Wheelchair Accessible Adventure Travel

Namibia

A vast land of sand, strewn with rocks and pitted by rivers and ravines sounds inadvisable for people who have trouble walking and downright impossible for wheelchair users. Surprisingly, the opposite is true. Namibia is one of Africa's most accessible destinations with decent infrastructure, facilities catering to most needs and operators ranging from 'ready and efficient' to 'experienced and specialised'.
Granted, depending on your needs, a lot of research and effort may be necessary to get the best from your trip, but Namibians love a challenge and as other travellers have shown, almost anything is possible.

Accommodation

A quick surf of the internet will leave you awash with 'accessible' accommodation, but it pays to take care here. Although many proprieters are aware of this growing market and have ground floor rooms with small steps and wide doorways, few have ideal, custom-built quarters. It is worth making an example of Tamboti Guest House in Windhoek, which has wheelchair accessible rooms and roll-in showers. Although not everywhere can claim to be as accommodating, many proprietors are easily contactable by e-mail and your particular requirements can be discussed beforehand and hopefully catered for.

Other hotels and lodges, which are to some degree accessible, are:

Windhoek & surrounds
Tamboti Guest House, Gocheganas Nature Reserve, Camelthorn Chalets, Midgard Lodge, Klein Windhoek Guest House

Swakopmund & surrounds
The Rostock Ritz Desert Lodge, Swakopmund Hotel & Entertainment Centre, Hansa Hotel

Near Tsumeb
Mokuti Lodge, !Uris Safari Lodge

Other areas
Sossusvlei Lodge, Huab Lodge near Kamanjab, Bahnhof Hotel, Aus

For a more extensive list of accommodation indicating those with disabled access, contact the Hospitality Association of Namibia:
Tel/fax: +264 61 222904; e-mail: service(at)HANnamibia.com; web: www.hannamibia.com

Transport

Taxis - Although Endeavour Safaris (see below for contact details) do have two accessible Land Cruisers, I have yet to hear of a normal taxi company in Namibia that runs vehicles with facilities for people who prefer to stay in their wheelchairs. Having said that, drivers are happy to give people the time they need to enter and exit the car, and they are usually willing to help wheelchair users transfer from their chair. However, it is important to remember that they are not trained in this skill - you need to fully explain the help you need and stay in control as the transfer proceeds.
Car hire - Currently no company in Namibia have cars with basic hand controls, although Colin Stewart (paraplegic) managed to persuade AVIS (page ….) to provide one, after a 'prolonged negotiation' with their UK manager.
Your own vehicle - Trish Thompson, (T6 complete paraplegic) took hand controls with her on an extended tour of Southern Africa, and fitted them to a car purchased on a one-year buy-back scheme. Although this worked for them, she says that despite several months of email conversations with the company prior to arrival, they still had to wait ten days in Cape Town dealing with unexpected paperwork.
By Bus - Namibia's buses are not adapted at all, so unless you can walk to some degree this method of transport will not be ideal.
By Rail - Currently, the only train with accessible bathrooms is the 'Omugulu Gwombashe Star', operating between Windhoek and Oshivelo in Northern Namibia.
By Air - Windhoek's Hosea Kutako International Airport has wheelchairs, an aisle chair and staff to assist with transfers. It also has a roomy toilet for disabled people, although Graham Teager (who has degenerative MS) suggests that this appears to be an afterthought as it is located to the rear of the 'normal' toilet with three 90 degree turns required to get to it. More provincial airfields cannot guarantee such amenities, so be prepared to compromise if you're planning to fly within the country.

Activities

Going on safari is always possible, although the form this takes will depend on your ability and sense of adventure. In Walvis Bay, Levo Tours' [tel: +264-64-207555; fax: +264-64-200709; e-mail: levo(at)iway.na; web:www.levotours.com] fishing, and seal & dolphin excursion boats can accommodate wheelchairs, and a special boarding ramp was built for this purpose. Scenic flights can be arranged through Capture Africa [tel: +264-64-404348; fax: +264-64-404249; e-mail: capture(at)mweb.com.na; web: www.captureafrica.com] and Trish Thompson (who's paraplegic) says adrenalin sports such as Swakopmund's dune quad biking can be quite feasible for many disabilities.

Health

Doctors will know about 'everyday' illnesses, but you must understand and be able to explain your own particular medical requirements. Rural hospitals are often basic, so if possible, take all necessary medication and equipment with you. It is advisable to pack this in your hand luggage during flights in case your main luggage gets lost.
Namibia can be hot. If this is a problem for you, be careful to book accommodation with fans or air-conditioning, and a useful cooling aid is a plant-spray bottle.

Security

The usual security precautions apply, but it is also worthwhile remembering that if you are less mobile, then you are even more vulnerable. Stay aware of who is around you and where your bags are, especially during car transfers and similar. These activities often draw onlookers, and the confusion creates easy pickings for an opportunist thief.

Tour companies

Endeavour Safaris - Specialists in accessible travel for disabled people.
Tel/fax: +27 (21) 556 6114; mobile: +27 (73) 206 7733; e-mail: info(at)endeavour-safaris.com; web: www.endeavour-safaris.com

Titch Tours - Operator running trips for disabled travellers.
Tel: +27 21 686-5501; fax: +27 21 686-5506; e-mail: titcheve(at)iafrica.com; web: http://titchtours.co.za

Disabled Birders Association - Bird watching trips worldwide for disabled people.
E-mail: bo(at)fatbirder.com; web: www.disabledbirdersassociation.co.uk

SandyAcre Safaris - Did the logistics for BBC TV's 'Beyond Boundaries' project, which involved a group of disabled people crossing Namibia. No specialist equipment but willing to cater to clients' needs to provide a feasible itinerary.
Tel: +264 (0)61 248137; fax: +264 (0)61 238707; e-mail: info(at)sandyacresafaris.com; web: http://sandyacresafaris.com

Big5Experience - No specialist equipment and little experience of disability, but an established operator that will attempt to accommodate all travellers.
Tel: + 264 (0)62 581423; fax: + 264 (0)62 581423; e-mail: frikkie(at)big5experience.com; web: www.big5experience.com

More info
Any of the operators mentioned above will be happy to advise you, and I found Storm Napier at Namibian Tourism extremely helpful with my research.
Tel: +264 61 2906000; fax: +264 61 254848; e-mail: info(at)namibiatourism.com.na; web: www.namibiatourism.com.na

Finally, some useful advice: Pull wheelchairs backwards through soft sand!
From Scott Hurd (a travel photographer who recently went to Namibia with a disabled friend).