Hikers trying to reach the summit of China’s Mount Tai may face a different kind of uphill battle: a battle against wobbly legs and unsteady feet.
A video has captured the comical spectacle of adventurers struggling to keep their balance as they climbed the mountain’s ancient steps – leaving many crawling, crying, comforted by fellow hikers and even taken to safety on stretchers.
Mount Tai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in China’s Shandong Province, is known for its awe-inspiring beauty and historical significance.
But as the video shows, conquering the summit is no easy feat, especially when faced with the enormous challenge of climbing 6,600 stone steps between heaven and earth in a period of four to six hours.
While Mount Tai may have tested its physical limits, it also provides an unexpected dose of entertainment for those lucky enough to witness the spectacle – after all, who would have thought that conquering a mountain could be as entertaining as it is challenging .
Hikers trying to reach the summit of China’s Mount Tai may face a different kind of uphill battle: a battle against wobbly legs and unsteady feet
Mount Tai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in China’s Shandong Province, is known for its awe-inspiring beauty, but conquering the peak is no easy feat (stock image)
A hilarious compilation of hikers’ experiences at the historic site was created by
The clip comes with a caption written by Roanea: “Mount Tai in China. There are 7,200 steps and it takes 4 to 6 hours to reach the top, so tourists often regret their visit.”
In the video, many hikers can be seen clinging for dear life to handrails and holding onto poles to support their tired legs as they slowly climb the mountain, their expressions fluctuating between determination and sheer exhaustion.
In one clip, a woman bursts into desperate laughter as she picks herself up from the ground, before her wobbly legs wobble and pull her back down.
Another woman falls down a small flight of stairs at a consistent clip as a hiker laughs ahead of her, while groups of men crawl up steeper steps across the mountain on their hands and knees.
Others are seen taking careful tactical pauses and hesitant steps as their legs and feet shake uncontrollably from the pressure on their muscles.
Several people can be seen crying as they become overwhelmed with physical discomfort, with one woman being extended a comforting hand by a fellow hiker as she bows her head and sobs in her own arms.
In a shocking clip, an exhausted person is carried down a flight of stairs in a stretcher by health workers dressed in orange hi-vis jackets.
A woman falls down a small flight of stairs at a steady clip as a walker laughs in front of her
A woman receives a comforting hand from a fellow hiker as she bows her head and cries in her own arms during the walk
In one shocking clip, an exhausted person is carried down a flight of stairs on a stretcher by healthcare workers dressed in orange hi-vis jackets
Groups of men crawl on their hands and knees up steeper steps over the mountain
Stunned users on
Stunned users on
One wrote: ‘I didn’t know it could be so shocking…’ while another said: ‘Everyone is laughing. LOL. I want to go!’
A third person warned: ‘Climbing Mount Tai takes strength and time, so it is important to plan your visit carefully.’
Another explained: ‘If we walk too much, the balance between our brain and leg muscles is disturbed and our legs start to shake together.’
Meanwhile, shocking figures from 2021 show that almost one in six climbs on K2 – the second highest peak after Mount Everest, located between China and Pakistan – ends tragically in death.
But that doesn’t seem to deter wealthy Westerners turning to K2 amid a post-pandemic wave of thrill-seekers – with some K2 trips available for the ultra-wealthy for £54,700.