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  • Owner managed Boutique DMC in Sri Lanka.
    A specialist in experiential travel, focusing on Experiences, Encounters and Spaces with character and sustainability.
  • Owner managed Boutique DMC in Sri Lanka.
    A specialist in experiential travel, focusing on Experiences, Encounters and Spaces with character and sustainability.
  • Owner managed Boutique DMC in Sri Lanka.
    A specialist in experiential travel, focusing on Experiences, Encounters and Spaces with character and sustainability.
  • Owner managed Boutique DMC in Sri Lanka.
    A specialist in experiential travel, focusing on Experiences, Encounters and Spaces with character and sustainability.
  • Owner managed Boutique DMC in Sri Lanka.
    A specialist in experiential travel, focusing on Experiences, Encounters and Spaces with character and sustainability.

Ranga: the Kalametiya lagoon bird whisperer

Meeting Ranga automatically means you’ll have an incredible birding experience at Kalametiya lagoon! Honing in on his experience as a lagoon fisherman in his teenage years, where every inch of the Kalametiya lagoon was explored, he’s spent the last 11 years introducing birds to guests. Even living with lagoon wildlife, as he resides just a few hundred meters from the lagoon with his wife and daughters, keeps him on his toes with the latest in the bird world. His younger brother assists him in ferrying guests on village-style catamarans, providing a quirky and remarkable birding experience at the Kalametiya Bird Sanctuary for even larger groups.

Design your own traditional ‘sesath’

Sesath or av-atu is a traditional sunshade or a large, round fan that was used in the time of Sri Lankan kings. It was first brought to Sri Lanka from India, with the sapling of the Sacred Bodhi Tree as a shade. Since then, the sesath has become a hand-woven symbol of prosperity and a vibrant relic of history and heritage. Although making the sesath is time consuming and quite difficult, if you’ve got the time and will for it, a traditional village workshop near Kandy lets you try your hand at it using your own design! Alternatively, you may simply watch the artisans create it for you.

The Owl & the Pussycat – a boutique hotel inspired by the 19th century poem

Inspired by an exuberant zest for life and Edward Lear’s poem of the same name, The Owl and The Pussycat hotel in Thalpe whimsically calls out to travellers by the ocean’s edge. Not only are you invited to enjoy fun, romance, food, and dancing in the moonlight... but also delicately-spiced cocktails by the waves, and tropical birdsong mixed with live jazz on weekends! Pack your bags to float away in the sun-lit pool, sip on pre-dinner drinks in the Edward Lear Drawing room, and dine on line-caught seafood at The Runcible Spoon this weekend.

Our Stand on Kandy Esala Perahera

The Kandy Esala Perahera is undoubtedly one of the most colourful pageants in all of Asia, showcasing the diversity of culture, tradition, heritage, music and arts. However, if you look past the pageantry and cultural aspects, there lies a deeply troubling component relating to the chained elephants on display. Our policy and stand against animal cruelty applies to this event, and all other events surrounding captive elephants. We wholeheartedly believe all animals should live in their natural habitats, and not in captivity for the sole purpose of exhibition in events and tourist shows.



Unique Experiences

Because your holiday is all about you and what you want to do, we take pride in offering exclusive and unique experiences going beyond the normal tourist highlights. We believe...

Accommodations with character

  It’s about where you are staying. Our handpicked accommodations are way different to large chain hotels with conventional star ratings. We offers small properties with quality, character, ambiance and run...

Locals to meet

It’s all about whom you are meeting. Our tours are designed to grant you an intimate peak into the country and meeting real local people. With our special relationships cultivated...

Our Journeys

Sri Lanka is a combination of many sights, scenes, and sounds that are charmingly packed into its compact 65,610 sq. km of the delightful island. The majestic past and present...

Sustainability

It’s about how we do things. We believe that the sustainability and conservation approach in tourism is not merely an option but a way of life. While offering you unique,...

"Journeys" 33rd Edition May 2021

MONTHLY NEWS BULLETIN - MAY 2021   Dear Trade Colleagues, Despite the rise in cases and the temporary closure of the airport for new arrivals, the mood in Sri Lanka is still one...

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Feedback

Great Experience ..!! It's very hard to choose a favorite part.

We enjoyed all of it. The itinerary was very well planned with a lot of activities plus a little bit of downtime as well. All the hotels have been lovely and had a lot of character. The chauffeur guide was excellent, knowledgeable and accommodating especially with our regular requests to find somewhere to stop for short eats.

We would definitely recommend Sri Lanka as a destination for friends and family to visit.

Robyn Semple - Dower | UK
19th April 2018

 

 

Team Behind Exj

 

2018 11 03 2

Anuruddha Bandara

Anuruddha Bandara, also known as AB, is an award-winning entrepreneur who has built a reputation as a niche tourism specialist, explorer, and management trainer.

He has travelled extensively to all parts of Sri Lanka and, impressively, 16% of the globe, including six continents. As Founder/ CEO and Master Crafter of Experiences & Encounters, he has navigated Experiential Journeys, to become the most sought after destination management company in Sri Lanka.

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natasha

Natasha

Natasha or “Natz” in short has been with Exj from 2013 to present handling B2C sales for our Tented Camp products. Prior to rejoining with us again Nathasha served a B2C focused DMC , as the Sales Manager and also as the Reservations Manager for a period of one and a half years. 

A very outgoing and a pleasant personality and she posses a total of six years of experience as a Travel Adviser providing consultation and guidance on destinations, ground arrangements, accommodations and tours for both business travellers and tourists. 

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nish profile

Nish

Nish is an accounting professional who decided to follow her true passion - turning her attention to the tourism industry; particularly interested in sustainable tourism. With more than a decade of experience in the field, Nish is an invaluable member of  Experiential Journeys.

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2018 11 03 1

Haj

Hajreen Juhara, popularly called Haj, is a multi-talented and experienced individual. With a career spanning 21 years in customer care, in Sri Lanka and overseas, Haj understands the capacity of the tourism industry in Sri Lanka as well as the requirements of his clientele, more specifically, when it comes to Meetings / Incentives / Conferences and Events [ MICE]  

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Migara updated

Migara

An IT professional, who eventually found that staring into a screen the whole day, is not what he truly made for. After trying out options in few industries, it didn't take too long for him to find his "perfect fit"; sustainable tourism coupled with customer care.

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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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© 2024 Experiential Journeys (Pvt) Ltd. 20/63, Fairfield Garden, Colombo 08 (00800), Sri Lanka

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