Ayu in the Wild Luxury Travel Sri Lanka

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Ayu in the Wild Luxury Travel Sri Lanka

An owner-managed, 100% local, luxury DMC based in Sri Lanka, curating positive impact holidays. An owner-run company. Great bespoke service. Amazing experiences.

Ayu in the Wild are specialists in organizing complete bespoke experiential tours and personally crafted immersive travel experiences in Sri Lanka. Our story was inspired by Rajindra and Chamintha Jayasinghe, a widely traveled husband and wife duo who are destination experts on Sri Lanka. For nearly two decades they balanced their careers in law and finance with their love of the outdoors and offb

eat. Out of their incredible travels both here in Sri Lanka and across Africa, evolved our special brand of bespoke experiential holidays. A collection of experiential tours that are immersive. Our owners are the main ‘Private Travel Designers’ of the company and they travel each month to the remotest corners of Sri Lanka in search of unusual local experiences, luxury getaways and unique places to stay in Sri Lanka. Through their personal travels, they have connected with a wide network of local contacts that we now call ‘our team’. Crafting your holiday is about bringing together their expert destination advice on where to go and when, the best boutique villas, the most intimate eco lodges and whether to travel by jeep, foot, boat, rail or air. Our services include;
Tailor-making tours
Booking hotel accommodation
Arranging the best guides to host cultural excursions and unique local experiences
Organizing wildlife safaris with guides who give insights into animal behaviour
Booking local travel: Flights, Luxury railway journeys, Cycle tours, Cruises on yachts
Meet, greet and drop off at Airport
Arranging transport for your tour in cars, vans, SUVs, mini coaches or large coaches driven by Chauffeurs fluent in English who count years of experience in the tourism industry. When your holiday is designed by people who wake with the dawn and head out to look for journeys that our guests wouldn’t find by themselves, it can be so different to any other tailor-made tour of Sri Lanka. And that’s what makes us a Destination Management Company that can add a dash of ‘oomph’ to your holiday in Sri Lanka! www.ayuinthewild.com

19/05/2026

What does a truly private Sri Lanka journey look like? It doesn't begin with a list of hotels.

It begins several months or sometimes even a year before the clients visit, when I sit down with a travel advisor to understand who their client actually is.

Not just the budget. Not just their preferred accommodation. But what they are carrying into this trip; and what they hope to set down. For one family last year, I received a brief that the family wanted several parts of the journey tailored around their son's obsession with trains. Carriages, signal systems, stations and different scenic moments. Station visits arranged through personal contacts.

There is no template for this kind of travel. There is only deep listening and even deeper local knowledge.

Travel advisors: this is the conversation Ayu in the Wild needs to have with you. Reach us with your client brief for Sri Lanka.

17/05/2026

There is a road in the hill country of Sri Lanka that most itineraries never find. I discovered it on foot, years ago along with our Naturalist Guides, following a local who knew the roads, knew the tea-pickers and the resident families along the way.

The locals led us through private estates, past a fabulous view point with uninterrupted views of several waterfalls, past family compounds of the tea estate communities who insisted we stopped for a cup of tea.

I have never forgotten that cup of tea. Or that silence. Or the way the mist sat in the valley below us.

Every journey we design at Ayu in the Wild begins somewhere like that. Not with a hotel list. Not with a brochure. But with a moment I want someone to feel.

If your clients are ready to feel Sri Lanka — rather than simply see it — I'd love to hear about them. [Link in bio to enquire privately]

08/05/2026

I was born into a Sri Lanka that most visitors never encounter.

Our connections and friendships stretch from old Colombo families with colonial-era properties to simple rural folk who live near remote forests. From residents on tea estates who accompany our guests on our guided walks to contemporary chefs rewriting what Sri Lankan cuisine means on the world stage.

When I design a journey, I am not arranging access to experiences. I am introducing Advisors and their clients to people I love and places I hold dear. There is a difference. And discerning travellers feel it the moment they arrive. This picture was taken just before enjoying lunch with a jungle farming family I've known for years. The picnic basket is mine; the flowers and fruit are from their home garden.

If you’re new to Ayu In The Wild, welcome!

We’re a women-led, founder-managed DMC and a 100% Sri Lankan company. It is personal by design and by necessity. Because the alternative is generic. And generic is something we refuse to be. If this is the kind of trip curation that resonates with you, please get in touch.

07/05/2026

There is a rocky outcrop at Bundala National Park in Sri Lanka that always reminds me of Cape Point in South Africa.

High up on the cliff, you look down into the Indian Ocean as it crashes against rock, where mountains and ocean meet. It also happens to be a great spot for breakfast, which we’ll often suggest to clients as part of their outing (see second photo).

Accessed through an 'out-back village', Bundala is one of my personal favourite places to get lost in Sri Lanka. The landscape opens into thorny scrublands and wetlands, with lagoons, marshes, and waterways stretching across the park. It’s a place where you can stay for hours if you’re a bird lover, watch monkeys move through the scrub, observe fishermen working the lagoons, and wonder if you’ll meet a wild elephant or two, which you very well might.

I love including these wildlife moments for our guests to explore less-visited national parks of Sri Lanka, just like this one. Had you ever heard of it?

If you’re looking for a travel partner to help plan a trip to Sri Lanka, do get in touch. We’re a 100% Sri Lankan, owner-run DMC, naturalist-guided and deliberately boutique, with long-term community and conservation commitments built into how we work.

03/05/2026

Long, long before the Pekoe Trail, we introduced our own concept: Inspiring Walks of Sri Lanka 👇

Extraordinary, lodge-based guided walking and trekking experiences across Sri Lanka, curated by my husband and I together with our lead Naturalist. These walks take guests to less-visited parts of the island, while keeping the overall footprint of an itinerary low.

Each curated walk helps make our itineraries low-impact and climate-conscious, while still being deeply engaging. Guests connect with landscapes and with people who open doors to experiences that respect the environment, reflect the island’s layered history, and stay true to local customs. Where possible, we also include zero-emission cycling.

By day, you might walk across mountains or rice paddies, along footpaths and dirt tracks, with only the occasional stretch of main road. Along the way, your hosts share insights on everything from food and folklore to ecology, art, and craft.

By night you cozy up in beautiful lodges with hot showers, luxurious beds and freshly made food. Each evening your guide will discuss the route for the next day and adjust how easy or challenging it will be, based on your group’s requirement whether you’re new to walking or more experienced.

Comment “Walk” and we’ll send you a peek into 8 of the inspiring walks we curated!

30/04/2026

Here's a location in Sri Lanka we wish our guests would request more, in their itineraries:

📍 Laid-back Jaffna, on the northern-most tip of our island.

There are many reasons why we love Jaffna but two of the big ones are:

1/ Its heritage

It's a destination that has garnered the interest of many nations across the ages, mainly due to its strategic location close to the tip of India and the economic and geopolitical connotations of power. Invasions from the South Indian Pandyan empire and the Portuguese occurred while the Bubonic plague spread through Europe, the Printing Press was invented, and Elizabeth I ascended the throne!

In more modern times Jaffna was a battleground to a ruthless terrorist conflict.

Jaffna has a heritage with a uniqueness that is hard to define and harder to resist and one that its residents (and travellers!) are finally able to experience again in more peaceful times.

2/ Its people

There’s our local, community-based guide who shares stories of the famous King Ellalan of Jaffna, alongside memories of his own childhood and the years he spent displaced during the conflict.

There’s also an incredibly talented woman entrepreneur who, despite a physical disability, earned a Degree in Fine Arts from the University of Jaffna and now creates the most beautiful handcrafted pieces.

Then there are the locals who love welcoming Ayu in the Wild guests with generous plates of seafood, carrying that unmistakable flavour you only find in Jaffna. These are people and stories you won’t usually find in guidebooks.

And as you explore, you’ll pass colourful kovils (Hindu temples), palmyrah-lined streets, and beautiful coastal roads.

➡️ If this post made you want to add Jaffna to your list, save it and let us know in the comments. And when the time comes, we can’t wait to hear you say, “Jaffna.”

28/04/2026

Some of our favourite experiences to arrange for families in Sri Lanka:

We love planning family trips here, because Sri Lanka works so well when children are involved. Many of the experiences we design are hands-on, outdoors, and easy for different ages to enjoy together.

That can include:
- Junior Ranger–style safaris, where children learn about elephants, monkeys, leopards, and how wildlife lives within its natural environment.
- Recording the species they spot along the way, helping them understand ecosystems and why conservation matters in each location.
- Spending time with rural village children through our Classroom in the Wild initiative, taking part in lessons, games, and cricket or football matches.

These trips are designed for families who want more than hotel-based activities. They’re for those who enjoy balancing comfort with time outdoors, whether that’s a night of camping, staying at a small eco-lodge or family-run property, or exploring wildlife parks and cultural sites together.

We limit the number of family trips we take on each year so we can give them the attention they need. That means taking time to understand each family, planning carefully, and connecting children with people and places we know well on the ground.

Know a family in need of some “earth mothering” experiences to break children’s dependence on technology and create precious family time? Contact us to enquire about devising a plan and setting you off on a special bonding trip to Sri Lanka together!

26/04/2026

One of the questions I’m asked most often is whether Sri Lanka works in the summer. It does, if you know where to go.👇

East coast (best for beach and water time)
📍 Arugam Bay is usually the first place I suggest if clients are thinking about beach time along with surfing. This is peak season on the east coast, with consistent waves and warm water.
📍 Trincomalee is another strong option in summer. Calm seas make it ideal for swimming, snorkelling, and diving, with seasonal chances to see dolphins offshore.
📍 I also often recommend Pasikuda. Its long, shallow coastline makes swimming easy, and we often combine time herewith being out on the water or a private yacht outing along the coast.

Cultural Triangle (very workable in summer)
📍 Anuradhapura (one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Asia) is dry, hot and pairs well with wildlife areas or the east coast.
📍 Likewise, Polonnaruwa, with its well-preserved ruins, royal palaces, bathing pools, and stone carvings, has similar conditions.

Wildlife (specific parks only)
📍 In the summer months, I often recommend Wilpattu National Park. From June to September, wildlife activity can be excellent as water sources reduce, and the park is generally quieter.
📍 Minneriya National Park also works well between July and September, when the elephant gathering usually takes place, depending on rainfall patterns.

Hill Country (a good contrast in summer)
📍 Nuwara Eliya and Ella have cooler temperatures and green landscapes, making them a good balance to time spent on the east coast.

As a 100% Sri Lankan DMC, we can advise exactly where to send you (or your clients) depending on when you’d like to go.

So the real question is: which of these summer options sounds most like how you’d like to spend your summer this year?

22/04/2026

One of the openings in Sri Lanka we're most looking forward to this year 👇

will arrive in Ella in June 2026, and for us it fills a real gap. Ella is a region we love building itineraries around, with walks guided by our own Naturalist guides, working tea estates, the Nine Arch Bridge, and some of the most dramatic hill country on the island. What it had been missing was a luxury property that matches the setting. But soon no longer.

15 standalone villas on 10 acres of terraced hillside, each with a deck and private whirlpool bath, looking out over tea plantations and the Nine Arch Bridge below. A restored colonial manor as the main house.

This is going to be incredibly special! Swipe to take a peek 👀

21/04/2026

A lot of safaris in Sri Lanka are run with drivers. We don’t do that. And here’s why

From the beginning, we made a conscious decision to do things differently. All of our safaris are led by naturalist guides. People who have spent years studying wildlife and ecosystems.

That difference becomes clear very quickly once you’re out there. A naturalist isn’t only focused on spotting an animal. They’re paying attention to behaviour, movement, seasonality, and the wider environment. They know when to wait, when to move on, and when a sighting shouldn’t be pushed. They can tell you more about the species you’re seeing, what they’re doing in that moment, and what’s happening in the wider landscape around them.

Conservation has always been extremely important to us, which is why we only run responsible safaris. We don’t crowd animals, we don’t drive too close for photographs, and we don’t pressure guides to deliver guaranteed sightings. And we’ve always been clear that we don’t support elephant-back rides or any experience that involves cruelty or exploitation. Wildlife needs to be respected. It is not entertainment.

A sighting, whether it’s a leopard or any other animal, is always special. But for us, how that moment happens matters just as much as the moment itself.

And if you agree, leave us a 🙌 in the comments.

19/04/2026

I remember one of my first visits to Wilpattu National Park almost 20 years ago. The wildlife guide who guided my husband and myself back then on several visits and camping expeditions is today the head ranger at in Yala.

This was decades before we started Ayu in the Wild (and long before Wild Coast Tented Lodge was even conceived).

When we send guests there today, we request him personally for their private safaris. It’s these little connections, built over decades, that make our tailor-made wildlife safaris so personal.

Looking to make your clients' Sri Lanka itineraries extra special? You know where to find us — DM or link in bio.

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Opening Hours

Monday	09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 17:00
Thursday	09:00 - 17:00
Friday	09:00 - 17:00

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+94772481100

Website

http://www.ayuinthewild.com/

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