Adventure travel for wheelchair users

More and more destinations are catering for wheelchair users, including the risk-takers and thrill-seekers. To help you say ‘so long’ to boundaries and travel more freely while having an adrenaline rush of a lifetime, we’ve found some of the best wheelchair-friendly adventure activities and accommodations around the globe.

Trekking in the Amazon, Ecuador

The Amazon may be wild and still largely unexplored but the parts we do know about include eco lodges that have been specifically adapted for wheelchair users – so there’s nothing stopping you from embarking on a wildlife-spotting adventure. For a convenient place to stay, head to Huasquila Amazon Lodge. This eco-friendly accommodation offers specially designed, rainforest-friendly wheelchairs and also runs tours that are included in the accommodation costs.

Sit ski in Whistler, Canada

The Whistler Adaptive Sports Program runs year-round with winter and summer programmes for athletes and amateurs with disabilities. During summer, you can fine-tune your water sports with classes and trainings in kayaking, canoeing and rowing on the Alta Lake. Winter programmes include sit skiing, snowboarding and alpine racing. Take on the slopes then come back to the wheelchair-accessible ski lodge Aava Hotel.

White-water rafting in Utah, USA

The last few years have seen the Utah National Parks Service working hard to ensure the state’s glorious scenery can be accessed and enjoyed by everybody. Start your trip with a relaxed activity, exploring some of the trails at Zion National Park Canyon – particularly the Riverwalk Trail that snakes along the Virgin River, with plenty of easily navigable, flat surfaces and shade. Then for the adrenaline rush, go white-water rafting on the Colorado River, which is wheelchair-accessible and has become a popular tour for those who love taking on the rapids. Stay close by at the visually stunning Red Cliffs Lodge, which has wheelchair-accessible rooms.

Zip-lining in the New Forest, UK

For families with kids that have a wild adventurous streak, visit the New Forest National Park in southern England. Here, you’ll find the Avon Tyrrell Outdoor Activity Centre where over 40 different activities amid nature are run by UK Youth, a charity that focuses on making outdoor adventures accessible for all. Despite strong competition from over 40 different activities, the specially adapted zipline is by far the most popular – allowing wheelchair users to soar across the Avon Tyrrell Lakes. Regular inclusion weekends are also held to help children with mobility issues explore the New Forest. At the end of a big day, head back to the Avon Tyrrell Outdoor Activity Centre holiday homes to rest up.

Scuba diving in the Red Sea, Egypt

Egypt’s Eastern Coast has some of the most famous diving sites in the world – from the submarine sinkhole Dahab Blue Hole to Abu Nuhas Reef, which is complete with seven shipwrecks. These amazing coral ecosystems can be enjoyed by all, with a lot of scuba diving entry points that are accessible for wheelchair users. Mövenpick Resort El Quseir is located in the resort town of Marsa Alam, and works with a number of accessibility adventure companies. Or stay at Oonas Dive Club (located further north in Sharm El Sheikh), a hotel with an on-site diving centre that runs boat and diving tours for all guests.