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MONTHLY NEWS BULLETIN - MRACH 2020

2020 03

 

Dear Trade Colleagues,

Greetings from Sri Lanka!

I hope that you, your families and colleagues are all doing well and are safe during these times of a global pandemic. 

Even though the entire world is volatile at this moment, I am happy to come bearing some interesting news to put a smile on your face and make you look forward to visiting Sri Lanka once everything has settled down. 

As I write this today, (on the 28th on March 2020 @ 11:49 AM) Sri Lanka has only experienced 106 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus and we’ve only experienced 4 cases over the last 3 days. Furthermore, 7 of these 106 cases have successfully recovered and have been discharged, but most importantly, we have not experienced any fatalities so far.

In this newsletter, I bring to you our newest addition in terms of accommodation - the Mountain Villa Riverston, in the misty hills of Matale. Surrounded by lush greenery and overlooking the valleys of mountains, this is the perfect villa for an intimate and quiet family getaway. Guests can either opt to stay back in the hotel and enjoy the peace and quiet of the villa or if they are feeling adventurous, do a bit of sightseeing and trekking.

Who said that souvenirs have to be a postcard or something brought from a souvenir store during your visit to Sri Lanka? With our gem of a craftswoman, crafting one of a kind souvenirs with coconut shells, you can take back a unique memory of Sri Lanka for you and your loved one. You can also meet our tour guide Upali, who has a wealth of knowledge ready to be disbursed to our guests during their time with him. What's more interesting is that Upali is a brass craftsman himself, so you can not only take coconut shell souvenirs, but also brasswork back home if you fall in love with this unique and rather difficult art.

I hope we are able to eradicate the COVID-19 outbreak globally, and I wish you all good health!

See you soon,

Anuruddha Bandara (AB)
Founder
Experiential Journeys



Way forward during COVID-19 outbreak

The Eco Team Group of Companies has decided to work from home (for the corporate office staff) for a period of two weeks with effect from the 17th of March 2020 in order to minimize gatherings and to avoid its staff from utilizing public services including transport services which might pose a health threat to any of our team members. With regards to the safety and cleanliness of our campsites, all sites are equipped with body temperature measures (also known as IR or infrared thermometers) where all our guests will be tested during their time of check-in. All our tents and...
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Postponement of the Higher Certificate Course

Postponement of the Higher Certificate Course The Academy of Wildlife, Eco & Nature Interpretation has announced that the lectures of the Higher Certificate course has been postponed until further notice due to the coronavirus outbreak. This certification was scheduled to commence its first batch of students at the University of Sri Jayawadenepura on the 14th of March 2020 consisting of 68 students who represent fresh university graduates, naturalists, experts, chauffeur guides and other nature and wildlife enthusiasts from the society.
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Meet your local host ‘Upali’ - a local leader of ‘Kalapuraya’; a village of craftsmen

Meet your local host ‘Upali’ - a local leader of ‘Kalapuraya’; a village of craftsmen A 59 year old village craftsman named Upali, does brassware with the support of his family and is an active member of the Nattarampola Rural Colonial Industrial Cooperative Society. In addition to his work as a brass craftsman, Upali is also a local tour guide, certified by the Central Province Tourism Department. Even though brasswear is his primary source of income, he also serves as a provincial tour guide lecturer, explaining the local arts and crafts to our valued guests. Having started his craftsmanship in 1982 soon...
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Experiential Accommodation at Mountain Villa Riverston - where luxury meets with tranquility

Experiential Accommodation at Mountain Villa Riverston - where luxury meets with tranquility Nestled in the banks of Thelgamu Oya, the newest addition to our list of hotels; Mountain Villa Riverston, offers guests a panoramic view of the Knuckles Mountain range and the breathtaking valleys below, of the Manigala Rock. The cozy three bedroom villa can accommodate up to eight guests - making this the perfect hideaway for families who are eager to relax amidst the lush green scenery and misty valleys. Guests staying at the Mountain Villa Riverston have the opportunity to relax on the deck by the river and enjoy the...
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Providing a real local experience by carving coconut shells for souvenirs

Providing a real local experience by carving coconut shells for souvenirs Coconuts are a local essential commodity in any Sri Lankan kitchen. Almost all our meals have a connection with coconut - whether it’s in the form of using its milk for a curry, oil used for a stir fry or even having grated coconut sprinkled onto certain dishes to make a local version of a salad known as a ‘sambol’, making coconut play a major role in our daily lives. The husk and the shell of a coconut aren’t usually used as often as the insides - especially not in...
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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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