By the evening edition.
More than 1,000 people flock to Hunan province, China, every day to climb Tianti. This suspended ladder takes tourists 1,500 meters above the ground. Dizzy.
There are those who carefully avoid looking down, as soon as they reach more than a meter from the ground. Conversely, there are those who always seek more thrills. It is clearly this second category that the suspended ladder of Mount Qixing, in the province of Hunan, in the southwest of China, is aimed at.
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You have to imagine climbing a ladder made up of cables and thin metal rungs, over 160 meters, practically vertically and with almost 1,500 meters of empty space under your feet. It is not the only way to get somewhere, but a tourist attraction, called Tianti, which is particularly popular. According to the Chinese public channel CCTVrelayed in particular by the American channel CNNaround 1,200 daredevils flock there every day.
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A hit on social networks
The success of this via ferrata extreme, which is part of a longer route, in the heart of the Zhangjiajie natural park, is also palpable on social networks, which are full of images of this atypical proposition. Photos and videos tout the breathtaking mountain views and the feeling of being suspended in the air.
@china360_ WATCH: The Via Ferrata at central China’s Zhangjiajie Qixing Mountain has captured public attention for its steep slopes. Adventurers face a daunting 168-meter vertical climb along a 1,480-meter cliff, leaving many online trembling just from watching. The attraction is in its internal testing phase, with the opening date yet to be announced. Are you brave enough to try it? #viaferrata#zhangjiajie#thrilling#climbing#OMG#madeinchina ♬ original sound – China360°
@cnn For 580 yuan ($80), young travelers in China are climbing a new structure named Tianti, which according to state media is 5,000 feet high. Tianti spans two cliffs in the southwestern province of Hunan, well-known for its diverse landforms. #cnn #news #china ♬ original sound – CNN
Those panicking at the height can rest assured, for this journey in the middle of the void, the volunteers are harnessed and wear a helmet. They are also accompanied by course staff. Which doesn't stop them from being impressed. “I wasn't nervous, but my son was. But he recovered soon after.”testifies one of them, at the microphone of CNN. CCTV also specifies that this challenge is not within everyone's reach and that a minimum level of physical condition is required to take on the challenge. The state media believes that Tianti's success illustrates the development of outdoor activities in the country.
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Tourists who love heights
This isn't the first time a Chinese hanging tourist attraction has made the rounds online. We can notably cite the glass walkway of the Coiling Dragon Cliff, also in the Zhangjiajie Natural Park, or the one located on the Taihang Mountains, in the province of Hebei, which gives the impression of cracking when you leans on it.
If Tianti is on the rise and should attract a number of influencers, Hunan is mainly aimed at vacationers looking for nature. The province is renowned for its steep mountains which offer breathtaking landscapes.
