Glamping organizer Constantin de Slizewicz with his wife and son on the balcony of a farm in Shangri-La in Diqing Tibet autonomous prefecture, Yunnan province. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Glamping in Shangri-La helps tourists discover a love for the great and challenging outdoors, Yang Feiyue reports.
Constantin de Slizewicz has been anxious to come back to China since early 2020. For the past decade, the Frenchman has been running a "glamping"－luxurious camping－business in Shangri-La in Southwest China's Yunnan province, but in December 2019, he went back to France for a vacation.
"We usually go back home for two to three months during the winter period, since the tourism business takes a break due to the weather," De Slizewicz says.
Following the outbreak of COVID-19, however, he found it difficult to return. Fortunately, his business partner Guillaume de Penfentenyo was able to get a flight to China at the end of February, before restrictions came into force.
De Slizewicz, therefore, has had to pay close attention to his beloved glamping business in China from afar.
Previously, most of his customers were international guests from outside the country who were drawn to the beautiful landscape and scenery in Shangri-La, with its high mountains, deep valleys and rivers, as well as being infused with Tibetan elements.
The city in Diqing Tibet autonomous prefecture sits on the northwestern tip of Yunnan, bordering Sichuan province and the Tibet autonomous region, with an average altitude of 3,550 meters. The highest mountain peak stands more than 5,500 meters.
Since 2001, the airport in Diqing has enjoyed direct links to several provincial capitals, including Lhasa in Tibet, Sichuan's Chengdu, Yunnan's Kunming, Guangdong's Guangzhou, alongside the municipalities of Beijing, Chongqing and Shanghai.
Despite the pandemic, and even in his absence, De Slizewicz's company has managed to attract new clientele－domestic tourists who, unable to travel abroad under the circumstances, have discovered the joys of glamping.
"Chinese travelers have turned to us for adventurous experiences in the region," he says.
Last year, his team offered summer camps in Shangri-La for Chinese students who couldn't travel abroad. In autumn, many domestic travelers also signed up for his company's organized adventures deep into the wilderness.
Food was provided and hot dishes, including fried rice, were offered to cater to the tastes of Chinese travelers.
De Slizewicz first visited China in 1996 when he engaged in a three-month internship in Beijing.
He was impressed by the Chinese people around him.
"There was an optimism going around and everyone seemed so happy," he recalls.
After the internship was over, De Slizewicz applied for a gap year at his French school and came back to Beijing to study the Chinese language while traveling in the south of the country.
De Slizewicz and a friend enjoy the outdoors. [Photo provided to China Daily]
He was mesmerized by places like Guizhou and Yunnan provinces, with their ethnic Yao and Dong elements and large mountains, which were well-matched to his interest in camping－a passion he has had since childhood.
"My father took me to the mountains back in France during weekends and holidays," De Slizewicz says. "I loved hiking and have picked up outdoor survival skills, such as how to make a fire."
What makes those mountainous areas special to him is the people who live there.
"I met people in the mountains, herding their yaks. That makes the mountain feel alive," he says.
After graduation, De Slizewicz made his way to Yunnan and worked as a photographer for a Chinese media outlet, while moonlighting at several foreign magazines.
His job was mainly to introduce ethnic cultures and customs in Yunnan and Sichuan to the outside world.
In 2005, De Slizewicz settled on the shores of Lugu Lake, which sits on the border of Yunnan and Sichuan, where he spent two years managing a guesthouse and writing a book introducing local ethnic groups. Since 2010, he has lived in Shangri-La, where he has been studying past explorers and the ancient Tea Horse Road that connected Sichuan and Yunnan to Tibet.
In doing so, he was inspired by the likes of Joseph Rock, an Austrian-American who explored Shangri-La in the 1920s and '30s and published the stories of his travels in National Geographic magazine.
De Slizewicz was intrigued by depictions of how Rock led a team of more than 20 mules and 17 followers up hill and down dale, while enjoying bonfires and gourmet food.
"It's just fascinating how good-quality tea leaves were sent from Sichuan and Yunnan along the ancient route that has a history of more than 2,000 years to Tibet, where tea was needed to complement the deficiency of the local food structure," he says.
That was why he set up Caravane Liotard, a boutique hotel and hiking company in Shangri-La.
"I'd like to offer camping experiences that trace the historical route," he says.
When he explored the lay of the land in Shangri-La with his tent and wagons, he was fascinated by its pristine and wild beauty.
Such a trip, arranged by Caravane Liotard, usually involves a retinue of around 40 horses carrying tons of goods, including camping equipment and food supplies.
For some big events, a total of 72 horses are required.
De Slizewicz takes his guests across grasslands, up high mountains, past lakes and into forests, all off the beaten track, where they can get full measure of life in the outdoors at 4 kilometers above sea level. Evenings are spent chatting with local Tibetans around the bonfire, sipping wine and indulging in hotpot and some examples of French cuisine.
"It's tough on the trek, but the stunning views and adventure more than compensate for the effort," says De Slizewicz.
De Slizewicz leads a mountain trek in Yading, Sichuan province. [Photo provided to China Daily]
The company has still managed to organize five horse caravans this year, despite difficulty due to the pandemic and the tragic death of his business partner, De Penfentenyo, following an accidental fall from a balcony.
It was a huge loss for De Slizewicz, who says that he had considered closing the business. However, his partner's widow Qi Lian came to his rescue and persuaded him to keep the business open.
"She's a strong and smart woman, and I'm so proud of my team," De Slizewicz says.
The popularity of the glamping business has also helped many Tibetan people increase their income over the years.
Some have offered tour services, taking on roles such as guides and chefs, while some have raised horses for caravanning.
Yang Yang has worked as a guide for De Slizewicz since 2016.
In addition to an income bump of around 30 percent compared with his old job, Yang says he's learned a lot.
The 32-year-old Shangri-La resident has picked up French and numerous outdoor skills to be able to receive travelers to the region.
"De Slizewicz has also taught me how to pay attention to detail and study the culture around the ancient Tea Horse Road for our guests," Yang says.
To date, locals who work for De Slizewicz attribute 40 percent of their family income to the glamping business.
De Slizewicz says he has made friends with many locals, who have helped his foreign guests better understand Yunnan and the Tea Horse Road.
De Slizewicz was finally able to return to China last month.
"I can't wait to get back to business," he says, adding that he is considering expanding his business to more mountainous areas in Sichuan province.
"About a decade ago, Chinese people were not big fans of outdoor adventure travel, but they've shown increasing interest in going to the wilderness," he says.
"So the market potential is good."
