Dreaming of your next long-haul adventure? New for 2022, Sri Lanka’s leading luxury hoteliers, Resplendent Ceylon, will welcome a series of new journeys promising to immerse travellers in the magic of the verdant island nation. Bringing together its three properties – Ceylon Tea Trails, Wild Coast Tented Lodge and Cape Weligama, the first two adventures to launch are Resplendent Ceylon’s Active Journey and Resplendent Ceylon’s Culinary Journey, which shine a light on Sri Lanka’s impressive terrain and the vibrant produce which is grown from it.
ACTIVE ADVENTURE
With some of the most diverse terrain in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka offers a plethora of activities to enthral the most adventurous of travellers. The new Active Journey begins at Ceylon Tea Trails, where nature lovers will join a naturalist guide for a half-day hike through either the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary or bucket-list Horton Plains National Park, for the chance to spot some of Sri Lanka’s most impressive flora and fauna, from fascinating lichens and plant life, to butterflies, birds, and endemic primates like bear monkeys and sambar. Subsequent days will see guests kayak across Castlereagh Lake, enjoying magnificent views of the tea-carpeted mountains in the distance; or mountain biking across the rolling tea fields – sign us up!
From here, travellers will escape to Wild Coasted Tented Lodge, just outside renowned Yala National Park for daily game drives to spot some of Yala’s most famed inhabitants, including wild boar, elephants, sloth bears, and leopards. Active travellers can join rangers on low-impact nature walks, where they can learn more about identifying animal tracks, while blossoming birders can join one of Wild Coast’s birding specialists for a unique birding safari in nearby Bundala National Park, home to a kaleidoscope of birdlife. A guided bike ride to local fishing village, Kirinda, introduces guests to southern Sri Lanka’s rich culture.
The adventure ends at Cape Weligama, with a host of marine-based exploration, including private whale watching excursions to spot iconic Blue and Sperm whales, dolphins and turtles; whilst private surf lessons await in Weligama Bay – one of the best surf spots in the country, famed for its variety of breaks suitable for all levels.
ISLANDS OF FLAVOUR
Sri Lanka is revered the world over for its healing and above all, delicious local cuisine. At Ceylon Tea Trails, guests will learn about Sri Lanka’s storied tea heritage at the Dunkeld Factory, home to Dilmah Tea, with a tour of the tea factory and a private tea tasting hosted by Bernard Holsinger – resident Tea Planter who brings with him a wealth of experience and a healthy dose of tongue-in-cheek wit. Guests will be treated to the Tea Planter’s picnic, where tiffin boxes are set up high above Castlereagh Lake, flanked by tea and jungle on either side. Over at Wild Coast Tented Lodge guests can visit the nearby fishing village of Kirinda to experience Sri Lankan cuisine at its most authentic at the local fish market, before spending evenings on the beach ‘dune dining’ under the stars.
At Cape Weligama, guests kick off their days with the Heritage Breakfast at Kumbuk restaurant, sampling famous items like hoppers and pittu. The Market to Table experience will take guests to a local fish market in Mirissa to personally source some of the freshest produce on the island, before returning to the property for a cooking class, where they’ll learn how to create a variety of traditional Sri Lankan dishes with their catch of the day.
