Wheelchair Accessible Tourism in Africa

Disability Tourism in Africa is one of the concepts in tourism industry, every human being has a social right to go for tours as any other human being on earth. This is a concept whereby the physically impaired in society is accessible to tourism.  Globally it is estimated that over 5 million people are disabled, both physically and otherwise. Some are paraplegic and some are disabled after various calamities. These circumstances have made over 5 million individuals to have some form of disability. The Hotels and Resorts in Africa are being urged to provide wheelchair accessibility in their various holiday establishments. We at Niche Africa Holidays have started this concept of tourism in Africa to take care of the paraplegic, the physically impaired, the blind and the deaf including those who are aged and slow movers. We have urged many hotels and resorts in Africa to provide disability rooms in their establishment of which some have and others have not done so.

Demand for accessible tourism offers is being made daily and the tourism industry is urging the tour operators to have wheel chair accessibility tours. Niche Africa Holidays arranges escorted tours and Safaris for the physically impaired, the deaf and the blind within our society. We place them, our disabled clients in various resorts and hotels within the East African community which includes Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania. In all these establishments, we first ascertain that they are wheelchair accessible and also provide disability rooms. Among our recent undertakings included the services of professional nurses escorting the paraplegic in various tours within Lake Victoria, Bird watching in Uganda, the Safari Walk in Nairobi and the Animal orphanage including the Giraffe centre where the physical disabled fed the giraffes themselves.

For the deaf and the blind we encourage that they be accompanied by various able personalities who include teachers for the students, relatives for the blind and both teachers or relatives for the deaf. For the married, we encourage that they are joined by their spouses and children if any, in the tours and safari’s in order to encourage moral support which includes support in the disabled person during safaris and tours in Africa.

Niche Africa holidays continues to successfully take wheelchair travelers, slow walkers, and small groups of disabled members of society into safaris and tours within East Africa which includes the five countries of East Africa community. It is in East Africa where you will find the Seventh wonder of the world that is the annual wildebeest migration from Serengeti into the Maasai Mara National Park. The mountain gorillas in Bwindi and Mgahinga in Uganda not to mention the largest population of the Mountain Gorillas in Virunga Mountains in Rwanda. The water rafting at the source of River Nile on Lake Victoria, on River Tana and various many rivers in East Africa. The slow movers have undertaken the Mountain Gorilla trips in Uganda and also the blind have visited the Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi National Park where they are able to touch the tamed and the Orphaned Elephants and know the size of the same physically. We also integrate the foreign disabled clients with local disabled individuals in order for them to have a cultural understanding and experience their predicaments. Niche Africa Holidays staff personally escort tours of disabled personnel.

Tanzania, being the centre of wildlife population in East Africa and having many National parks and Reserves, disability wildlife tourism is most appropriate in Tanzania than any part of East Africa. We encourage physically impaired clients who want to see wildlife in their abundance to travel with us to Tanzania. The most appropriate reserves and National parks are, Serengeti National Park, the Ngorogoro Crater and Lake Manyara National park where they will see the tree climbing Lions. Lake Manyara is also known for its bird life, in that case we escort disabled clients who are interested in bird watching to visit Lake Manyara National Park where they will see over 300 species of the same.

Uganda, the pearl of East Africa is a swampy country where birding leads wildlife tourism. In addition to birding and wildlife tourism, we have the  Mountain gorillas located in Bwindi and Mgahinga National parks not to mention the islands of Sesse and Ngamba in Lake Victoria where clients visit the Chimpanzees. We have in one occasion taken a paraplegic client up to the Mountain gorilla’s places at Bwindi and Mgahinga, which showed that even the disabled can witness the Mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.

Kenya, and Nairobi city being the herb  for entrance into East Africa stands pivotal for the incoming physically challenged clients for tourism because Kenya boasts to have many hotels and resorts with wheel chair accessibility and disability rooms. All these are located within the resorts and hotels including lodges within its National parks, National reserves and the beaches of Mombasa. Among the hotels in the city centre of Nairobi which have wheel chair accessibility and disability rooms include the Panafric hotel, Hilton hotel, the Holiday Inn and lastly the Safari Park Hotel, all of which have at least one or two disability rooms. In Mombasa and in the National reserves of Tsavo, we have the Satao camp, the Sopa Lodges, and the Mombasa beach hotels which include the Turtle Bay club. The Sopa lodges in Naivasha, Masaai Mara and part of the Serena Hotels  have developed disability tented camps for those clients who wish to enjoy watching wildlife in their remote habitat. Some of the hotels and lodges which are wheel chair accessible include; Voi safari lodge, the Salt Lick resort, the Kilaguni lodge, the Ark and the Satao camp all of these have wildlife watering holes in front of their main establishments where animals come to water themselves daily. In view of these situations the water hole resorts and lodges are favorable for the wheel chair clients.

Demand for disability tours and safaris

The clients that we take for disability tourism include:-

• The physically impaired which include the paraplegic clients.
• The blind
• The deaf
• The slow movers who include the aged.

Disability Tour Packages

Niche Africa holidays disability travel resources include:-

We undertake the following services; Disability tour planning, Educational and research disability tours and safaris, individual and group wheel chair family tours, co-operate physically impaired tours, location hunting for the hotels and resorts which are conducive for the physically challenged, bookings of the placements and lastly escorting the disabled for tours in vans and 4x4 wheel drive vehicles which are modified for the comfort of the physically impaired clients while on safari depending with each one’s case.

For us, Niche Africa Holidays to tailor make you travel with us, we require ample time for planning and execution for this travels and tours. This includes the location hunting for proper location, the modification of the vehicles for travel, appointment of proper escort personnel, hiring of wheel chairs and other implements for the comfort of the disabled. The personnel include the nurses, the sign writers for the deaf and the wheel chair pushers for the physically impaired not to mention the escorts for the blind.

The prices for each tour or Safari is  calculated based on  the nature of the disability of every client, in that case we urge the clients to customize their tours and safaris with us therefore giving us ample time for planning and cost analysis.

The Itineraries are as follows:

• 7 Days / 6 Nights-Kenya Game viewing and Beach Holiday tailored for Wheelchair users.
• 7 Days-6 Nights-Wheelchair Kilimanjaro climbing (Marangu Route Trekking)
• 3 Days - 2 Nights-Maasai Mara Special Disability Flying Safari
• 7 Days / 6 Nights-Kenya Game viewing and Beach Holiday tailored for Wheelchair users.

Highlights: This is a seven days safari starting from Nairobi to Mombasa and ending in Mombasa or in Nairobi as per the clients’ wishes and flight schedules. You will start with visiting the Amboseli National park where you will be accommodated in a wheelchair friendly lodge; Sopa lodge and proceed to Tsavo East where you will stay at Voi Wildlife Safari lodge before you head to Mombasa for your beach holiday at the Sun N sand Hotel or if you wish proceed to Watamu in Malindi to stay at Turtle bay Beach club.

Day 1: Arrival - Nairobi

On arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be met by out tour manager who will brief you on your safari before you are transferred to Amboseli National Park. On arrival, embark on an en route game viewing drive to Amboseli Sopa Lodge for lunch. After lunch, have the afternoon at leisure.

Dinner and Overnight at Amboseli Sopa Lodge.

Day 2: Amboseli full day

After breakfast, enjoy a full day game viewing in this wonderful National Park.

Amboseli is renowned for its huge elephant herds. Africa’s highest Mountain – Mt Kilimanjaro sits on the upper slopes of Amboseli National park. Mt. Kilimanjaro’s snow white peak lies across the border in Tanzania. Seeing the Kilimanjaro hovering above the clouds in the early hours of the morning is quite an experience. For the enthusiastic photographer, animal pictures arising against the dramatic backdrop of the mountain is quite a thrill. Apart from the Elephants, Amboseli is a home to; buffalos, black rhinos, zebras, wildebeest and other plain animals.
Dinner and overnight at Amboseli Sopa Lodge.

Day 3: Amboseli - Tsavo East

After breakfast, enjoy a morning game viewing drive if you still want some more before you depart for Tsavo East, approximately 200kms. Check in at the Voi safari lodge for lunch.

Voi Safari Lodge: During the dry season the waterholes are the convergence of a lot of wild animals moving almost in a trance as if urged on by some kind of telepathic communication, the sight is just fantastic.

Dinner and overnight at Voi Wildlife Safari Lodge.

Day 4: Tsavo East - Mombasa

Enjoy morning breakfast before you depart to Mombasa which is 165kms away to arrive at Sun N Sand. If you choose to proceed to Watamu, Then we will proceed to Turtle bay Beach club which is 100 kilometres away, both of the hotels are wheelchair friendly.

Tsavo East / Tsavo West: Both national parks are managed separately but together they form the largest reserve in East Africa. The northern part of Tsavo east may not however be visited by tourists. Nevertheless the Tsavo national park founded in 1947 is one of the most visited tourist attraction in Kenya. In spite of its arid countryside and savannah vegetation about 60species of mammals and 400 different species of birds are to be found here. The Tsavo is particularly famous because of its dramatic scenery and the “Red Elephants” which owe their colours to the dust prevalent in this area as well as lions and cheetahs. There are many antelopes (Oryx, kudus, giants gazelles and giraffe) Burchell’s zebras, Maasai giraffes baboons and vervet monkeys of the birds the most impressive is the Maasai ostrich. Where there is water such as at Mzima springs, crocodiles and hippos can also be seen.

Dinner and overnight at Sun N Sand Beach resort / Turtle bay Beach Club.

Day 5 & 6: Mombasa / Malindi

Full day will be spent at leisure. You can engage in extra activities arranged and payable direct to the hotel.

Day 7: Mombasa - Nairobi

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Airport well in time for your onward flight to Nairobi to connect to your flight back home. Or if you are to exit from Mombasa’s Moi International Airport, you will be at liberty.

End of Services.

Cost In US$ 2,800 per person sharing.

Safari Cost Includes:

• Pick up and drop off at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport / Moi International Airport.
• Local flights fees Nairobi-Amboseli
• Use of safari vehicle with Pop up roof for game viewing specially designed to accommodate wheel chair
• Guaranteed window seats for every participant.
• Park entry fee for Amboseli and Tsavo
• All meals as per the Itinerary. Full board meal plan. (3 Meals a day)
• Service of an experienced English - Speaking driver guide
• Game drives as per the Itinerary
• Driver allowances and park fees for vehicle and driver
• Government taxes
• Last day transfer to Airport or your hotel in Nairobi / Mombasa.
Excludes:
• Extras at the lodges –tips, drinks, telephone, laundry or any other personal expenses

3 Days - 2 Nights-Maasai Mara Special Disability Flying Safari

Safari Features:This is a three day flying safari from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara for three persons with one of them being on a wheel Chair. You will stay at the Maasai Mara Serena Safari Lodge which is located near the Airstrip at the Maasai Mara. This offers a short trip for the wheelchair tourist client who is in pain but have to visit the Maasai Mara. You will be travelling in a special customed tour van made to accommodate the wheelchair and the two other clients while on this safari. You start from the Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to the Wilson Airport for the Maasai Mara flight and round it up at the same venue as stated in the itinerary on the third day. Mara Serena Safari lodge is a 5 star lodge with facilities ready to accommodate a wheel chair client.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Nairobi – Maasai Mara

On arrival at the Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be met by our tour manager who will brief you on your safari before you are transferred to take another flight at Wilson Airport to Maasai Mara at 10.00 hours. This flight takes 45 minutes to Maasai Mara arriving in time for lunch, thereafter at 1600 hours; proceed for a late afternoon game viewing drive till dusk in the park, which is essentially the northern extension of Tanzania’s Serengeti National Reserve as an artificial border only separates the two.

Lunch, Dinner and Overnight at Maasai Mara Serena Safari lodge

Day 2: Maasai Mara

Early breakfast followed by game viewing drives within the reserve till Lunch time. (Slow movement within the park).

The Maasai Mara, The New 7th wonder of the world and 4th preferred tourist destination in the world is a home to wildlife in such abundance and variety that it is difficult to imagine. The most spectacular event of the natural world takes place here; The annual migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra from the Serengeti (Tanzania) in search of water and pasture while being followed on their heels by the predators of the savanna; lion, cheetah, wild dog, jackal, hyena and vultures.
It hosts over 450 species of animals which include lions, rhinos, hippos, crocodiles, giraffe, wildebeests, zebras, buffalo, warthogs, hyenas, jackals, wild dogs, buffalo, leopard, many kinds of antelopes and elephants.
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Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Overnight at Maasai Mara Serena Safari lodge

Day 3: Maasai Mara – Nairobi - Departure

Early morning, pre breakfast game viewing drive Return to the lodge for breakfast.

OR

Take the opportunity to fly over the Mara in a Hot air Balloon provided at extra cost. The balloon package includes a champagne breakfast in the wild! If you can spare the money, viewing abundant game afloat a balloon is an unforgettable experience.

After breakfast and your last game drive, depart the Maasai Mara for Nairobi with the morning flight taking off at 11.15 hours and arriving in Nairobi at 12.15 hours ready for lunch served at the Famous Carnivore Restaurant near the Wilson airport before you are transferred to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your departure flight.

Cost: US$ 1,650 per person sharing (3 persons sharing accommodation) - Private Safari

Package Includes:

- Transport based on a special customed safari minibus for wheel chair client with pop up roof for game viewing while in Nairobi and Maasai Mara
- All Park entry fee
- All Airports transfer fees
- Local Flight fees to the Maasai Mara and back to Nairobi
- Accommodation and all meals in Maasai Mara and at the meals at Carnivore Restaurant
- Service of an English-speaking driver guide
- Game drives as per the Itinerary
- Driver allowances and park fees for vehicle and driver
- Government taxes

Package Excludes:

- Hot air Balloon flight in Maasai Mara – US$ 385 per person extra
(Price is subject to confirmation at the time of booking.)
- Tips to driver guides and porter.
- Extras at the lodges – tips, drinks, telephone
-Services of a Nurse if needed.
-Airport Departure tax
-Visa fees