Wheelchair pullers (Swiss-Trac)

Are you a wheelchair user, and would you still like to discover the Hoge Kempen National Park in an adventurous way? Then you can hire a wheelchair puller in combination with an off-road wheelchair to explore the beautiful countryside.
A wheelchair puller is a device that you attach to the front of a wheelchair and that pulls the wheelchair over paths that are difficult to access. This allows wheelchair users to brave uneven paths and even steep climbs without too much trouble. You can watch a video of our National Park Ranger Wannes (also a wheelchair user) on our Facebook page.
We offer 2 wheelchair trailers for rent at the National Park Visitor Centre. Ranger Wannes has already selected for you the best routes to explore with these wheelchair pullers. Wheelchair puller rental includes guidance from a National Park Ranger. The Ranger will help you get started, and will accompany you on the route. Of course, the Ranger will assist you in case of difficulties, but he/she will also delight you with fun info and facts from the Hoge Kempen National Park.

Routes

We currently offer two guided wheelchair routes in the Terhills sub-area:

A short 2-hour tour that takes you to the top of the panorama ridge and back again. Enjoy the most beautiful view in Flanders!
A long 4-hour tour leads you first to the panorama ridge and then around the twin ridge and the large pond back to the National Park Visitor Centre.

After the summer, routes in the Mechelse Heide sub-region will also be added.

For whom?

These wheelchair pulls are a useful tool for active wheelchair users: that is, people who can drive the Swiss-Trac themselves. This assumes a minimum of trunk stability, sufficient strength in hands and shoulders* and sufficient cognitive ability to assess risk/danger.
As a wheelchair user, you must also be able - with or without the help of a companion - to make a transfer to the accompanying ‘off road’ wheelchair connected to the Swiss-Trac. Using the wheelchair puller and your own wheelchair is unfortunately not possible.

* by sufficient strength is meant that the user must be able to propel a manual wheelchair under his/her own power in traffic

How does it work?

You can reserve a wheelchair puller via the reservation form below, please do this at least 3 weeks in advance:

Choose a date.
Choose a duration - How long do you want to go on the tour? Short tour of 2 hours or a longer tour of 4 hours.
Choose a start time (between 10am and 12.30pm or 2.30pm, depending on the route you choose).
Choose the number of wheelchair rides you want to book (max. 2).
Fill in your details, and confirm the start time.
Confirm and your reservation is complete
To finalise your reservation, you must also make the payment.

Once the reservation and payment have been made, we will prepare the wheelchair puller for you and find a Ranger to accompany you. In the exceptional case that no ranger is available at the desired time, we will contact you. Otherwise, you may assume that everything is fine, and expect you at the agreed time.
Note: As we need to find a suitable guide for your desired time, we ask for a booking time of 3 weeks. So if you wish, for example, to reserve a wheelchair companion on 1 August, you must reserve it by 11 July at the latest.

How much does it cost?

We rent out the wheelchair tractor at democratic prices.
The rental of a wheelchair tractor with accompanying wheelchair and guidance by Ranger costs €20.
For residents of Maasmechelen, the cost is €10. They can enter the discount code ‘MAASMECHELEN’ (in capital letters) when booking the wheelchair tractor, and a 50% discount will automatically be granted.
Please present proof of residence when collecting the wheelchair tractor(s), otherwise the full price will be charged.

On the day of booking?

Starting point is the National Park Visitor Centre, Zetellaan in Maasmechelen.
Drive to this car park, where disabled parking is just 100m from the visitor centre.
Sign in at the visitor centre at reserved time.
The visitor centre staff member and/or the Ranger will receive you.
The Ranger will explain to you the operation of the wheelchair tractor.
As a deposit for the rental, your identity card will suffice (no money).
After the detailed explanation, you set off with the Ranger for your 2-hour or 4-hour tour (preparation time not included) through the Hoge Kempen National Park.
The wheelchair trek must be returned before 5pm.
Enjoy after with a nice beer or coffee in our visitor centre.

Example:
If you book the wheelchair puller for 2 hours, from 2pm to 4pm, you sign in at 2pm. After an explanation of about 30 minutes, you set off. So the end time is always half an hour later, in this case 4.30pm.