China’s First Jungle Obstacle Challenge Settles in Xianju, Zhejiang

The Jungle Obstacle Challenge teams collaborated closely

The Jungle Obstacle Challenge is an emerging outdoor activity derived from mountaineering and rock climbing. Leveraging natural jungle resources such as trees, the activity utilizes a network of safety installations built within the forest. Participants must tap into their potential, using courage and wit to conquer the jungle. When constructing the Shenxianju Jungle Obstacle course, designers took full account of the natural growth patterns, load-bearing capacity, and spatial limitations of the trees. Without compromising the ecological environment, they set up 19 obstacle loops distributed among 18 large trees, tailored for physically fit adults with a high rope course difficulty level—known as the “red line.” Athletes competed in teams of four, including at least one member of the opposite gender. All participants had to wear professional climbing gear, working together to traverse a series of 19 ingeniously designed obstacles along cable lines.

The team whose last member crosses the finish line in the shortest time winsThe team whose last member crosses the finish line and checks in with the least time wins..

The inaugural National Jungle Obstacle Challenge attracted 25 teams from across the country. The person in charge of the Shenxianju Jungle Obstacle project said that this year’s course was set at the red line difficulty level. In the future, more challenging black line courses (for adults with some outdoor experience) or easier blue line courses (for general adults or teenagers, requiring better balance) could be introduced. The next edition may also include new categories such as parent-child and individual groups, allowing even more people to experience this dynamic, challenging, and fun outdoor sport.

The competition had strict safety requirements. At the technical meeting, referees carefully instructed participants on how to wear and use safety equipment such as helmets, harnesses, and lanyards. Additionally, before the event began, staff from the organizing committee meticulously inspected and confirmed each athlete’s safety gear on-site.

Li Wenmao, Head of New Projects Department at the Chinese Mountaineering Association, gives an interview

According to Li Wenmao, Head of New Projects Department at the Chinese Mountaineering Association, Shenxianju boasts abundant mountain outdoor sports resources and uniquely favorable natural conditions for jungle obstacle adventures. The Jungle Obstacle competition course was constructed in accordance with the Chinese Mountaineering Association’s high-altitude venue competition standards, making it a benchmark for such projects in China. By hosting the first competition here, the association aimed to guide the industry toward safe, orderly, and standardized development through competitive events, encouraging more people to engage in safe outdoor activities and national fitness. In the future, the Chinese Mountaineering Association plans to promote the Jungle Obstacle series nationwide, establish sport standards, and provide training for professionals to ensure safety and regulation.

Construction and setup of the Jungle Obstacle course

Relevant leaders conduct safety inspections

This thrilling sport, which sparks the desire for adventure just through its description, adheres to strict safety standards. For example, height and weight requirements for participants are determined based on precise calculations of installation space, load capacity, and fall risk. As a result, qualifying for the competition already involves an element of chance. However, lucky participants and spectators joked that while height might be hard to change, it serves as a constant reminder to maintain a healthy body.

The person in charge of the Shenxianju Jungle Obstacle project explained that the plan—from initial survey and design to final construction—took nearly half a year. To ensure safety, the course underwent rigorous testing, and protective mats were placed under higher sections by staff to maximize participant safety. The cables and platforms are positioned several meters or even over ten meters above the ground, connected to the athletes’ personal protection systems. Despite these ample safety measures, athletes still need to maintain fast movement, excellent physical fitness, superior coordination for balance, exceptional courage and composure, strong teamwork, effective task division, and clear intra-team communication to ultimately outperform opponents and achieve success.

After an intense, thrilling, and entertaining final showdown, the Beidouxing Team, Saoma Club Team, and Little Eagle Team from Zhejiang won the team championship, runner-up, and third place respectively.

After the competition, a member of the champion team—the Beidouxing Team—said: “We’re grateful to the organizing committee for providing professional gear and technical training, which enabled us to complete the course safely and smoothly. We’re also deeply thankful to our teammates for their selflessness and seamless cooperation. Without their enthusiastic support, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to finish the entire course in under 10 minutes. The friendships we built during this competition are more valuable to me than winning the national title. I hope our team can compete in the next National Jungle Obstacle Challenge with the same lineup and take on even stronger opponents.”