When friends visit from the US, they want to see the Great Wall, so I’ve been to Badaling a bunch of times. It turns out that Badaling, known as the most tourist-friendly section of the Great Wall, is full of steep steps with no railings, which is fine for fit, active tourists, but not so great for older visitors or those with little kids, and makes visiting impossible for anyone disabled.

Turns out that’ll all be changed in the next few months, with handicapped access to the Great Wall (and other sites) in time for the Olympics.

BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) — The disabled access to Beijing’s most famous part of the Great Wall is to be improved in time for the Olympics.

Kong Fanzhi, director of the Beijing Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau, said Tuesday that with the help of lifts, the disabled visitors can find no difficulty in reaching Badaling great wall, 80 km northwest of Beijing city.

Other barrier-free facilities include special pathways built at the Palace Museum, or the forbidden City, and the Ming Tombs, two well-known historic sites in Beijing, and a 400-meter-long wheelchair ramp to the top platform of east Badaling great wall, which will help persons with disabilities take a look of the scenery.

Kong noted that all these facilities will be completed before the Olympics.

Via Xinhua