Imagine taking your love for hiking and turning it into a lucrative business.
That’s what entrepreneurial Chinese university students are doing during their holidays.
The Mid Autumn Festival has just passed, and on October 1, China will celebrate National Day, a holiday which typically spans seven consecutive days.
And many will take this break to climb Mount Tai, the highest point in China’s Shandong province.
However, the climb up Mount Tai is known to be very challenging, and takes an average of 3 hours and 35 mins to complete.
Here’s where the climbing buddies come in. A group of university students, mostly handsome athletic young men, are offering a “pei pa” service, which roughly translates to “climbing buddy”.
They charge up to 450 yuan (S$82) per trip. Other than providing companionship during the route, they also cheer their clients on, motivate them, help take photos and videos, and provide refreshments at rest points.
Some even go as far as carrying their clients on their backs, while others piggyback children during the entire climb so their parents can successfully complete their route.