Adventure Travel Agencies for the Disabled: These Companies Make Exotic Destinations Accessible to All

Adventure tour operators today have come to realize that although a person's mobility may be limited, that doesn't mean their sense of adventure is. Whether you use a wheelchair or have otherwise limited mobility or you're visually- or hearing-impaired, there are adventure travel companies that can take you just about anywhere you can dream of going. Many of these specialized companies have adventure tours for the developmentally disabled, too. Here are a few tour companies that specialize in helping disabled travelers experience some of the world's most exotic travel destinations.

Epic-Enabled.com

Southern Africa is Epic Enabled's specialty and they offer a variety of package tours as well as tailor-made adventure tours around the area. Take a cable car to the top of Table Mountain, get up close and personal with cheetahs and elephants in Kruger park, or drink in the beauty of the Garden Route along the coast of South Africa. Accommodations are in rather rustic tents, bungalows, and cottages, but all are accessible to those will all ranges of ability. They can also offer assistance equipment like bath seats and wheelchairs; just let them know what you need when you book.

EcuadorForAll.com

Would you believe there are wheelchair-accessible paths through the Amazon rainforest? Or maybe you'd rather tour the Galapagos islands, go humpback whale-watching, or get to know the culture of the local indigenous communities. Ecuador for All, a tour operator that combines accessible adventure travel with all-natural health therapies, makes it possible. This company truly believes in personalizing each tour, so they don't have packaged tours. Contact the company and they'll help you plan a trip based on your wishes, needs, and budget.

Korke.com

Korke's accessible-travel division, AMAPI, is headed by a physical therapist experienced in conducting wheelchair-accessible tours in Chile and Argentina. Follow in the tracks of ancient civilizations like the Incas, Tiawanaku, and Chinchorros, visit an eco-friendly lodge deep in the jungle, or watch rare wildlife in Patagonia. Visits to cities like Buenos Aries and Valparaiso are also available, if urban jungles are more your thing. Although Korke does packaged adventure tours, they can also help you put together a personalized, ala carte tour. Keep in mind, thought, that those who aren't fully self-sufficient are asked to bring along a caregiver or request that Korke hire a local caregiver on their behalf.

WheelTours.com.au

Both city and adventure day trips are available through this Australian company. On one of their tours, you'll get a chance so see koalas, kangaroos, and other native Aussie animals up close, get a glimpse of aboriginal culture, and experience a bit of life as the first settlers lived it all in one day. Another tour takes you by ferry to view the abundant plants and animals on Rottnest Island, one of the world's few pristine Mediterranean islands left. There's emphasis on really getting involved in the experience --petting the animals, tasting the local foods, and of course, smelling the wildflowers.

CamelDive.com

Don't worry, it's not what it sounds like. "Camel" is just the name of this adventure tour operator, which offers diving tours in near Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt. Dive sites include the Straits of Tiran and various spots off the coast of Sharm el Sheikh. Ras Mohammed National Park, one of the top 10 dive sites in the world, is located here. There are also two ship wrecks available to explore. After than, how about a night dive to take a look at the colorful, nocturnally-active aquatic wildlife? Camel Dive's crews and boat staff are trained in the needs of mobility-restricted explorers. They'll even help you plan your diving route according to your personal needs and preferences. The Camel Hotel, owned by the company, is also fully accessible to disabled adventure travelers.

Although it takes a little looking to track down disabled adventure travel companies, there are opportunities for accessible adventure travel in South America, Australia, the Middle East and just about anywhere other adventure tourism companies go. Even if you already have some experience with adventure travel for the physically and developmentally challenged, you still might be surprise by what some of these companies (not to mention their clients) can do.