Real Stories from Real Guests
Wheelchair-Accessible Safari Reviews
At Ximuwu Safari Lodge, we believe the best measure of success is what our guests say when they return home. Read authentic stories from travelers with mobility challenges and their companions.
Janet T. & Lesley L.
Sisters, Safari and True Freedom
Sisters Janet and Lesley came to stay at Ximuwu Lodge with a shared dream: to experience a truly wheelchair-accessible safari.
Janet, an above-knee amputee, had been on safari before. But those trips came with obstacles like uneven pathways, difficult vehicle access, and inaccessible bathrooms.
At Ximuwu, accessibility is built into the lodge. Ramps, wide doorways, a wheelchair-friendly game vehicle, and even a bath lift made Ximuwu the most accessible safari Janet had ever experienced.
Other than spotting elephant herds, buffalo, and a pride of lions, a major highlight was the accessible helicopter tour.
Michael J. & Raymond F.
Two Friends & The Trip of a Lifetime
Michael was 78 with a complicated foot issue that made a safari trip seem impossible. “Although some safari lodges claim to be handicap accessible, too often it amounted to grab bars in the shower and at the toilet,” he says.
But Ximuwu offered a completely different experience: one that was truly accessible. “Grab bars and a seat in a spacious shower, yes. Grab bars at one of the two toilets in the suite, of course. But also a formidable-looking machine to lower one into the bathtub, an adjustable bed with several positions, a 24-hour call button, wide doors for easy entry, a machine to lower one into the swimming pool, on-call butlers to wheel guests to the dining table.”
Most importantly, there were accessible game viewer vehicles, allowing Michael and his travel companion Raymond to enjoy hours-long bush drives.
Another highlight was the accessible helicopter tour. “We saw giraffes at rest, two rhinos splashing in a mud puddle, a herd of buffaloes that broke into a stampede as the chopper approached,” Michael says.
Kyle W.
"An experience I never thought possible."
“Recently, I had an experience I never thought possible. I went on an African safari,” says Kyle W. “I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2011 and now require a walker to get around. This limitation seemed to put a safari out of reach.”
But that changed when Kyle visited Ximuwu. The easy-access slide-out seats in Ximuwu’s game vehicles made it possible for him to experience the African wilderness. At one point, the group was 10 yards from an enormous male lion, whom they tracked for two hours.
Other highlights included viewing zebra and elephants at the watering hole near the lodge while enjoying a five-star lunch.
“While I had read that the lodge was built to be accessible, I was amazed that it actually was,” Kyle says. “At no time did my mobility limitations present a challenge.”
Uwe & Antje
A Dream Vacation
Antje and Uwe from Germany stayed at Ximuwu for 11 nights.
“We have already been able to visit a number of travel destinations in our lives and have had great, varied holidays, but what we were able to experience in these “only” 11 days there exceeded all expectations and imagination,” Uwe says.
The couple found that the lodge exceeded their expectations in terms of mobility access and luxury. Highlights included the scenic helicopter ride and a night spent on the sleep-out deck.
“The greatest praise that I, Uwe, can give is that the entire Ximuwu team managed to make me forget my physical impairment during this time there, and that my wife was able to enjoy her well-deserved dream vacation.”
Malcolm T.
"Exhilarating and Empowering"
Malcolm T. and his wife spent a week at Ximuwu in 2025. “As a wheelchair user, I have travelled extensively,” Malcolm says. “Ximuwu Lodge is the best example I have come across of luxury accessible accommodation in a beautiful setting delivering an uncompromised ability to fully participate in all the activities on offer.”
The twice-daily safari drives plus the helicopter tour made this a truly breathtaking experience for the couple.
“It is a gold standard in accessible tourism,” Malcolm says. “For my wife and I, it was an exhilarating and empowering experience, and we highly recommend it to anyone with, or without, mobility issues.”
Andrew Z.
Truly, Fully Accessible
“Ximuwu Lodge was truly the greatest experience of my life!” says Andrew Z., who spent four nights at Ximuwu with 6 friends.
“As a full-time wheelchair user, I can vouch with 100% certainty that this lodge is truly fully accessible at every level,” he says.
During Andrew’s stay, he was able to participate fully in all activities. “Ximuwu lodge truly delivered on their “fully accessible” description.”
“It’s the perfect safari spot!” he says. “The service, the friendliness, cleanliness, safety, and overall safari experience is completely unmatched. Everyone must experience Ximuwu Lodge once in their life.”
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