I’ve just returned from a tour of Costa Rica with an operator that specialises in accessible travel, Il Viaggio. The work and forethought that they put into their tours was second to none. For the owner, Stephanie Protti Sheehy, it is her life’s mission to make this stunningly beautiful country open to all.
Across the 15 days I have ridden a horse (for the first time in 35 years) with a volcano for a backdrop, white-water rafted, visited indigenous peoples and learned about how they use plants as medicine and swam in crystal clear blue waters above coral reefs.
At each stage my professional guides explained how they ensured that their facilities offered as much access as possible for a range of disabilities and how they use their professional training and equipment to support the experiences for everyone. It was a true eye opener to what can be done with passion and organisation allowing everyone to delve deeply into the Costa Rican tropical paradise.
Accessibility is a right in Costa Rican law, so even the smallest places and roadside ‘sodas’ (snack bars) have gone some way to adapting their facilities. And with our guides’ knowledge and the companies network we could relax into the adventure.
Matt Dennis, who runs accessible travel website, The Empowered Traveller, is our November issue cover star.
Read his story here.
Video Transcript
Matt: Despite being just one fifth the size of the UK, Costa Rica punches above its weight. This tiny nation contains 5% of all species on Earth, whilst covering only .03% of the planet's surface.
Matt: Over a quarter of the country is protected parkland, the highest percentage
anywhere in the world.
Matt: And since 1948, Costa Rica has had no army, investing those funds into education
Matt: And since 1948, Costa Rica has had no army, investing those funds into education
and health care instead. Paradise with a purpose.
Matt: Costa Rica enacted law 7600 in 1996, emphasising equal opportunities
for persons with disabilities. Although these laws were followed, they were largely adhered
too from an administrative perspective.
Matt: That is, until Stephanie Sheehy and her husband Emilio started to get involved
with their company Il Viaggio Travel and the not-for-profit Costa Rican Network of Accessible Tourism.
Stephanie: And I found that there were no rooms accessible
Matt: There was nothing!
Stephanie: There were no accessible vehicles in the country.
Matt: Wow.
Stephanie: And so it took us four whole years, bringing equipment to the country,
training the hotels. We had to invest in the first rooms. Well we have won a lot of awards because of that, from the US, from Spain, from England, from Brazil. All of the awards that we have are like the leaders and pioneers of accessible travel.
Matt: So you must be pretty proud.
Stephanie: I am proud and I am honoured to make the change and I like what I do and I do it for the people. So it's incredible to see them smile and say: “Hey, I didn't think I could do this.”
Matt: Amazing!
Matt: So, here we are on horseback. I don’t really know quite what I'm doing.
Matt: So we’re just leaving in Mistico Park on the accessible pathway, which is taking us into the depths of the jungle.
Matt: So we are now out on the lake. We have actually embarked onto our accessible ten kilometer boat ride.
Matt: And we are on the docks at Tortuguero.
Matt: We are right on the Caribbean coast and it is absolutely glorious.
Photo and video: Matt Dennis
