An accessible holiday may take a bit more planning, but with these tips, you are guaranteed a great trip
Often, I’m asked for accessible holiday options. With my many years as a universal access specialist, person with a disability, and avid traveller, I have some great tips for planning the ideal accessible holiday.
Right place at the right time
Decide where you would like to holiday, like a beach, mountains or a historical or cultural significance place. Then research the area. Combine all the relevant activities that you would like to do while on the trip. Consider the best time of the year to visit. You don’t want to be uncomfortably hot or cold when you are spending hard-earned money on your trip.
Be kind to your budget
Consider how much you are expecting or want to spend on the trip. This will determine your mode of transport, accommodation and activities. Be sure to include all the expenses when drawing up the budget, including the flights, petrol, tolls, car hire, meals, drinks, activities and any passport or visa costs.
Rail, road or air
Depending on where you are travelling (locally or internationally), you might want to consider the different modes of transport that are available. Here are some things to consider with each:
- Driving: You’ll be able to stop along the route to see more places, and take more equipment with you. You’ll also have more flexibility at your destination to visit other places. Depending on the distance, driving can be exhausting!
- Flying: It is quicker, especially for those who find long journeys too tiring. However, you will need to arrange airport transfers to the accommodation or hire a vehicle for your stay.
- Rail: The South African long-distance rail carriages are not wheelchair accessible, however there are many overseas countries that offer accessible carriages on their rail systems.
- Cruise ships: Most cruise ships have accessible cabins, however these rooms are inside cabins that accommodate two people. There are no family suits or rooms with balconies available. Larger cruise ships offer better options internationally.
Staying in comfort
Consider the style of accommodation that would best suit the nature of the trip and your needs. You may love camping, but won’t want to stay in a tent when you are skiing! Here are some options to consider:
- Caravans and Camping: These establishments are common, especially locally. However, most campsites have inaccessible ablution facilities. SANParks has a list of their camping areas with accessible communal ablutions facilities.
- Self-catering: Cottages, homes and apartments offer self-catering options. Usually only the bathrooms are accessible (often the guest bathroom). The kitchens, dining tables and lounge furniture are mostly standard heights and not compliant with universal access guidelines. There are some gems that are completely accessible.
- B&Bs and Hotels: Many hotels advertise accessible rooms. It is important to double check that the accessibility meets your needs and requirements as they don’t always follow the universal access guidelines. However, you should be able to find something suitable and then have meals covered.
- Game Lodges: If you are able to self- drive, then game watching is fun. Ensure that your vehicle is able to drive on off- road conditions. Otherwise, the Lodge needs to have a means of assisting you into their game-drive vehicle either with a raised loading area with ramped access, a portable ramp or a wheelchair hoist. There are some Game Lodges with wheelchair- accessible game-drive vehicles. Be sure to enquire before booking.
Confirming Accessibility
Before booking, make a list of what you require from your room and check that all of these facilities are available. Here are a few things to consider:
- The Room: Room choice may be limited. Most establishments only have one type of accessible room. It’s either the more expensive “Superior” or the cheaper “Standard” room. Usually, there are no accessible family rooms, however there may be an accessible room with and an interleading door to the room next door that could work for families or when travelling with your carer. The cost difference will be higher as you will be paying for two rooms instead of one. It is always cheaper to share. The quoted prices are always Per Person Sharing (pps), so be sure to enquire if you need single supplement rates.
- The Accessible Bathroom: Everyone has their own requirements for an accessible bathrooms. The best option is to request pictures or a video and ask questions about the details that you need like a step-free shower and basin height. Be sure to enquire directly for the establishment that you will be visiting.
Visiting the sights
There might be some places you want to visit or things that you want to do while on holiday. Sometimes, it is worthwhile booking a tour group to make the experience more enriching. Group tours are cheaper than private tours, but a private tour allows you to tailor-make your tour.
Always confirm that the transport and venues that you plan to visit are accessible. You may choose to wait outside certain venues or in the vehicle in order to see the one’s you can visit with a guide. There will likely be a fee for each site you visit so be sure to include that in your budgeting!
There are websites like Get Your Guide that offer accessible tour options in most overseas destinations. You can use this info for research or make bookings for all the tourist and historic places and activities that you would be interested in.
For a more comprehensive guide on accessible travel, read or download my Deep Dive into travel from the Rolling Inspiration website. Safe travels.
