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MONTHLY NEWS BULLETIN - AUGUST 2018

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Dear Trade Colleagues,

Welcome to the August edition of ‘Journeys’!

It is late summer in the paradise isle of Sri Lanka and this time, we have quite a few things in the store for you this month. Let me begin with introducing you to a beautiful boutique villa in the misty hills of Ella known as The Hideaway which is assured to give you a one of a kind experience during your stay.

For a Real Local Experience, we are introducing a brand new village trail in the ancient city of Anuradhapura. This is something you and your clients would find very interesting as the trail will give them a true peak into the local village lifestyle of Sri Lanka.

Whilst August is the perehara season in Kandy, causing locals and also foreigners alike to flock to the central city to view this spectacular religious show. Even though we do not agree with the treatment of elephants and have not included this in our itinerary, guests travelling with us will still be able to witness the cultural aspect around it if required.

Read all about our project in Mulgama where we did a community development project for a school along with the Sacred Heart Catholic High School of UK which was a really rewarding experience for all of us.

Also in the following pages you read about the existing Sera Ella Trek we did for CHS - UK students and read about a rather important news regarding the Yala National Park and find out about some new and exciting offers for you from our group!

And last but not least, meet Dananjaya, one of our most experienced and highly rated guides. Your clients will definitely love travelling around the country with him as they make memories.

Happy reading!

Anuruddha Bandara (AB)
Founder
Experiential Journeys



Our efforts on sustainability achieved through our Watawala School Project in Mulgama

Our efforts on sustainability achieved through our Watawala School Project in Mulgama Experiential Journeys along with the students and teachers at the Sacred Heart Catholic High School in UK showed our commitment towards the development of communities around the areas where we operate by conducting a CSR program from the 19th to 21st July. We renovated and provided aid to students of the R/ Watawala Primary School, Mulgama in the Balangoda area. The students of the SHCD helped in renovating the play area and equipment such as the swings, merry-go-round etc., painted their classrooms and furniture, donated stationery items and conducted...
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Meet your local host Dananjaya

Meet your local host Dananjaya! Hailing from the ancient city of Kurunegala, Dananjaya is one of the most experienced chauffeur guides under our ExJ umbrella. With a smile on his face whenever you see him, his energetic and lively character paired with his knowledge about the country has made him one of the best rated guides by our guests. Like almost all Sri Lankans, he too is a massive cricket fan and your guests are sure to enjoy his company during their journey through the paradise island of Sri Lanka!...
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Special event of experiencing the cultural anthem of Kandy

Special event of experiencing the cultural anthem of Kandy: Since it’s the month of August, you will have the opportunity to view the annual Esala Perahara also known as the Kandy Perahara which will take place on the streets of the hill country for 10 days which for centuries have followed awe inspiring dances and drawn the religious devotees and tourists to the narrow streets. This is one of the country’s grandest traditional and cultural festivals organized by the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in honor of the Sacred Tooth Relic and gods Natham Vishnu, Kataragama and the goddess Pattini...
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Real Local Experiences at Anuradhapura Beyond Heritage

Real Local Experiences at Anuradhapura Beyond Heritage: Introducing our latest addition to the trail packages, the village trail in Anuradhapura is aimed to offer our guests a taste of rural life at its best. Your trail will begin at the boutique stall of your local host, Samantha where you will be greeted by a fresh herbal porridge before beginning your ride down a gravel road for 1 kilometer. We will stop at a village house that runs a small dairy farm where you can view the milking process which is done by hand and then enjoy a glass of freshly milked...
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The Hideaway Ella

The Hideaway Ella: Nestled in a picturesque little town in the eastern side of the hill country, The Hideaway Ella offers 10 spacious Deluxe Rooms with the view with the valley below. Being one of the few properties with Swimming pools in Ella, The Hideaway Ella suits for both families and honeymooners alike who seeks a relaxing holiday in the misty mountains of Sri Lanka. Many attractions in Ella could be reached within 30 minutes drive from the this hotel,enabling the guests who patronize to get the exposure to the surroundings and the mother nature, quite easy. Your accommodation host Upali...
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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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