WHO WE ARE
Travelling has been a way of life since our childhood, and our island home our passion… family holidays that revolved around my father’s infinite love for this land, its wildness and its people. Photography, conservation and activism were the products of his endless travel and exploration in the backwoods of Sri Lanka.
Powered by these memories and a lifestyle that was impossible to forget, 12 years ago Back of Beyond (www.backofbeyond.lk) came into being to recreate the innumerable nights we spent away from home. The experiences and wealth of knowledge about this island that my father and his friends collected were shared in the form of Handbook for the Ceylon Traveler – possibly the first travel guide book in English written and published by Sri Lankans about their own experiences. We had to follow it up with one for our generation: Sigiriya & Beyond, to encourage travelers to get off the beaten path and explore the back of beyond. What we did not expect was for people to be inspired but…come back to us and say, ‘will you take us on a tour?
So was born ‘Travels to the Back of Beyond’! We want you to experience Sri Lanka like we do…its silver nights, golden dawns, the buzzing wilderness, the hidden back streets of cities, to see the fresh flower by a worn out stone image, to feel the hot sand and cold sea mix between your toes…
For us, our island home is a never ending source of serendipity. We will take you with us to explore our people and culture, our ancient heritage and current communities, the wilderness and mountains. We have been there as we pleased. Let us take you as you please.
WHO WE ARE
Travelling has been a way of life since our childhood, and our island home our passion… family holidays that revolved around my father’s infinite love (give a link to a paper article?) for this land, its wildness and its people. Photography, conservation and activism were the products of his endless travel and exploration in the backwoods of Sri Lanka
Powered by these memories and a lifestyle that was impossible to forget, 12 years ago Back of Beyond (www.backofbeyond.lk) came in to being recreate the innumerable nights we spent in away from home. The experiences and wealth of knowledge about this island that my father and his friends collected were shared in the form of Handbook for the Ceylon Traveler – possibly the first travel guide book in English written and published by Sri Lankans about their own experiences. We had to follow it up with one for our generation: Sigiriya & Beyond (link to FB), to encourage travelers to get off the beaten path and explore the back of beyond. What we did not expect was for people to be inspired but…come back to us and say, ‘will you take us on a tour?
So was born ‘Travels to the Back of Beyond’! We want you to experience Sri Lanka like we do…its silver nights, golden dawns, the buzzing wilderness, the hidden back streets of cities, to see the fresh flower by a worn out stone image, to feel the hot sand and cold sea mix between your toes…
For us, our island home is a never ending source of serendipity. We will take you with us to explore our people and culture, our ancient heritage and current communities, the wilderness and mountains. We have been there as we pleased. Let us take you as you please.
our philosophy
When we started Back of Beyond retreats 12 years ago, we grappled with how to minimize our intervention on the natural and social environment. Our commitment has been to touch gently (www.backofbeyond.lk). Back of Beyond Travels, continues this commitment to respect and conserve the natural and social environment and heritage of Sri Lanka. We have a strong commitment to quality and care. As our guest we will respect your individuality, and create an experience that is very special to you.
When you travel with us, you can be happy that
- We follow the regulations of the country as well as our own ethical standards. For example, we will not take you on elephant rides as it is both illegal and cruel to this gentle giant; we will not by-pass ticketing and registration regulations when visiting national and heritage sites; we will not accept any commissions from sales outlets or service providers.
- All our staff are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism.
- You will be staying in places that are strongly oriented towards green responsibility; minimizing resource waste including water and energy, making use of recycled building material, is active in conservation issues such as reforestation, etc.
- The services we provide you with are directly oriented towards strengthening the local community and economy. As such, we strive to work with service providers from the immediate neighborhood, stay in smaller accommodations that are employing locals and sourcing local produce, the activities we arrange for you will involve local communities.
As our guest, we will encourage you to :
- Enjoy the total experience of Sri Lanka close to the ground…get to know our outdoors, our people, take the road less traveled, and explore our favorite places barely known to tourists.
- Explore our fabulous beaches, heritage sites, National Parks, tea plantations – in a way that goes beyond the obvious and the mainstream. There is always a time of day, a different trail, detailed knowledge, a never heard of story, a keen eye, and… a helping hand that will make the mundane exceptional.
- Experience the wonder of staying in small, unique accommodation which has a special relationship with the community and the natural environment.
- Join in our conservation and community activities.
our
philosophy
When we started Back of Beyond retreats 12 years ago, we grappled with how to minimize our intervention on the natural and social environment. Our commitment has been to touch gently (www.backofbeyond.lk). Back of Beyond Travels, continues this commitment to respect and conserve the natural and social environment and heritage of Sri Lanka. We have a strong commitment to quality and care. As our guest we will respect your individuality, and create an experience that is very special to you.
When you travel with us, you can be happy that
- We follow the regulations of the country as well as our own ethical standards. For example, we will not take you on elephant rides as it is both illegal and cruel to this gentle giant; we will not by-pass ticketing and registration regulations when visiting national and heritage sites; we will not accept any commissions from sales outlets or service providers.
- All our staff are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism.
- You will be staying in places that are strongly oriented towards green responsibility; minimizing resource waste including water and energy, making use of recycled building material, is active in conservation issues such as reforestation, etc.
- The services we provide you with are directly oriented towards strengthening the local community and economy. As such, we strive to work with service providers from the immediate neighborhood, stay in smaller accommodations that are employing locals and sourcing local produce, the activities we arrange for you will involve local communities.
As our guest, we will encourage you to :
- Enjoy the total experience of Sri Lanka close to the ground…get to know our outdoors, our people, take the road less traveled, and explore our favorite places barely known to tourists.
- Explore our fabulous beaches, heritage sites, National Parks, tea plantations – in a way that goes beyond the obvious and the mainstream. There is always a time of day, a different trail, detailed knowledge, a never heard of story, a keen eye, and… a helping hand that will make the mundane exceptional.
- Experience the wonder of staying in small, unique accommodation which has a special relationship with the community and the natural environment.
- Join in our conservation and community activities.
WHY TRAVEL WITH US
The world is awash with travel companies! Of every shape and size…why would you choose to travel with us? Would you be happy to travel with us?
You will be happy travelling with us, if
- You like the convenience of ‘book and go’ but also want to do it your way!
- There are only a few of you! Couples, families, small groups of friends will like the way we operate.
- You are interested in more than tick box visits to bucket list places. We revel in the back of beyond places in Sri Lanka which are often known only to intrepid travelers. For us this includes the less known spots and details of much visited sites.
- You are more an outdoor person attracted to the idea of leaving your comfort zone.
- Staying in special places with character and comfort, excites you much more than mainstream hotels.
- For you travel also means chatting with people, experimenting with food, feeling nature and the wilderness around you, learning about what really makes Sri Lanka what it is…
- You have special interests and would like to follow them up in Sri Lanka. We believe that knowledge enhances appreciation so we offer curated visits which focus on art, architecture, archeology, nature & wildlife etc.
- Nature attracts you… the sound of a bird call, the behavior of a mother elephant, the sound of the sea crashing. Naturalists and conservationists are part of our team and will accompany you on hiking trails, bird watching, wildlife parks.
You can talk to us, about what you enjoy, what bothers you when travelling. What your special interests are, and what your special needs are. We know from experience that a great part of the fun of travel is planning it. But it can also be a terrible headache. Having a partner in that process is invaluable. We know from experience that a fine line lies between adventure and crisis, easy joy and uneasy irritation… we will ensure you are on the correct side of the line!
And of course, we hope you choose to travel with us because you agree with our philosophy and are excited about letting a group of Sri Lankans who are travelers themselves and are totally passionate about the island, show you their home.
WHY TRAVEL WITH US
The world is awash with travel companies! Of every shape and size…why would you choose to travel with us? Would you be happy to travel with us?
You will be happy travelling with us, if
- You like the convenience of ‘book and go’ but also want to do it your way!
- There are only a few of you! Couples, families, small groups of friends will like the way we operate.
- You are interested in more than tick box visits to bucket list places. We revel in the back of beyond places in Sri Lanka which are often known only to intrepid travelers. For us this includes the less known spots and details of much visited sites.
- You are more an outdoor person attracted to the idea of leaving your comfort zone.
- Staying in special places with character and comfort, excites you much more than mainstream hotels.
- For you travel also means chatting with people, experimenting with food, feeling nature and the wilderness around you, learning about what really makes Sri Lanka what it is…
- You have special interests and would like to follow them up in Sri Lanka. We believe that knowledge enhances appreciation so we offer curated visits which focus on art, architecture, archeology, nature & wildlife etc.
- Nature attracts you… the sound of a bird call, the behavior of a mother elephant, the sound of the sea crashing. Naturalists and conservationists are part of our team and will accompany you on hiking trails, bird watching, wildlife parks.
You can talk to us, about what you enjoy, what bothers you when travelling. What your special interests are, and what your special needs are. We know from experience that a great part of the fun of travel is planning it. But it can also be a terrible headache. Having a partner in that process is invaluable. We know from experience that a fine line lies between adventure and crisis, easy joy and uneasy irritation… we will ensure you are on the correct side of the line!
And of course, we hope you choose to travel with us because you agree with our philosophy and are excited about letting a group of Sri Lankans who are travelers themselves and are totally passionate about the island, show you their home.