In Yizhang County, Hunan Province, 32 wheelchair-bound tourists from Jishou and Zixing cities were able to enjoy the majestic scenery of Mangshan Mountain by using the barrier-free facilities.

“Mang Mountain, here I come to see you!” Li Hongfang exclaimed excitedly, as the 34-year-old Yizhang native visited her beautiful hometown in a wheelchair.

At the age of two, Li Hongfang was disabled by polio and therefore lost the ability to walk for many years. However, through great diligence, she has become a well-known professional beekeeper. This time, as she came to Wuzhi Peak Scenic Area of ​​Mangshan Mountain for sightseeing, she was provided with a wheelchair and accompanying services by the scenic area.

After reaching the entrance of the cableway, under the guidance of the staff, Li Hongfang arrived at the cableway waiting platform by the barrier-free elevator. Because the waiting platform and the cable car are almost level, Li Hongfang got on the cable car with just a gentle push.

Mangshan Mountain cableway is 3,700 meters long, with a height difference of nearly 1,000 meters. Sitting in the cable car, Li Hongfang was deeply fascinated by the lush forests, strange-shaped peaks, magnificent waterfalls, and picturesque sea of clouds outside the window.

After the 20-minute cable car trip, Li Hongfang came to the 8-kilometer walking trail on the mountain, where her sister and the staff took turns wheeling her around to slowly explore the beautiful nature.

In addition to wheelchair-bound tourists, there are also a lot of elderly tourists in the Wuzhi Peak Scenic Area. The gentle walking trails, the cableway, the barrier-free elevator, the escalator, the hoist, and the stair climber in the scenic area provide visitors with a barrier-free travel experience.

Motianling Elevator, a cliffside vertical elevator, is the core of the barrier-free system of Wuzhi Peak Scenic Area in Mangshan Mountain. With a height of 140 meters, equivalent to a 50-storey building, it can deliver passengers to the top of the mountain in just 49 seconds. Visitors in wheelchairs can easily appreciate the stunning view from the elevator.

For visitors who need barrier-free services, such as the elderly, the infirm, the physically-challenged, expectant mothers and infants, the staff will be promptly informed in a WeChat chatting room. So, in each section, there will be staff to provide barrier-free services,” said, Gu Lin, Marketing Director of Wuzhi Peak Scenic Area in Mangshan Mountain.

Li Hongfang visited several attractions on Mangshan Mountain, such as the iconic “Golden Whip Pillar”, and was also shocked by the wonderful experience of all four seasons in one tour. “The tour was very smooth, just like a walk in the park. I really enjoyed it,” She said.

Wuzhi Peak Scenic Area in Mangshan Mountain is located at the northern foot of the Nanling Mountains, at the junction of Hunan and Guangdong provinces. It is famous for its strange pines, grotesque rocks, sea of clouds and azaleas. Xu Weijun, General Manager of the scenic area, said, “We are committed to the construction of barrier-free tourism in order to meet the travel demands of tourists in special needs, such as the elderly, the physically-challenged, and infants.”

At present, Wuzhi Peak Scenic Area in Mangshan Mountain has been awarded the title of “The First Barrier-free Mountain Tourist Attraction/Scenic Area in China”.

At present, in addition to the construction of barrier-free facilities along the tour route, the public facilities such as restaurants and public toilets in the scenic spot have also undergone barrier-free renovation. Moreover, the scenic spot has built wheelchair parking slots, wheelchair sightseeing seats, metal handrails, and anti-collision and anti-slip facilities for wheelchairs.

According to Xu Weijun, since the trial operation of the barrier-free system, many elderly tourists and physically-challenged tourists have come to visit. The scenic spot has received thousands of wheelchair-bound tourists, and there are an increasing number of tour groups in wheelchairs.

In the future, the special products and professional services of barrier-free tourism in Wuzhi Peak Scenic Area will continue to be improved.