Mobile tented safaris are becoming a popular holiday option in Africa but the logistics of hosting clients with disabilities in very remote locations has meant that people with physical challenges are generally denied access. But Austrian wheelchair user Rudi Ofer found that South African safari operator Endeavour Safaris were able to give him the trip of a lifetime in the Botswana wilderness. This is his report.
I was absolutely impressed by my Africa experience.
For people in Europe it is an unbelievable feeling sitting beside the campfire in the African bush listening to the sound of the wilderness instead of the sound of traffic.
The only things you hear are the voices of all the African animals you can imagine - elephant, lion, buffalo, giraffe, cheetah, hyena and birds, and of course you can also see them all during the day.
The African bush has left a deep impression with me. Since returning home I keep the beauty of untouched nature inside me.
Physically, the safari was not tiring at all - in fact I found it was
the opposite. Exploring and feeling the power of wild nature gives you
a lot of energy.
There are no great physical demands so it is not exhausting at all and you don't have to be fit to do it. If you need any help, the nice and helpful people from Endeavour Safaris are always around! There is also enough time to relax (especially during lunch break - when the animals are having a rest too...).
Endeavour Safaris is the only provider of adventure holidays I know for
people depending on the wheelchair. This way of travelling was not
possible before for the physically handicapped. As a person depending on
a wheelchair you require a certain infrastructure to enable you to travel
safely and comfortably, especially in developing countries like Botswana.
Endeavour Safaris has thought of everything. They have adopted their safari vehicle with a ramp so that getting in and out is no problem and there is plenty of space inside.
The tent has also been specially constructed to meet the needs of wheelchair
users. It is 4 x 4 meters, which means there is enough space to roll inside.
There are comfortable camp beds and the shower and toilet are also inside
the tent, so you don't have to leave it during night. Furthermore they
carry satellite telephones with them for emergencies, which means that
help can be called quickly.