Mr J

Sri Lanka Guru

Deep in Kumana National Park’s jungle, I stayed in a private mobile camp on a riverbank…it felt as if we had the whole park to ourselves. This is where ‘Indian Jones and Temple of Doom’ was filmed; the terrain is a mix of jungle covered plains pierced by smooth granite hills that are dotted with massive boulders. I visited hidden temples deep in the jungle home to massive statues and Buddhas – no one knows about these sites even, seemingly, the Sri Lankan Archeological Department. I had seven incredible leopard sightings in just 48 hours; the leopards were relaxed and just meters from the vehicle. At the end of each day I returned to camp hot, sweaty and dirty, but I cooled down with a swim in the river and later ate some of the best rice and curry I’ve had.

Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful counties in the world. I always thought I was biased having been raised by a Sri Lankan, but now I’ve travelled to close to 100 countries and I can say, with complete confidence, that it truly is. I haven’t experienced another country that packs so much beauty and diversity into such a small space.

My first plane flight was at three weeks old and I haven’t stopped travelling since. Growing up in Rome, the son of a Sri Lankan diplomat, I traveled extensively in Asia from an early age. My passion for Sri Lanka grew into a hobby of planning travels for friends and family, and it eventually led me to found my own tour company – a natural extension of that early desire to share his incredible experiences in the region with others. I’ve now visited Sri Lanka approximately 135 times and lived in the country for two years, collectively I’ve spent 5 years there. I’ve traveled with length and breadth of the country and have excellent local contacts and a deep understanding of the culture, history and idiosyncrasies. I have personally stayed in 90% of the hotels I recommend and have inspected the rest. Based on decades of traveler feedback I can match hotels and experiences with individuals very accurately, producing a tour that compliments my travelers’ styles perfectly.