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MONTHLY NEWS BULLETIN - OCTOBER 2018

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Dear Trade Colleagues,

Greetings from Sri Lanka and welcome to another brand new episode of ‘Journeys’!

We have a lot of news lined up for you this monsoon season beginning from a beautiful 185 year old ancient family home which has been restored to its grandeur to accommodate you under ‘Experiential Accommodation’ which is owner run and well maintained to ensure you and your guests will have an absolutely splendid time here.

Our next adventure is a brand new and very unique experience; a visit to the drum making village of Sri Lanka which will enable our guests to witness and receive hands-on experience on how the ‘sounds of Sri Lanka’ is made.

With it being the start of the whale watching season in the Sri Lankan seas, we are inviting all our guests to be part of this once in a lifetime experience to witness the majestic giants of the ocean with us!

Through our ‘Sustainability Initiatives’, we are taking the initiative to minimize the human-elephant conflict faced in some of the rural areas in the island. This is a truly unique project undertaken by us and we invite all of you to be part of this project that is set about to make a difference.

In addition to all the excitement above, I’m happy to say that we have also been featured in quite a few local newspapers! You are more than welcome to have a look at these articles which will be under ‘News from the Group’.

Happy reading everyone!

Anuruddha Bandara (AB)
Founder
Experiential Journeys



Project Orange Elephant for our efforts on sustainability

Project Orange Elephant for our efforts on sustainability The ‘Project Orange Elephant’ (POE) was established by the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society (SLWCS) to encourage farmers to cultivate crops such as oranges as they are not attractive to elephants. The purpose of this initiative was that since elephants are not attracted towards the orange crops, the farmers will have an alternative source of income when elephants destroy the farmer’s rice crops. Since the farmers have a supplementary method of income, they will feel less hostile towards elephants when they destroy their rice harvest. This project received the ‘Most Innovative Development Project’...
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Meeting your local host; Rev. Makkanigama Buddhadaththa Thero

Meeting your local host; Rev. Makkanigama Buddhadaththa Thero Amidst the beautiful and misty hills of the Kandyan Kingdom of Sri Lanka is the ancient temple of ‘Bahiravakanda’ where our guests will have the opportunity of meeting Venerable Buddhadaththa Thero who is well versed in Buddhist philosophy. He is a teacher in one of the leading schools in Kandy and is also a spiritual teacher in Wegweiser Germany. He holds over 25 years of personal experience of practicing the philosophy as a monk and our clients travelling with us will have the opportunity of speaking to him on the Buddhist Way Of Life and...
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The special event of witnessing the undisputed giants of the ocean with the start of the whale watching season

The special event of witnessing the undisputed giants of the ocean with the start of the whale watching season The upcoming month of November brings the dawn to the whale watching season in Sri Lanka. This season will turn Point Dondra, in the south of the island the best possible location in the world to spot blue whales and sperm whales. This location is deemed to be the best location in the world as there is an abundance of food for these oceanic giants and the location was recently discovered to be a popular breeding ground for the blue whale. The sight of...
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The art of making traditional drums for a real local experience

The art of making traditional drums for a real local experience Located just 15 kilometers away from Kandy, you will be transported to a hidden village community that produces the ‘beat of the traditional art’ of Sri Lanka. The community is well known for making drums and during this visit you will have the once in a lifetime opportunity to view the entire drum making process which includes bringing the ‘hide’ or skin from slaughterhouses, cutting of wood from local trees and since you can view the entire process of making a drum in person, you will also have the opportunity...
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A Kandyan manor homestay for experiential accommodation

A Kandyan manor homestay for experiential accommodation We are happy to include a 185 year old Kandyan Manor turned homestay into our travel itinerary. The manor belongs to a wealthy family and since its conversion into a homestay, they are focused on allowing the patronizing guests to experience the true local lifestyle during their stay at the manor. The venue accommodates both families and travelers looking for some seclusion and privacy with its beautiful and spacious family rooms and basic yet comfortable chalets. While at the manor, you can also take a dip in the private swimming pool of the owner Bhathiya with...
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Frequently Asked Questions

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Our policy in discouraging Animal Cruelty, Tourist Traps and Staged Tourist Shows

Animals Are Friends Too: Discouraging Animal Cruelty, Tourist Traps and Staged Tourist Shows

We at ExJ stay away from tourism experiences that are staged and involve animal cruelty and shopping traps that are contrived to exploit and deceive clients.

Even though some of the popular ‘attractions’ are not included in our programmes due to the above reasons, we have no objections in our clients making their own arrangements with our Drivers to visit these places.

 

Why we do not promote following attractions

 

Turtle Hatcheries

As this concept has serious negative aspects in terms of conservation, we do not encourage our visitors to patronize the turtle hatcheries, as not all of them are really turtle-friendly. We instead encourage them to observe turtles in their natural habitats.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

When we became aware that the animal welfare standards there were questionable, we stopped encouraging our clients to visit the orphanage. We are pleased to observe that the Born Free Foundation has now adopted similar measures.

Elephant back rides – Habarana

There’s uncertainty surrounding the attitude of this place towards animal welfare. There may be a few ethical operators, but in general, we are not in agreement with how the place is run. We all would love a photo of us riding an elephant, but is a lifetime of pain caused to these magnificent mammals really worth a few fleeting likes on social media?

Traditional Village Tour with a Canoe Trip and Bullock-Carts – Habarana

This is a tourist trap where a lot of the trip is ‘staged’ for commercial purposes. Such fake touristic experiences will not give our visitors an idea of what life in the country is really like, so join us as we show you the real side of Sri Lanka. And at the end of every vacation, always ask yourself, “Did you feel that your holiday was ethical, eco-friendly, and reduced environmental impacts?”

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