Disabled travellers

Facilities for the disabled in Argentina are sorely lacking, since so far, there's a general absence of information and education. Wheelchair users won't find many ramps or even lowered curbs, although this is improving in Buenos Aires; pavements tend to be shoddy and broken even in big cities. Only a few upmarket hotels have been fully adapted for wheelchair use, although many more modern hotels are fine for those with limited mobility. The best way to assess this is to ring or email the hotel in advance and check. Argentines generally go out of their way to help you, making up for poor facilities with kindness and generosity. Tourist sites aren't generally well adapted for disabled visitors, with limited access for the physically disabled, particularly at archaeological sites. However, many museums have ramps or lifts, and some offer special guided tours for the visually-impaired, and signed tours for the hearing-impaired. Iguazú Falls has good access for wheelchair users or those with walking difficulties, along sturdy modern walkways with no steps, right up to the falls. Getting close to glacier Perito Moreno is not easy. Speaking Spanish is obviously a great help, and travelling with a companion is advisable.

Other useful sites include: www.access-able.com; www.gimponthe go.com; www.justargentina.org/argentina/ argentina-disabled-travellers.asp; www.makoa.org/travel.htm.