With China’s National Day holiday approaching, a growing number of tourists are turning to an unusual service to help conquer the country’s toughest mountain trails: climbing companions.

These part-time guides, mostly university students working during weekends and holidays, offer more than just navigation — they bring emotional support and snacks. Unlike traditional guides hired for safety, climbing companions focus on encouragement, providing reassurance and motivation as hikers push toward the summit.

They also come prepared with essentials like chocolates, fruits, towels, trekking poles, and portable chargers, and offer tips for catching the perfect sunrise and the patience to capture — or even photoshop — that flawless photo for social media.

The service is part of a broader trend across the country, where young Chinese are increasingly seeking dazi, or “companions,” to counteract feelings of isolation. This emerging market — which includes services like gaming buddies and online chatting partners — is expected to be worth over $7 billion by 2025.

Travelers can hire climbing companions primarily through platforms like the lifestyle app Xiaohongshu and Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, where the service has gained significant attention.

“I have a gentle personality, a good sense of humor, and can cater to any emotional needs of my clients, offering full emotional support to help push them beyond their limits,” wrote one companion on Xiaohongshu. Another advertised bringing two stereos on the hike, saying, “They’ll help create a great atmosphere — you can connect via Bluetooth and play your favorite songs.”

These services typically cost between 300 and 500 yuan ($40 to $70) per trip, offering private experiences for up to two tourists.

With the service growing in popularity, especially during peak travel seasons, demand has surged. One companion told domestic media that her bookings for the National Day holiday starting Oct. 1 were already fully reserved, with orders extending into November.

The profession first gained widespread attention in June, when a climbing companion went viral on social media for carrying a 3-year-old girl on his shoulder to the peak of Taishan Mountain in the eastern Shandong province in just two hours — a trek equivalent to climbing over 200 floors, which typically takes at least five hours.

The child’s mother paid more than 500 yuan for the service, while the companion, a university student majoring in physical education, said he was happy to “earn some extra money and help ease the financial burden on my family.”

The viral video racked up over 300,000 likes and 60,000 comments, helping expand the service from Taishan to other mountain destinations across the country.

By Sept. 29, a new group of university students working part-time as climbing companions at Taishan had propelled the service to the top of the microblogging site Weibo’s trending list.

Chen, the team organizer who requested to be identified only by her surname, told domestic media that she has recruited more than 40 fellow university students, all with outdoor experience.

Their clients now include out-of-town students, elderly retirees, and even tourists from South Korea and Japan. “During the climb, we provide positive emotional support while also promoting local culture and cuisine,” Chen said.

However, some social media users have raised concerns that climbing companions may be offering services similar to licensed tour guides, which legally require certification to mitigate safety risks under national regulations.

Others have questioned whether “emotional support” has been taken too far. In several videos on Xiaohongshu, influencers are seen with attractive companions carrying them on their backs, holding hands, feeding them fruit, giving massages, and even flexing their abs for “motivation.”

Chen also admitted to domestic media that a male client had behaved inappropriately toward one of her female team members. The companion ended the hike immediately and returned down the mountain.

Editor: Apurva.

(Header image: Tourists at Taishan Mountain in Tai’an, Shandong province, July 25, 2024. VCG)