Machu Picchu is now wheelchair accessible; all thanks to a travel company

Machu Picchu, the city built nearly 8,000 feet above sea-level atop Peru’s Andes mountains, is now wheelchair accessible. The city, which boasts sprawling terraces, steep stairs and narrow lanes, have always been inaccessible to people on wheelchairs. But, the travel company Wheel the World have worked hard to make it accessible for everyone.

More than 1 million tourists make the challenging trek through Machu Picchu each year. Now with people in wheelchairs will also get a chance to experience the place, this world wonder will sure garner the attraction of many. Wheel the World will soon offer the first-ever wheelchair-accessible tours of Machu Picchu.

Since it is a historical sight, making changes to infrastructure seemed not a viable idea and, Wheel the World, through crowdfunding, sourced specially made wheelchairs and store it in Machu Picchu. The company uses the Joëlette trekking wheelchair, which is designed with only one wheel and two long sticks that make it look like a wheelbarrow. The specialized wheelchair is a mix of steel and aluminum. The chairs can’t be self-propelled, so, it is not possible to travel alone. But, however, Wheel the World has people to lend a helping hand to the needy.