Home

Specialists in accessible tourism NZ – go where you want to go!

Ability Adventures are New Zealand’s premier disability travel company, specialising in disabled travel holidays and accessible tourism for seniors and travellers with disabilities.

We provide personalised itineraries and private tours throughout New Zealand where one or more person has a physical or learning disability, is a slow walker or simply may need that bit of extra support along the way.

Learn more about Ability Adventures

Tailored disabled travel services and accessible tours

From individuals to couples and families to small groups of friends, Ability Adventures can design and book your New Zealand experience.

How to get started on your accessible tourism adventure:

Browse our tours page to get a feel for what’s possible then simply email us your wish list, travel plans and other requirements and we will get in touch to discuss how to make it work.

Or if you want to discuss what’s possible directly with our experts feel free to give us a call on +64 27 324 0003

Tailored accessible self-drive tours

If you prefer to go it alone, Ability Adventures will work with you closely to create a self-drive tour that delivers your ideal New Zealand holiday for you to enjoy at your own pace.

Self-drive tour services

Support services and equipment hire to make disabled travel easier

Travelling with a disability is not just about accessible tourism operators. At Ability Adventures we can arrange even the smallest detail to help ensure your holiday is a positive experience. From disability friendly accommodation providers to specialist equipment and care, we can cater for all manner of requirements at each stage of your journey.

You can find out more about our extra services here on our  Support Page

Enquire now about how we can make your trip possible

About

Ability Adventures: creating accessible holidays in New Zealand since 2008

Ability Adventures have been creating awesome accessible holidays in New Zealand for senior and disabled travellers since 2008. From hearing and vision impaired travellers to those with mobility issues, families with an autistic child or a senior travel club who want to take things at a gentler pace, Ability Adventures have made people’s holiday adventures truly memorable and hassle free.

We believe that everyone should have the same opportunities as others for exploration, adventure and discovery through travel.

See our range of travel and tour options for holiday ideas

Why Choose Ability Adventures as your disability travel specialist?

Ability Adventures are a Qualmark Endorsed Visitor Service – New Zealand tourism’s official mark of quality – with over 10 years’ experience in creating memorable holidays for people of all abilities.

Through our extensive knowledge of New Zealand and database of disability friendly tourism operators, Ability Adventures tailor make holiday itineraries and provide guided tours so that you can experience the real New Zealand through all the senses, and access it’s natural wonders regardless of your level of mobility or other impairments.

Learn more about Ability Adventures Services travel partners

Marina Hanger: owner, adventure planner and head guide for Ability Adventures

Marina Hanger established Ability Adventures in 2008 as a way to support people with disabilities and older people to enjoy the adventure of travel. Marina has over 20 years’ experience in the tourism industry, and thirty years as an occupational therapist.

She co-founded one of New Zealand’s first eco-tourism companies, providing quality natural history tours for national and international clients. Marina was more latterly involved in researching, planning and leading wilderness, adventure and personal development programmes within New Zealand for blind and visually impaired people of all ages.

Ability Adventures seemed to be the perfect blend of both. “I enjoy the challenge of designing holidays where a disability is not a hindrance or limiting factor, by crafting itineraries to be fully accessible for each travelling group member.”

“For me it is more than simply about providing unforgettable accessible holiday adventures for all, but also as a New Zealander sharing our homeland, its outdoors and the value of adventure in our lives. “I love seeing people of different abilities and ages getting out there enjoying travel just like everybody else.” 

Begin planning your New Zealand adventure – contact Ability Adventures now.

Tours

Accessible tours around New Zealand

New Zealand is an amazing travel destination for visitors of all levels of ability. Whether your ideal experience includes rest and relaxation, adrenalin pumping activities, sightseeing, adventure, people and culture, enjoying nature or any combination of the above, Ability Adventures offers a whole range of accessible tour options to suit you.

Send us your wish list and we’ll create an accessible tour experience to remember

Private guided tours for disabled travellers and seniors and special needs holidays

Ability Adventures can help you experience it all, delivered at your pace and catered to your particular needs, including mobility support,  sighted guiding and a sign language interpreter for travellers with sensory impairments.

We can introduce you to the unique and exciting sights, tastes, textures, fragrances and sounds of New Zealand – from the distinctive tuneful calls of the native tui bird, through to a mouth-watering kiwi pavlova dessert.

Our tandem cycling tours are a favourite for people who are blind or vision impaired wanting to take advantage of the new network of New Zealand Cycle Trails.

Share with us your holiday wishes and together we will plan your tailored New Zealand holiday itinerary according to your preferences and accessibility requirements. We also have a number of sample itineraries from which you can choose.

Contact us to begin planning your customised holiday

Self-drive itineraries for accessible tours

If you prefer to go it alone, then a self-drive tour is a great option, backed by our expertise in accessible travel, local knowledge and connections. Ability Adventures will handle all your booking arrangements according to your requirements – accessible accommodation, preferred vehicle type, activities of choice, as well as personal care support and equipment as may be needed.

Enjoy the freedom of independent travel with the assurance that we are always available for you – before, during and after your trip.

Contact us to learn more about how we can make your New Zealand adventure easy for you.

Do what you want to do! Here are some ideas of things we can organise for you:

• Fishing
• Kayaking
• Cuisine & wine
• Garden tours
• Beaches
• Marine excursions
• River rafting
• Volcanoes
• Camping
• Jet boating
• Flight seeing

Private Accessible Cruise Ship Shore Excursions – Port Chalmers, Dunedin

On our easy access Dunedin tours you’ll experience Dunedin’s diversity – amazing scenery, rare wildlife, rich cultural heritage, beautiful parks. We are Dunedin locals who love to share our intimate knowledge of New Zealand’s first city with our guests. Join us on a private tour tailored to suit your schedule and interests.

Contact us now to book your tailored Dunedin shore excursion

Organised group tours for disability and senior travel groups

Ability Adventures is an agent for international tour groups and tours for conference delegates where accessible or special needs criteria apply. We also cater for senior tour groups looking for accessible tours of New Zealand.

Ability Adventures is a New Zealand Qualmark tourism service provider.

More about Ability Adventures

Assistance

Special needs travel assistance and support for all abilities and needs

Ability Adventures provides a range of special needs travel assistance, facilities and equipment to help make your holiday as comfortable and worry free as possible.

Assistance services range from agency trained travel companions and personal care support people to provide assistance with your daily health and wellbeing needs through to sign language interpreters and catering services for special dietary requirements throughout your journey.

Let us know what you require as part of your enquiry so we know what to include when we begin planning your holiday adventure. Enquire here

Disability hire equipment and personal mobility support

There is a selection of disability hire equipment for mobility and personal care assistance that can be hired on your behalf when you book your guided or self-drive tour with Ability Adventures. This alleviates the need to bring your own equipment, reducing the possibility of any damage to your personal property en route.

Personal mobility support can also be arranged, including wheelchair assistance, sighted guiding or other specific support that may be required for all or part of your journey.

We can also source different types of specialised vehicles, including hand-control vehicles, those with swing-out seats and vans with wheelchair hoists, tracks and tie-downs.

Contact Ability Adventures to arrange for disability hire equipment as part of your travel booking

Disability Accommodation options New Zealand wide

Our network of disability accommodation providers throughout New Zealand means that we can ensure your comfort at every stop when you travel with Ability Adventures.

Let us know your accessibility requirements and we will ensure each facility used meets your needs.

See our travel partners page for more information about disability accommodation, equipment hire and special needs travel assistance services.

Go to Partners page

Partners

Disability tourism information New Zealand

For disability tourism information New Zealand, Ability Adventures has put together this useful list of links to New Zealand organisations and websites to help you access information and support during your travels or as a handy reference for New Zealanders with a disability.

Be. Accessible online directory of accessible places NZ – managed by the Be. Institute, a social enterprise that aims to work across all sectors and communities throughout New Zealand, Be. Accessible has an easy to use online directory of accessible places throughout New Zealand.
BeAccessible

Mobility parking permits online application for international visitors –travellers with an overseas issued mobility parking permit can apply to CCS Disability Action for a visitor permit to use during their stay. Visit this page and scroll down to the Visitor Permits section;
Mobility Parking Permits – CCS Disability Action

DoC accessible nature trails – New Zealand’s Department of Conservation has over 50 public tracks throughout New Zealand listed as wheelchair and buggy accessible. Choose the level of access and difficulty and search the easy access tracks category in their nationwide directory:
Dept of Conservation – easy access tracks

Ability Adventures Accessible Travel partners

As accessible travel specialists, Ability Adventures chooses carefully on behalf of our clients to find accommodation providers, transport companies and tourism operators that offer great service for all travellers. Here is a list of our preferred accessible travel partners:

• Millennium Hotels NZ
• 538 Great King Motel, Dunedin
• Drifters Inn, Hanmer Springs
• QT Museum Hotel Wellington
• Sudima Hotels
• Top 10 Holiday Parks
• Rydges Latimer Christchurch
• Real Journeys
• Hobbiton
• Southern Discoveries
• Royal Albatross Centre

Other useful disability information sites include:

• disABILITY Leisure, Arts, Sports and Lifestyle Web Guide
• Blind Foundation – New Zealand
• First Port – New Zealand Disability Information and Support Services
• Enable New Zealand
• Pam MacNeill Consulting
• Attitude TV – engaging stories of people who live with a disability
• Enabling Love and Friendship
• The New Zealand Government Office for Disability Issues
• NZ Spinal Trust

General information on travel to and within New Zealand

• Air New Zealand
• Destination NZ
• New Zealand Tourism Guide
• Metservice New Zealand weather today
• Universal currency converter
• Tourism New Zealand
• Travel time and distance calculator for within New Zealand
• New Zealand visitor information

Worldwide tourism for the disabled

• Travel Quest directory for worldwide tourism opportunities for people with a disability
• Wheelchair Traveling – directory
• Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality
• Easy Access Travel – USA
• Aspire Supported Holidays – Australia
• Discovery Holidays – Australia
• Planet Abled – India
• Enable Holidays – UK
• Handicap World Travel – Germany

[vfb id=1]