Simon
Founder & Journey Curator
About Us
A studio for cultural travel in Southwest China
Brand Story
Why we started
Pawprint Claw began with a simple belief: the best travel happens at the speed of a conversation, not a checklist. After years of guiding friends through Sichuan's back roads, hidden teahouses, and family kitchens, we decided to build something more intentional — a studio that designs journeys around the people and places that make this region unforgettable.
We are not a tour factory. We are a small team of curators, writers, and local hosts who believe that depth beats distance. Every itinerary starts with a question — what does this traveler want to understand? — and ends with a story that belongs only to them.
Our mission is to create a refined cultural travel system that respects local knowledge, supports regional partners, and helps travelers build a deeper relationship with place.
Our name comes from the idea that every journey leaves a trace: a pawprint in the bamboo, a claw mark on a mountain path. We design for travelers who want theirs to matter.
Why Southwest China
The China most travelers miss
Chengdu is a verb
The city moves at the pace of tea refills and mahjong tiles. Beyond the pandas and hotpot headlines, Chengdu is a network of alleys where barbershops become living rooms and every grandmother has a restaurant recommendation you will not find online.
The highlands change you
Western Sichuan sits at the edge of the Tibetan plateau. The air is thinner, the roads wind higher, and the silence feels earned. Traveling here means accepting uncertainty — weather, altitude, road conditions — and being rewarded with landscapes that make the effort feel small.
Why we focus on Sichuan and the Southwest.
Southwest China carries extraordinary density: mountain ecologies, river systems, historic trade routes, tea culture, biodiversity, village craft, regional cuisines, spiritual landscapes, and cities where old and new life overlap closely.
For Pawprint Claw, this region is not a visual theme. It is the foundation of our cultural method. We begin with place, then build routes, objects, guides, and collaborations outward from that place.
Sichuan and the broader Southwest allow the brand to speak about nature and culture together: giant panda conservation, tea mountains, bamboo craft, hotpot and market culture, alpine roads, old towns, museums, and quiet everyday hospitality.
The Storytellers
We are the hands behind every journey
Cecilia
Cultural Partnerships
Qhoney
Regional Researchers
Jason
Editor & Photographer
Partners
Trusted by people who know this place
Cultural Institutions:
Museums, archives, research groups, and cultural foundations
Museums, archives, research groups, and cultural foundations
Local Hosts:
Tea makers, food guides, craft practitioners, conservation educators
Tea makers, food guides, craft practitioners, conservation educators
Hospitality Brands:
Boutique hotels, retreats, transport providers, and service teams
Boutique hotels, retreats, transport providers, and service teams
Outdoor Lifestyle Partners:
Carefully selected outdoor, camping, nature education, and lifestyle brands
Carefully selected outdoor, camping, nature education, and lifestyle brands
Get in Touch
Work with us
Press, partnerships, or custom trip design — we read every message and reply within two business days.
Contact the Team