Travelling to Brazil when you are handicapped

Brazil must still make further efforts to improve the situation, even if some improvements were made during the World Cup. You are recommended to be particularly attentive when planning your trip to Brazil and to contact hotels to check whether their facilities are suitable for you.

As for the cities, the situation could be better.

In general, the cities (Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Brasilia, Salvador, etc.) don't have good-quality pavements and numerous handicapped people have had difficulties in getting around alone in the city. However, for all that, don't let them rule out your trip! Just find a way to organise a personalised transport system, which will make the trip a lot easier. Then you can enjoy the main tourist attractions as you please: Football Museums and the Portuguese language in Sao Paulo, for example, Botanical Gardens and Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio, among others.

It might also be worth planning a trip to Macéio, the city considered the most suitable for welcoming people with a handicap according to the Brazilian Statistical Institute: lots of hotel rooms will be able to host you, and small boats, especially fitted out, enable you to enjoy a trip in the sea.

Adventurous destinations and adapted beaches

As for the resorts, you can count on Ilha Bela, one of the most sought after beaches in the country. The government of Sao Paulo has carried out a big project to allow easier access to the beaches in Perequê, Sino and Praia Grande. You can access them via ramps, and specialist chairs guarantee access to the sea.

For nature lovers, you must stop off at the Iguazu Falls, perfectly adapted to welcome people with a handicap. But discovering the Chapada dos Guimaraes, north of the Pantanal, Brotas and Socorro, might also be a nice surprise. The latter two are specialised in adventure tourisms and specialist agencies organise multiple activities (rafting, abseiling, yodel, etc.) accessible to all.