 days
ex flights
Mongolia winter holiday
Authentic culture, warm hospitality & wild winter landscapes
From
US $1020 to US $1535
8 days
ex flights
Wheelchair accessible South Africa self drive holiday
Explore Cape Town, the Winelands and the Garden Route
From
£2300 to £4500
15 days
inc UK flights
North Mongolia holidays, tailor made
Slow trip of discovery highlighting local life in Mongolia
From
US $3300
15 days
ex flights
Mongolia Lunar New Year tour, Tsagaan Sar
Traditional festival experience - Mongolia's Lunar New Year
From
US $750 to US $1025
6 days
ex flights
Thingvellir horse riding holiday in Iceland
Ride in beautiful valleys with unusual volcanic formations
From
£1510
6 days
ex flights
Exciting family holiday in Cambodia
A fabulous family holiday including the best of Cambodia
From
£1350 to £1800
14 days
ex flights
South Africa luxury holiday, 14 days
Great food, wine, beach & safari experience in South Africa
From
£2915
14 days
ex flights
Alaska adventure holiday, salmon run
Active small group adventures in a retrofitted school bus
From
US $3990
20 days
ex flights
Uganda safari, tailor made
Gorilla trekking & safaris in Uganda's best national parks
From
£6500
9 days
ex flights
Wheelchair accessible holiday in Costa Rica
Accessible, Classic, Sustainable, Nature Lover, Adventure
From
US $2500 to US $3600
12 days
ex flights
Luxury alkaline detox & wellness retreat in Spain
Detox mind & body at this luxury wellness retreat
From
£1145 to £1245
7 days
ex flights
Exciting family holiday in Tanzania
A family holiday for all ages including the best of Tanzania
From
£3000 to £4500
13 days
ex flights
Family holiday in Burma
A fabulous family holiday including the best of Burma
From
£1500 to £2000
16 days
ex flights
Mongolia family adventure holiday
Life-enhancing local Mongolian adventure for all the family
From
US $3820
16 days
ex flights
Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam holidays
An authentic and exciting holiday in Indochina
From
£4200 to £5000
4 weeks
ex flights
Thailand family holidays
A fabulous family holiday including the best of Thailand
From
£1750 to £2500
15 days
ex flights
Brazil holiday, tailor made
Wildlife & culture roundtrip through Brazil, all tailormade
From
€3495
23 days
ex flights
1.
Alaska
2. Antarctica
3. Vietnam
4. Catalonia
5. Croatia
6. Cuba
7. Egypt
8. India
9. Japan
10. Rwanda
11. South Africa
12. Sri Lanka
2. Antarctica
3. Vietnam
4. Catalonia
5. Croatia
6. Cuba
7. Egypt
8. India
9. Japan
10. Rwanda
11. South Africa
12. Sri Lanka
Alaska
1. Alaska
The remote and ruggedly beautiful Alaskan wilderness is far from inaccessible when you travel with small, family-run operators capable of flexibility when it comes to their clients’ needs. If you have limited mobility, hearing or vision, or specific dietary requirements, these are no barrier to trekking, canoeing and camping around majestic Denali National Park, or cruising the Kenai Peninsula in search of bears, whales and sea lions.
Our top selling trip: Denali National Park holiday in Alaska
Our top selling trip: Denali National Park holiday in Alaska
Antarctica
2. Antarctica
From Drake Passage to the Wilhem Archipelago, explore the frozen wonder of the Antarctic Peninsula aboard a luxurious expedition vessel as part of a small ship cruise. Wheelchair-adapted cabins and lifts between all floors are available, and weather-permitting Zodiac excursions to shore can be adapted by trained staff to ensure that everyone can take part in visits to the Antarctic’s islands and bays. Note that wheelchair-users will need to travel with an able-bodied companion.
Our top selling trip: Luxury Antarctica cruise
Our top selling trip: Luxury Antarctica cruise
Vietnam
3. Vietnam
Family trips in Vietnam from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City are tailormade, taking into account guests with limited mobility. Local support including porters is available at airports and train stations. freeing up family members to assist anyone in the group affected by vision or hearing impairments. Accommodations can also be sought throughout with quiet rooms and outdoor space for any travellers that have cognitive disabilities.
Our top selling trip: Vietnam family holiday
Our top selling trip: Vietnam family holiday
Catalonia
4. Catalonia
Catalonia wins the prize for most committed place in the world for inclusive tourism. The tourist board website is superbly accessible and packed with inspiring info that makes you feel just like a tourist, not a tourist ‘with issues’. Take a balloon ride, kayak, trek the St James’ Way, lounge on adapted beaches, discover nature reserves, ski at accessible resorts and celebrate all that is captivating about Catalonia.
Our top selling trip: Catalonia family mountain biking & activity holiday
Our top selling trip: Catalonia family mountain biking & activity holiday
Croatia
5. Croatia
Multi-activity holidays around the historic Croatian capital Dubrovnik and the gorgeous islands off the coast can be adapted to accommodate people with vision, hearing and cognitive issues. Depending on the severity of your condition you may need to travel with a companion, but tailormade trips are able to moderate walking, cycling, kayaking, even river rafting, with on-the-ground support available according to your needs.
Our top selling trip: Watersports activity holiday in Croatia
Our top selling trip: Watersports activity holiday in Croatia
Cuba
6. Cuba
Travel Cuba to discover its historic and cultural highlights, from Havana to Cienfuegos, the Bay of Pigs and Trinidad, in a handsome vintage car. Transport and excursions can be adapted for people in wheelchairs or with limited mobility so that you can enjoy everything from Cuban cookery classes to performances of the Buena Vista Social Club, tours of cigar factories and the Che Guevara Mausoleum. Guests with vision and hearing disabilities can also be accommodated.
Our top selling trip: Cuba tours
Our top selling trip: Cuba tours
Egypt
7. Egypt
It might be full of ancient wonders, but Egypt has a far more modern approach when it comes to catering for people’s access needs, particularly for those with mobility issues. Travel with a specialist operator with years of expertise in creating itineraries around Egypt’s cultural gems for wheelchair users, with tip top accessible accommodation and transport. Or see Egypt from the Nile, staying on a 5* luxury adapted small cruise boat.
Our top selling trip: Wheelchair accessible Nile cruise
Our top selling trip: Wheelchair accessible Nile cruise
India
8. India
From the iconic Golden Triangle around Delhi, Jaipur and Agra, to the beaches, backwaters and tea plantations of Kerala and even skiing in Gulmarg, India is developing superbly when it comes to accessible travel. Tailormade tours are fully assisted by trained professionals, able to provide suitable accommodations, transport and inclusive experiences for any type of disability in a real effort to break down barriers in travel.
Our top selling trip: Accessible Golden Triangle tour in India
Our top selling trip: Accessible Golden Triangle tour in India
Japan
9. Japan
Conscientiously crafted tailormade tours of Japan ensure that you know what to expect in terms of accessibility from every stage of your itinerary. The Japanese public transport system is notoriously excellent for wheelchair users, with accessible lifts in train stations, prompt assistance at platforms and defined spaces in carriages. Furthermore, many key attractions, including iconic temples, are now equipped with ramps. People with hearing, vision and cognitive issues can also travel in confidence their needs will be met.
Our top selling trip: Wheelchair accessible holiday to Japan
Our top selling trip: Wheelchair accessible holiday to Japan
Rwanda
10. Rwanda
Trekking to see the endangered mountain gorillas through the forested terrain of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is possible for travellers with limited mobility and wheelchair-users. Porters can be hired to carry you either on stretchers or throne chairs, which while not an entirely comfortable journey, is sure to be outweighed by this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Accessible accommodations and restaurants can also be factored in to ensure the rest of your Rwanda trip runs smoothly as well.
Our top selling trip: 3 day Rwanda gorilla safari
Our top selling trip: 3 day Rwanda gorilla safari
South Africa
11. South Africa
With accessible accommodations, door-to-door transfers available, and the option to hire private driver-guides, South Africa is growing to be a very inclusive destination for people with limited mobility, hearing or vision. You might tour the sublime Garden Route, indulge in some wine tasting, take a safari in Kruger National Park and perhaps opt for a two-centre tour, finishing up with a few days relaxing on the beach in Mauritius.
Our top selling trip: Self drive South Africa holiday
Our top selling trip: Self drive South Africa holiday
Sri Lanka
12. Sri Lanka
Unfold the stunning landscapes, wildlife and cultural marvels of the teardrop-shaped island on family holidays that can be adapted for people with accessibility issues. Like many countries Sri Lanka still has a way to go, but tailormade itineraries allow for plenty of support where it’s needed for guests with limited mobility, cognitive conditions and impairments with hearing or vision.
Our top selling trip: Sri Lanka family holiday
Our top selling trip: Sri Lanka family holiday
Our top Accessible travel Holiday
Wheelchair accessible Kerala tour in India
Culture, Nature, Wellness all together in God's own country
From
€2500 to €6000
10 days
ex flights
Tailor made:
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Accessible travel or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
Our travel team is always happy to discuss your particular requirements when it comes to accessibility. If we know early in the process exactly what you need then through communication with suppliers we can make appropriate holiday recommendations, and ensure that every aspect of your trip will meet your needs, from accommodation to meals and support.
Lara Paxton at our supplier, The Small Ship Cruise Collection:
“Some of our boats are old Russian expeditions ships and just don’t have the access, but a lot of the newer ships do have access, and so it is really good to see that this is available for some people, especially if they don’t want to do the massive cruise liner thing. They want the different experience that we offer on small ship cruises, to actually get off the boat – and not just point to a destination from on board, which is completely what we don’t agree with. The boat is just a means to get from A to B and the holiday is all about exploring and getting off the boat, more than anything. And so now it is available on many of them.”
“Some of our boats are old Russian expeditions ships and just don’t have the access, but a lot of the newer ships do have access, and so it is really good to see that this is available for some people, especially if they don’t want to do the massive cruise liner thing. They want the different experience that we offer on small ship cruises, to actually get off the boat – and not just point to a destination from on board, which is completely what we don’t agree with. The boat is just a means to get from A to B and the holiday is all about exploring and getting off the boat, more than anything. And so now it is available on many of them.”
Martin Heng, Accessible Travel Manager & Editorial Adviser, Lonely Planet (Australia) has travelled around the world in a wheelchair shares some thoughts on top disabled access holiday destinations: “Baby boomers are now retiring with access issues, whether they identify as disabled or not, but they are increasingly subject to varying degrees of disability, whether it is hearing, sight or mobility. And this is a market that I think the smart national tourism bodies are actually thinking about. Examples of these are England, Scotland and Wales, on the back of the last Olympics and Paralympics in London – but also Catalonia and Germany.
Ahmed Fayez, from our supplier Memphis Tours in Egypt:
“Many tours are accessible these days in Egypt. Boat trips are adapted to disabled passengers with assistance always available. Even the ancient sites in Egypt are now accessible to wheelchairs and walking with just a few limitations at certain sites. The Red Sea resorts also offer a range of activities which disabled clients can also be involved in with diving and snorkelling. Accessible tourism is much higher in demand these days due to disabled people being more adventurous in travelling; therefore adapting to suit their needs has become common place. Therefore, standards have improved greatly over the last 10 years.”
“Many tours are accessible these days in Egypt. Boat trips are adapted to disabled passengers with assistance always available. Even the ancient sites in Egypt are now accessible to wheelchairs and walking with just a few limitations at certain sites. The Red Sea resorts also offer a range of activities which disabled clients can also be involved in with diving and snorkelling. Accessible tourism is much higher in demand these days due to disabled people being more adventurous in travelling; therefore adapting to suit their needs has become common place. Therefore, standards have improved greatly over the last 10 years.”
More about Accessible travel
This accessible holiday guide aims to show you the world can still be your oyster, no matter what your special need - it's also a call to action to the travel industry to cater better for those with various disabilities and needs.
Wheelchair accessible holidays have seen huge advances in recent years, and while the tourism industry as a whole is still a long way from perfection on this, we’re thrilled to see more and more exciting destinations and experiences opening up for wheelchair travellers.
Our fantastic and diverse range of limited mobility holidays will encourage you to get out and see the world one step at a time, because not everyone is content to just stay close to their accommodation the whole time
Many of the accessible holidays that you’ll see on our site can be adapted for travellers that are deaf or hard of hearing, with operators always happy to go the extra mile - your hearing may be impaired, your enjoyment of the holiday won’t be.
What do hiking in the Spanish Pyrenees, fascinating cultural tours of Japan and ski trips in the mountains of India have in common? They’re all available in our amazing range of blind and partially sighted holidays.
Travelling with cognitive issues needn’t limit your options if the trip is well organised before departure - our cognitive issues holidays are able to accommodate a wide variety of conditions, blending practicality with inspirational activities.
Accessible holiday activities are definitely on the up, and not just holidays purposefully created for people with special needs - mean really full-on stuff, like watersports, gorilla trekking, horse riding and more.
Accessible tourism is about tourism for all, no matter your needs - here are some tips on how best to teach tourism operators about your disabled access holiday requirements, as well as any other requirements that you might have.
Our disabled access holiday advice comes from some of our most celebrated travellers with various special needs - the overall advice is get out there and have fun, not just opt for the boring option because they are catering for your needs.
Responsible accessible tourism holidays are a weird concept, because in many ways, every responsible tourism holiday should address equal access - this section of our guide is a call to action to tourism organisations of all stripes.
More relevant guides
protection
