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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.

Buddhika, breaker of barriers!

From a young age, Buddhika was always a driven and passionate person, who forged her own path. Although she excelled as an athlete and was well on her way to becoming a lawyer, she soon realised that her love and passion for travelling overrode all else and that put her on the path to becoming an expert tour guide. Breaking cultural & traditional barriers, Buddhika succeeded in becoming Sri Lanka’s first-ever Licenced Female Chauffeur Guide in 2010, paving the way for many more aspiring women to follow in her footsteps. When she is not busy taking guests to explore the beauty of Sri Lanka, Buddhika loves spending time with her daughters and husband, who also happens to be a Chauffeur Guide too.
 

Workshop on Overcoming Post COVID-19 Business Challenges faced by Small & Medium Tourism Entrepreneurs

The Academy of Ecotourism, Wildlife & Nature Interpretation along with Sri Lanka Day Tours will conduct an online workshop on the 26th of June for Small & Medium Tourism Entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka. The purpose of this workshop is to help them effectively overcome the challenges they have encountered due to Covid-19. The session will be led by Anuruddha Bandara (MD / CEO of Eco Team Group of companies) and supported by Dr. Vipula Wanigasekara, an expert in Spirituality & Mindfulness. The event will be held via Zoom and live-streamed on Social Media. If you would like to attend the event, please click here to register.
 

Elevate your mind at Situlpawwa

Nestled deep within Yala National Park is an ancient rock temple rich in religious history. Situlpawwa, as it is now known, was the famed home of thousands of Arahats - Buddhist monks who have achieved nirvana by completing the path to enlightenment. The peaceful and serene surroundings tend to inspire even the most casual visitor to this historic site and it is easy to understand why this location provided the ideal setting for seekers of truth and enlightenment. The site is also abundant with wildlife, with Leopard and Elephant sightings being a common occurrence. An excursion to Situlpawwa is ideally suited for guests staying two or more nights at Mahoora By Eco Team or Big Game by Eco Team Tented Safari Camps in Yala due to the distance involved; however, nothing is stopping those staying for a shorter period from experiencing it too!
 

Let the safari come to you at Explorer by Eco Team - Maduru Oya

Waking up to an Elephant trumpeting outside your front door has to be one of the most unique and surprising ways to be roused from sleep, but that’s quite the norm at the Explorer by Eco Team’s private tented safari camp in Maduru Oya National Park. Set up on the banks of the Maduru Oya reservoir and featuring a private naturalist, chef, and camp staff, you get an adventurous camping experience coupled with all the creature comforts. Outside your tent, you will quickly be accustomed to sights of wandering elephant herds, a variety of avifauna flitting about and quite a few of the other curious denizens of the Park wandering around. When you do eventually set off on a game drive, you will encounter the rest of the usual suspects of Sri Lanka’s National Parks - Leopards, Sloth Bears, Sambar, Jackals, Porcupines and more. With historical structures dating back over 3,000 years, an indigenous tribe calling it home for millennia longer and an isolated fishing village to supply you with delicious fresh fish, the Park is more than just a destination for safaris -  it is an immersive experience of history, culture and nature unlike any other.
 



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?”

Are you a Tour Operator?  Visit our Members Area

 

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

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