Founders Notes…
“Eating is so intimate. It’s very sensual. When you invite someone to sit at your table and you want to cook for them, you're inviting a person into your life.”
– Maya Angelou
“Gourmet in the Wild is our unique take on a culinary tour of Sri Lanka where you will be welcomed into people’s homes, and their lives, to share our islands history, culture and cuisine - creating little pockets of cicular economies. Immerse yourself in hands on cook-like-the-locals farm to table experiences or indulge in gourmet wellness cuisine. Gain insights into the island’s best cultural sites. Taste Sri Lanka’s local delights like pickles and sweetmeats, enjoy a fabulous Ceylon Tea experience up in the hills, take a privately guided safari to observe elephants in the wild and relax by a beach. We want you to taste, explore and cook your way through our island’s melting pot of colourful flavours, intriguing culture and rural local life - a sustainable slow luxury culinary journey with a positive impact.
Chamintha, Co-Founder
Itinerary at a glance
Days 1 and 2: Gourmet dining and street food in cosmopolitan Colombo
Days 3, 4 and 5: Culture and cooking in the Royal Kingdom of Anuradhapura and Sigiriya
Days 6 and 7: Gourmet Wellness and traditional sweetmeats in Kandy
Days 8 and 9: The Ceylon Tea experience in the hills of Dickoya
Days 10 and 11: Rice Paddies in Wellawaya
Days 12, 13, 14 and 15: Tangalle beach escape
- Duration: 15 days or tailor-made
OTHER INSPIRING HOLIDAYS TO SRI LANKA
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Map
Click here to view a map of the route.
Privately Guided
Private driver and local community-based guides are included throughout.
Pricing
All trips are tailor-made and private, based on individual client needs and are priced accordingly.
TRAVEL TIPS
This Gourmet in the Wild Food Tour can be done on a clock-wise route given above during December to March, ending your holiday by the southern beaches or, anti-clockwise if you travel between April - September to enjoy the eastern beaches as well as cuisine in the Northern peninsular.
“Fantastic experience! Ayu in the Wild is the go-to tour company for a bespoke experience in Sri Lanka. We experienced a Sri Lanka that I had no idea even existed.”
Eric Long, USA
What you can experience on this tour:
Culinary Highlights
From al-fresco cooking with jungle farmers to meals shared with fun and laughter in the homes of locals, indulging in gourmet wellness cuisine and even dinner under the stars; our Gourmet in the Wild Food Tour is your chance to taste, smell, cook and savour Sri Lankan food and its cultural influences. Learn the art of Sri Lanka’s pickle “achcharu”, taste traditional sweetmeats - dessert items for special celebrations, learn the secrets of making the island’s sambols, understand the nuances of Ceylon Tea – from a bud to a cuppa, and see what the locals know about spices and curries. You will discover the island from the backstreets of Colombo’s busy old quarters in our "Other Side of Colombo Food Tour” to beautiful rural landscapes and enjoy the island’s best culinary venues.
Culture
Our local community-based Guides will inspire you with centuries old stories about visionary Kings of Anuradhapura - Sri Lanka’s first Royal Kingdom as you walk through the ancient ruins at sunset and take a guided trek to watch the sunrise from the summit of the mesmerising Sigiriya Lion Rock.
The Hills and Ceylon Tea
Explore the World Heritage Site of Kandy and make your way through the beautiful Central Highlands to the quieter hills of Dickoya. Visit the Golden Valley of Ceylon Tea where the finest tea is produced. Take a walk through the tea fields, indulge in High Tea and get an insider’s guide into carbon-neutral tea.
Wildlife
Your African styled private safari with insights on animal behaviour will be in a remote part of Yala National Park. If you travel during July - September, you get a chance to witness the famous ‘Gathering’ in Minneriya and learn all about wild elephants. Between December and April, you can spot Blue Whales off Mirissa.
Beach
No holiday on our island is complete without a few days by one of our gorgeous beaches. Stay at a luxury beach resort in the East between April - September or a stylish private beach villa in the South between December - March for perfect winter sun over your Christmas holidays while enjoying succulent seafood and delectable cocktails.
Wow Moments
Enjoy authentic experiential travel as we take you to meet some wonderful locals. Unmask the basics of traditional dance and drumming, try your hand at making local craft, spend a morning with mountain farmers in the middle of nowhere and observe village life amidst rice paddies, local markets and rural roads. Bring your sense of humour as you rub shoulders with tuk-tuks and street vendors, gape at big trucks on narrow roads as they jostle their way between tiny shops full of colour on our Colombo Street Walk. A side of the City you will never explore without a local (not for the faint-hearted)!
Stylish Accommodation that works well with this itinerary:
We love to include the luxurious Relais & Châteaux escapes like the Wild Coast Tented Lodge; the unique Santani Wellness Resort and Spa, the luxurious Ulagalla Resort by Uga Escapes, the Teardrop Hotels - Walawwa, Nine Skies, Camellia Hills, Fort Bazaar and Goatfell; Kalundewa Retreat; Vil Uyana; private exclusive use villas in Sri Lanka, Ceylon Tea Trails, Uga Residence, Galle Face Hotel, some of the best beach villas in Sri Lanka, Jetwing Mahesa Bhawan or Jetwing Jaffna in the North, or East coast luxury beach resorts of Uga Bay and Maalu Maalu.
We work closely with a range of stylish properties across the island. All hotel and villa recommendations are independent of any affiliations and are based on the finer details of each, to make your holiday just right.
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To start planning a Sri Lanka holiday with Ayu in the Wild, complete the contact form and we’ll respond within 24-48 hours