What to expect in Brazil as a wheelchair user
In all blog posts about Brazil I have written a small piece about the accessibility of Brazil, that area or the city that the blog is about. I always write about 4 topics; the accessibility of museums and attractions, restaurants, public transportation and toilets. Yes, we all need them. But in this blog I will go a bit more in depth about what you can expect when you travel to Brazil and how to move around if you are disabled or if you have mobility issues.
Flights
First you need to fly to Brazil and maybe you will travel inside Brazil as well. Most airlines or airports have an assistant program. With your booking you can ask for assistance and they will have information about what kind of wheelchair you can bring or if you can use one of theirs. If you have mobility issues you can also get assistance, that way you don’t have to wait as long as normal. I have used it a couple of times and it helped me so much. Especially if you are coming from far away and/or if you have a layover. The process through security is way faster this way.
In Brazil you also have the possibility to ask for assistance with inland flights. Be aware of the fact that most people don’t speak English or if they do it’s not always the best. You can always use the google translate app but if you speak Portuguese (even if it’s only a little bit) it will be easier.
Hotels, houses and pousadas
The hotels in Brazil are very diverse, just like the houses and pousadas (family owned hostels). Some have steps and no elevator and others do have elevators. So to be safe always check in advance if you are able to enter the premises. Be as specific as you can; ask them if there are any steps, if they have high thresholds, if there is space for your wheelchair in the room and if the bathroom and breakfast area is accessible. They might not think about all these things, so the more you ask, the more information you will have. If you are coming with a wheelchair let them know in advance so that they can help out if you need a ramp or something else. Brazilians are super friendly and they will want to help you out if they can. If you have friends in Brazil you probably know that if the live in an apartment building the chance is higher that you can entered. But always check if your are visiting someone if you are able to enter their home.
Streets
This is something that can make or break your trip. Especially for people with mobility challenges it can be quite dangerous, if the streets are uneven or when they have gaps. Also it can be challenging for wheelchair users and possibly their assistants because you can be launched out of the wheelchair if you are met with a protruding brick.
And this is clearly what is going on in many cities. And it is definitely something you need to know before you go to Brazil. The streets are not well maintained in most cities. Newer areas might have flat sidewalks but a lot of the sidewalks are made with cobblestones or are ruined by tree roots. Most roads are a bit better so I saw people using them, if the sidewalks were bad. So always watch out if the sidewalks are uneven.
It depends on the city whether you will have steep roads. For instance, part of the city center of Salvador is doable with a wheelchair but there are some roads that are so steep that you will absolutely need help getting up and down. Yes, I will need help going down because it’s easy to lose control with this much steepness. Luckily people are really friendly. Check beforehand if the city that you are going to has a lot of steep roads. Or where they are in the city so you might be able to avoid them.
Restaurants
This is quite similar as with the hotels, there are lots of restaurants that you can enter easily. Some are harder to enter because of a high threshold but if they see you struggle they will definitely help you. Some restrooms are upstairs so make sure you check that in advance as well. Larger restaurants are usually easier to access and if you don’t want to check in advance you can always go to a shopping mall. There, you almost never have any thresholds, you will have elevators and bathrooms for wheelchair users. In every city I have been to, there were shopping malls. Some shopping malls have a food court but others also may have restaurants too. And in my experience they are pretty good!
Public transportation
Although most buses have the possibility for a ramp, you can not alway use it. Some bus stops are on an angle and you are not able to enter with a wheelchair, some bussen don’t even have a ramp and they have 3 steps to enter in the bus. Usually the regional buses have that but some city buses too. In Foz do Iguaçu they had a carousel for you to enter the bus. And thus you could enter with a wheelchair.
In my experience it is quite complicated for wheelchair users. Even in Curitiba where I lived, the bus system was really good but not all bus stops were accessible. That’s why I recommend not taking the buses but use Uber or taxis to get around. They can put the wheelchair in the back if you have a collapsible one.
Some underground metro systems have the possibility to use it with a wheelchair and they have elevators. But even in São Paulo I haven’t seen any wheelchair users in the metro trains. So I imagine it is not so easy.
Museums and attractions
This is a complicated one because it is so different from museum to museum and also per attraction. Most city parks are accessible but having said that, some have areas where you can’t enter or go to. For instance, in Rio de Janeiro, you have the Botanical Gardens and most of it is accessible but there are a couple of places where you have steps, sometimes you can get to it by going to another side but not always.
Most larger museums are accessible and you can move around easily. With smaller museums you never know what is possible. So always check in advance if you are able to enter. Not all museums have it on their website but most of the time you can send them a message through email or What’s app.
There are a lot of national parks that are literally in the middle of nowhere. I have had some accommodations where you can stay with a wheelchair but where you can’t do any of the tours and I have had it the other way around. This is one of those moments that you have to prepare very well. Contact the place beforehand and see what the possibilities are.
In all blogs I have written something short about the accessibility of that area, but if you have any questions please send me a message and I’ll try to answer it as best as I can.
Bathrooms
As I said, we all need to go from time to time. The best tip I have for you; go to a shopping mall if you want a nice and clean bathroom. They always have toilets for people in wheelchairs. Some (bigger) restaurants might have them too and some bigger supermarkets as well but you can’t go wrong with going to one of the many shopping malls.
Also most museums and a lot of attractions usually have a special bathroom available. Like Pão de Açúcar or Sugarloaf Mountain, they have accessible toilets. Please keep in mind not to throw your toilet paper in the pot but in the bin next to the toilet.
ps. Don’t be surprised to see people brushing their teeth in the bathrooms because Brazilians are very keen on clean teeth.
Perhaps I have forgotten something that is important for you to know, if that is the case, please let me know. Hopefully this list has not dissuaded you from traveling to Brazil. Because even though you will not be able to do everything, there is still a lot you are able to do and see!
If you have questions after reading this blog, please feel free to leave them in the comments down below.
Is Brazil accessible for wheelchair users?
Museums*
Most bigger museums have ramps and elevators. But smaller museums or museums in smaller cities don’t. So of course you need to check before you go because it will be different museum to museum.
Café’s and restaurants
There are so many places where you can enter but a lot of places don’t have ramps. Bathrooms in smaller places usually are upstairs. You can always go to a shopping mall because they have food courts that are accessible.
Public transport
Bad in most cities. Some busses have a ramp but a lot of them have steps. The busstops are not alway even and you will need help for sure. For a hassle free trip it’s easier to use Uber or taxi.
Toilets
If you go inside malls or other public places you will have a designated toilet for wheelchair users.
*And other attractions
Items I love while traveling
Travel adapter
Definitely a must have for all travelers who go to different countries all over the world. I especially like this one because you can detract the different plugs and there are 4 usb ports.
Collapsible handheld fan
I don’t know about how you deal with heat but I need a bit of cooling down when I’m traveling. This easy (and cute) fan is my go to for when I am too hot. It can be charged with usb which is super practical.
Sun hat for ponytail or bun pocket
On days where I want to look a bit more put together I use this great sun hat, also with a whole for my bun or pony tail. Love it!!!