Home Cape Town, South Africa Wheelchair Accessible Travel Guide Cape Town Sidewalk Accessibility
Cape Town Sidewalk Accessibility
Although my familiarity with Africa is nowhere near that of Europe, Asia or North America, my research and experience suggests that Cape Town may have the most wheelchair accessible sidewalks on the continent. Very few cities are exceptional in this regard, but Cape Town earns a solid 4-out-of-5 in my rating of sidewalk accessibility. It is a very “rollable” city.
Wheelchair accessible crosswalk in Cape Town, South Africa.
Curb cuts, curb ramps, sidewalk ramps—whatever you call them—are standard features of footpaths in Cape Town. While there are always exceptions, you will find accessible sidewalks in most developed areas throughout the city.
Older areas of the city like District Six do have sidewalks without curb ramps, or curb ramps that are especially steep. This is a result of the limited economic investment in the neighborhood. Some primarily residential communities also lack these standard features, but these areas are typically outside of the typical routes a tourist would take.
Marked crosswalks are also common. In high traffic areas, crosswalk signals stop vehicles and alert pedestrians when it is safe to cross the street or intersection.
The V&A Waterfront area is [...]