Camels get traffic light to help tourists who are hoofing it through Chinese tourist destination
- There is no indication yet if authorities plan to install a traffic camel-ra
- Organisers said it helped them get over the hump in solving traffic congestion
In most places a traffic signal in the middle of the desert, especially one for camels, may well be a mirage, but in this case it is all too real.
At the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring Scenic Spot in Gansu province, northwest China, a traffic signal was installed last month to manage traffic in the popular tourist area.
According to ECNS, a Chinese state-owned wire service, the problem was that the walking boardwalks were often intersecting with camel paths, creating traffic chaos.
As a solution, workers cut a gap in the walkway and created a separate trail for the camels. The traffic light now manages the flow of traffic at the new intersection.
Camel riding is popular in the area with tourists, so much so that it is not uncommon online reviewers to say they enjoyed the area but did not ride a camel because “it was too busy”.
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The Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring Scenic Spot is already a tourist hot spot thanks to its breathtaking sand dunes, an oasis and even the occasional snowstorm which create otherworldly scenery.
The strange camel traffic signal could well become another quirky attraction to enjoy on a visit to the scenic area.
The area is close to Dunhuang city on the edge of the Gobi desert, and it used to be an essential resting point for travellers on the Silk Road.
Dunhuang’s best-known tourist attraction is the Mogao Caves, which features a facade built in the year 366 that serves as an entrance to what was once a popular marketplace.
The traffic signal is unlikely ever to reach the significance of the Mogao Caves, but at least it might help prevent a few camel traffic jams.
