Ephesus using a wheelchair

[rubysue]

Greetings -

 

We are on a 12-day Oceania cruise from Venice to Istanbul in September. I really want to see the ruins at Ephesus but am now mostly reliant on a travel wheelchair (large back wheels) due to severe arthritis problems. I can walk short distances with a cane but have difficulty standing for any length of time and also have real problems with stairs and slopes.

 

Any suggestions on independent tour groups that may be able to accommodate me (and hubby) at Ephesus? Note: I did contact Ekol travel but they never responded. Also, for reference our ship docks at Kusadasi.

 

Thanks so much for your advice!

[kitty9]

It would be extremely difficult. The ruins are very bumpy and uneven, and from where you start, it's a lot downhill on very slippery, sand covered marble. A scooter might make it, but a manual wheelchair would be difficult.

[etoile]

I googled for "ephesus wheelchair" (no quotes) and I found lots of information indicating that people have done it before. I think we're not allowed to name specific tour guides, but the second result from that google search is a tour guide that has helped people in wheelchairs before.

[rubysue]

I googled for "ephesus wheelchair" (no quotes) and I found lots of information indicating that people have done it before. I think we're not allowed to name specific tour guides, but the second result from that google search is a tour guide that has helped people in wheelchairs before.

 

Thank for the reply. I found that company that you referenced above doing a Google search a while back. I did send them an inquiry this time, although I have not heard of their tours.

 

I'm confused on the restriction on tour companies that you reference. I see plenty of tour guide recommendations, especially in the role calls. I know we are not supposed to recommend TAs, but why not tour guides?

[etoile]

Thank for the reply. I found that company that you referenced above doing a Google search a while back. I did send them an inquiry this time, although I have not heard of their tours.

 

I'm confused on the restriction on tour companies that you reference. I see plenty of tour guide recommendations, especially in the role calls. I know we are not supposed to recommend TAs, but why not tour guides?

 

I'm not personally clear on the difference, so I steer clear of naming just about anybody! :o

I usually take ship-sponsored tours so I have never had occasion to talk about others.

[socalguy2010]

I use a cane and can only walk short distances (maybe 200-250 yards) and stand for short periods (20-30 minutes). I was on a cruise last September and docked at Kusadasi. Getting to Ephesus was not a problem since it was by tour bus. The tour lets you out at the top and you walk down to the bottom, a total distance of maybe 500-600 yards, it seemed to me. The other posters are correct - the way is cobbled with large cobblestones with large gaps between. It was difficult for me, but I'd think you'd need a couple of beefy guys (like my son, who, unfortunately, was not with us) to muscle a wheelchair in places. If you can fairly easily get in/out of the wheelchair and walk short distances, it'll be a lot easier, but still a hassle. There was good news for me, however - they let you sit on the large rocks and building blocks (i.e., they're not fenced off), which provided much-needed respite at times; if you're in a wheelchair, that may not be of much advantage, however. There was an optional added tour of the mosaic residences, which my wife went on and said that the amount of steps/climbing would have been too difficult for me. All in all, for me it was worth the difficulty, given the beauty and history of the site. Highly recommended if you can make it. But do take help and allow plenty of time if you're in a wheelchair.

[rubysue]

Thanks for your reply, socalguy2010. A year ago I was probably similar to you (could walk short distances & stand for 20-30 minutes). Now both of my knees are "bone-on-bone" and other joints are having problems. I hope to have the first full knee replacement this fall after we return from our cruise (or maybe both at once :( )

 

Fortunately, after Etoile's recommendation I did finally follow through with the travel company that advertises disabled access tours. They responded to my inquiry almost immediately and are able to accommodate wheelchair tours at Ephesus (my guess is that we might enter at the exit). I plan to book with them so I don't miss this wonderful opportunity.

[ILoveScotland]

Rubysue, glad you found a tour company. When DH and I did an Eastern Med cruise, he sat in the bus a lot because he was in a full size wheelchair, and he simply couldn't go to some of the great places we visited.

 

I will say, too, that a wheelchair is difficult in any of the old cities because of the cobblestones. We did a 4 night pre-cruise stay in Rome, and the cruise stopped at Athens (he couldn't get to the top of the Acropolis) and Istanbul. We managed all those places for the most part, and DH stayed on the bus when we couldn't. We also found people very helpful when I was having difficulties maneuvering the chair.

 

Enjoy your cruise. It's a great part of the world.

[NorthernLite]

I've never seen a problem on this forum about sharing travel guides that are for the disabled. I'd love to know for future reference who to contact for Ephesus. As for getting to the top of the Acropolis an accessible elevator was added at the back of the Parthenon for the Paralympics there in 2002. It was very easy for me to go up there and also go through the museum in 2006. I did need a bit of help with manuveuring up there from my husband but it wasn't hard labor. They even marked flat places with a red wheelchair symbol for stopping to take pictures.

[ILoveScotland]

I've never seen a problem on this forum about sharing travel guides that are for the disabled. I'd love to know for future reference who to contact for Ephesus. As for getting to the top of the Acropolis an accessible elevator was added at the back of the Parthenon for the Paralympics there in 2002. It was very easy for me to go up there and also go through the museum in 2006. I did need a bit of help with manuveuring up there from my husband but it wasn't hard labor. They even marked flat places with a red wheelchair symbol for stopping to take pictures.

 

DH and I went around the rather long path to the elevator at the Acropolis, but the elevator was broken. Even so, there were about 10 steps he would have had to climb to get to the elevator. With the wheelchair and only me to help him, I don't think he could have done it.

 

Thankfully, DH had been to Athens including the Acropolis and to Ephesus a couple of years before we met and at a time when he was still healthy so he'd seen those places.

[ILoveScotland]

I've never seen a problem on this forum about sharing travel guides that are for the disabled. I'd love to know for future reference who to contact for Ephesus. As for getting to the top of the Acropolis an accessible elevator was added at the back of the Parthenon for the Paralympics there in 2002. It was very easy for me to go up there and also go through the museum in 2006. I did need a bit of help with manuveuring up there from my husband but it wasn't hard labor. They even marked flat places with a red wheelchair symbol for stopping to take pictures.

 

DH and I went around the rather long path to the elevator at the Acropolis, but the elevator was broken. Even so, there were about 10 steps he would have had to climb to get to the elevator. With the wheelchair and only me to help him, I don't think he could have done it prior to our trip.

 

Thankfully, DH had been to Athens including the Acropolis and to Ephesus a couple of years before we met and at a time when he was still healthy so he'd seen those places.

[ILoveScotland]

Sorry for the double post.

[mosiegirl]

Have you thought about renting a mobility scooter for your cruise duration? I rented one from Special Needs Group for my cruise last week on the Carnival Imagination and will again for my Carnival Dream cruise in October.. 1 week rental is roughly $175 - $225..

[rubysue]

Thanks for the comments. We're used to wheelchairs in Europe. My Dad went on a Mediterranean cruise with us in 2007 (before my knees went totally bad) and we wheeled him around in Barcelona, Sorrento, Vatican City/Rome and Monte Carlo. We had some difficulties (our story about getting him into the casino in Monte Carlo is hilarious in retrospect) but we still enjoyed the trip very much.

 

Last year, my problems were bad enough to require me to bring a wheelchair on a Baltic cruise. I did some of the excursions with a cane, but was able to use the travel chair in Oslo, Copenhagen and St. Petersburg. So, this trip will be a challenge, I'm sure, but we will do the best we can. We may skip the Acropolis and see it from a distance because the elevator can be so intermittent and then spend a little time in the Archeological museum (we have a day booked with George the Taxi Driver's company and will also be going out to Corinth).

 

I can't say that I recommend the tour company at Ephesus yet because we haven't used them (I think that's one of the rules on the Ports boards), but here is the information. They were very responsive; I did have to pay up front, but was able to use Pay Pal. Apparently, they may be allowed to take us in the exit at Ephesus and avoid the hill at the beginning of the tour.

 

http://www.turkeyexplorers.com/default.asp

[NorthernLite]

Thanks RubySue. We've used PayPal for Latin America also and not been disappointed. We had a great time in Kusadasi in the Caravansari first getting the history from the rug seller. Once he realized we were interested in his country he became a first class free guide of the place until a tour group showed up. He then excused himself to hawk rugs and we had a great lunch in the center patio area. There are about 2 steps down and then 2 up as you enter this 16th century area of the building. We were able to bump them in my manual chair pretty easily. We lived in Rome for a few years so have only gone into town once since the wheelchair. It rained but we had a wonderful lunch at a favorite place we used to frequent but the main reason we went was to buy some tiles for a kitchen. Unfortunantly the artist's studio and store had both left to return to Sicily.

 

Sorry to hear about the broken elevator at the Acropolis. Seems their economic problems may extend to tourist sites too. There was an electric lift that curved around the area that sounds like where you hit the stairs. Then there was a smooth gravel/dirt path for about 25 feet and then the elevator. If they need to charge for this access to keep it working I wish they would.

[GillCC]

I use a manual wheelchair and was pleasantly surprised by ephasus. There were even some wooden ramps over the top of stairs ( they were quite steep) which I really appreciated. If you can walk a little (and therefore get rounds the worst bits) I would encourage you to visit, I was awed by it.

[GrandmaHofmann]

I can't imagine how anyone could use a wheelchair at Ephesus. The unevenness of the pavement, the downward slope, the crowds. Can't think how it would be done.

[rubysue]

Well, let me clue you in - my dear hubby actually pushed me through most of Ephesus last year, while I walked some small areas that were well nigh impossible. A sweet lady from Italy walking near us nominated my dear hubby as "husband of the year". We saw the entire site from the upper entrance to the lower entrance, although it was incredibly challenging, especially for a dear man that I don't deserve to call my husband.

 

Now I have two new knees (one is still healing) and I hope for the best in September on our next cruise.