Luxury in nature’s lap: How ‘glamping’ is gradually overtaking traditional camping

"Glamping does not completely disconnect you from material comfort. At the same time, you are in tune with nature's beauty and at peace," says Riya Seth, a city-based camping enthusiast, who first went glamping in 2016 and then chose to go again to celebrate her sister's bachelorette in October this year when travel restrictions were eased in the state.

Glamping or "glamorous camping" has been gaining traction among Indians since the past few years. Retaining the fundamentals of traditional camping - tents at the foothills, by the riverside, with trekking and other outdoor activities - glamping adds an extra feature, that is, creature comfort. One can simply call it an upgraded version of camping. Though the concept is not new abroad, Indian travel operators and organisers have recently started exploring glamping in various parts of the country, particularly in Maharashtra and Kerala.

We reached out to glampers and organisers providing the facility at locations close to the city to understand what is piquing people's interest.

Safety amid the scramble for travel

While it is safer to travel now, many are still wary of taking up long inter-state trips. The impact of the lockdown and the pandemic in general has discouraged people from traveling long distances, which would involve intense preparation and in turn, exhaustion.

"We were uncertain about taking longer trips. I was looking for options near Mumbai and I came across glamping options on Instagram. My friend and I had to just take an Uber to reach there, which was super convenient," says Suvidha Awle, a 35-year-old city-based communication strategist, who had gone glamping in 2020 after the first lockdown was lifted.

Triangle shaped glamps at The Triangle Glamping, Pune. Image courtesy: Akshay Kusmade.

Aditi Pawar, a public relations professional from Mumbai, who had recently gone glamping to celebrate her husband's birthday, had enquired if the Covid-19 protocols concerning vaccination, sanitisation and physical distancing of the tents, were in place at the glamping site. In line with her expectations, she felt relieved to find that the place was clean and safe.

Akshay Kusmade, founder of The Triangle Glamping in Pune, explains, "Contrary to camping sites, people don't have to go to common areas here, which enables physical distancing. While there are always at least 50 people camping, here there's a limit of 25 people. So, people are preferring glamping in the post-lockdown period."

Kusmade adds, given the smaller number of people at the site, people prefer spending quality time in private with their partners, friends and family, without having to meet other people.

Megh Doshi, co-founder of Moonstone Hammock, one of the most popular camping and glamping organisers at Karjat and Pawna, stresses on the need for getting fully vaccinated before embarking on trips.

"We ask all our visitors to provide proof of vaccination. We also have strict sanitation rules at our sites. Our visitors are expected to report 20 minutes earlier to complete the sanitation process," Doshi.

Additionally, regular temperature checks, and sanitisation of luggage, tents and other important locations are some of the safety measures taken care of by the staff at glamping sites.

It isn't just about the tents

It's about material comforts together with natural aesthetics. Embellished river-side tents, glowing cabins with charging points, WiFi facilities, premium restroom facilities, a private lawn for barbecue, bonfire and live music, among others, are some of the key features of glamorous camping sites that are making people ditch hotel rooms and private villas or even farmhouses.

Picture courtesy: Suvidha Awle

"The abundance of amenities gained my attention. This is different from going to a villa and staying inside the house. You put your stuff inside, go out explore and sit by the river. You interact with limited people and there's no crowd. We had a campfire and we were all singing along with a fellow traveler, a complete stranger with a guitar," says Awle.

In addition to young people, there are older adults who also come along with their children. Doshi says glamping appeals to people who want to take precautions, relax luxuriously at nature's side and then go back to the grind.

"Elderly parents, who have body ache, leg strain, etc. can comfortably sleep in glamping tents which have better mattresses. But, there's a downside too recently, as people have started expecting resort-like room facilities at glamping sites, which defeats the purpose," Doshi adds.

While premium service is one important factor, another is the privacy that glamping sites offer to their visitors. According to Kusmade, post-lockdown people prefer staying privately in their tents, enjoying the scenic beauty and just relaxing without having to engage in other activities, including interacting with other visitors.

In terms of luggage, Seth, Awle and Pawar say all you need to carry is your basic essentials, chargers, a mosquito repellant if need be, an extra pair for clothes, medicines for allergies if any and most importantly, as Doshi put it, "Please carry a camping attitude".

Glamping for the Gram

"What has changed is the target audience. In the post-lockdown period, even people who were not on board with the idea of living in a tent are enquiring about glamping. People who used to go to motels and all, they are opting to go for glamping," says Doshi.

According to Doshi, though demand for glamorous camping has remained constant from tier-I cities like Mumbai and Pune, there are also people who are ready to come in from Surat, Ahmedabad and other locations from the south of Gujarat.

Image courtesy: Aditi Pawar

While there are camping sites available at the same locations, organisers say enquiries for glamping have increased in the recent months and those who come to know, immediately opt for it and are sending references to their circles.

"We have more requests on the weekends. There are 30-35 people on the waitlist every weekend, but they sometimes don't end up getting a slot. This has been noticed for the last one or two months. These days, people are celebrating on weekdays too," says Kusmade.

Doshi backs this, adding that in recent months, particularly from June to September, they received almost 100 percent enquiries for glamping. Interest for the months of October and November too looks comparable to the same period in the year 2019, before the pandemic. For a good deal, one is required to book at least 10 to 15 days in advance.

According to Doshi and Kusmade, from families, mixed groups to couples, people are excited about the unique experience of glamping and do not mind paying a little more for better facilities. They say social media, especially Instagram, has helped in creating the buzz around this relatively new form of outing among teenagers and young adults.

When asked about whether it is a one-time experience, both Awle and Pawar say they "would love to go glamping again" for future short trips.

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