Travel is about getting out and seeing the world: breathing in fresh air, looking up at the sky, and feeling close to a foreign stretch of earth. Here at Korke, we believe that there is no reason that wheelchair-users, slow walkers, and other physically-challenged clients should have to be confined to car or bus tours while traveling. Through AMAPI, the Accessibility division of Korke, we use the same travel approach of flexibility and creativity to design tours that meet your special needs while still giving you an incredibly special travel experience.

"Many thanks for a truly memorable holiday. The scenery in the mountains and the desert was fabulous. The museums were very interesting as Mark told us so much about the exhibits and native peoples. We enjoyed every minute of it, even the day we felt ill from the altitude! Having our personal guide was a new experience for us but everything was so well organised we'd definitely consider another holiday with Amapi. Tricia and Lesley, Bristol, UK "

Our AMAPI division is directed by Anne, an experienced physical therapist, and Mark, a seasoned international tour guide. As two Europeans who have lived in Chile and Argentina for many years, we understand that it can be a bit frightening to leave the comfort of your home and daily routine to explore a completely foreign place. That’s where our role comes in: we have the knowledge and resources to make your stay in an exotic destination comfortable yet thrilling. Our voyages are anchored upon the principles of security, quality, and affordability. We handle most logistics of our tours internally, but will occasional use external providers for special circumstances. These providers are selected only after a careful screening performed by Anne and Mark.

ACCESSIBILITY
As a physical therapist, Anne is able to approach accessible tours from an experienced viewpoint that most travel agencies cannot offer. Always attentive to the smallest details, she takes care to alternate active days with rest days. During the tour, we’ll travel long distances by air and shorter distances by minibuses that are outfitted with air-conditioning and removable ramps. Our handicapped passengers are accommodated in the standard bus seats, while their wheelchairs are stored in the back of the bus. We are able to provide electric armchairs on special request. Camping (on certain personalized accessible adventure tours) arrangements are made by using accessible tents and very comfortable foldaway beds.

We carefully screen and preview all of the Hotels to ensure that they are accessible. Although Chile and Argentina do not offer the same scope of accessibility found in the United States, these regions make a laudatory effort to provide comfortable options for physically-challenged tourists. We only choose hotels that are entirely accessible to a standard size wheelchair (approximately 63 cm (24 inches) wide). Special attention is given to the bathroom facilities. In rare cases, if there is no other hotel option in the area, we will provide narrow wheelchairs for bathroom access. While we are on the road, we bring portable chemical toilets with a fast-assembling tent for privacy. This prevents any problems at rest stops with non-accessible restrooms.

If you would like to travel on your own, you must be completely self-sufficient, including the use of the bathroom and personal hygiene care. If you are not self-sufficient, we require that you travel with a caregiver. On special request, we are able to provide you with a local caregiver. He or she will speak English or Spanish, will be able to provide any necessary medical care, and will be remunerated by Korke. If you opt for a local caregiver, you will need to give us adequate notice so that we may make the proper arrangements.

Please contact us for more information. We’d be happy to discuss the particular details of our accessibility tours with you.