AYU MEANS ‘LIFE’, IN SANSKRIT
“Long before we launched Ayu in the Wild in 2012, we explored our island discovering extraordinary places and building friendships with fascinating locals.
Those relationships became the foundations of Ayu.
Today, our experiential network of writers and farmers, to naturalists, anthropologists, craftspeople and local entrepreneurs allow a personal way for guests to experience an island famously known as Ceylon.
We are 100% Sri Lankan, women-led, owner-managed and deliberately boutique. And we intentionally limit the number of trips we take on so that every Sri Lanka itinerary gets the attention to detail and local knowledge from a team who know our island best..”
Chamintha Jayasinghe, Co-Founder
who we create trips for
For curious, well-travelled, discerning guests who want to understand a place as well as enjoy it. Tell us what fascinates you, from wildlife and farm to table food to guided walks, architecture, art or conservation, and we’ll use our knowledge and relationships to create your trip around it. Scroll down for snippets of our experiences.
LUXURY TRAVEL WITH A POSITIVE IMPACT
We started Ayu in the Wild because we believed we could create exceptional holidays and make a difference to peoples lives at the same time.
How Impact Happens
Our experiences create income for local hosts, underprivileged households and micro-entrepreneurs. Our tourism revenue helps fund Classroom in the Wild. We support local conservation work and are very clear about the wildlife experiences we will not support, including elephant-back safaris and interactions with captive wild animals.
Impact is Built into our Trips
55+ unique local experiences
200+ local beneficiaries
1% to 3% of annual trip revenue supports specific home-grown impact initiatives
Since 2014 Classroom in the Wild - a spoken English initiative in a rural village
Positive impact has always been part of how we work - read more.
The Long Run
Ayu in the Wild is Sri Lanka’s only DMC member of The Long Run, a global community of tourism businesses committed to protecting nature and ensuring tourism benefits local communities and the culture of each destination. For guests who care about the effect their holiday has on the place they visit, this means positive impact is built into the way we create trips rather than added on afterwards.
ABOUT US
DESTINATION
SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL
WILDLIFE SAFARIS AND BIRDWATCHING
TRADE PORTAL
CONTACT and support our INITIATIVES
THIS IS THE SRI LANKA, WE WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU
I am 103 rivers flowing through beautiful rural villages.
I am the watersheds of Adams Peak, of Horton Plains and the Ceylon Tea mountains.
I am the leopard and langurs on the wild dunes of Yala.
I am the farmlands of rice-paddies and Cinnamon that ignite your senses.
I am the oceans for whale watching and rainforests for endemics.
I am the slow life of artisans; of elephant corridors and little hamlets.
I am the warm-hearted Sri Lankans, inheritors of a cultural triangle, centuries old.
I am a biodiversity hotspot. An Indian Ocean island, warm all year.
REVIEWS
“…Everything is perfect with this trip... it is the best ever since 2001 when I started organising these cultural journeys. All of your work is very delicate and every detail is meaningful. I wish I could find you around the world in all our future trips..”
- Director of an International Network on Culture, in Europe
“…We cannot recommend Chamintha and the team at Ayu in the Wild high enough. Fabulous trip for 2 mums and 3 kids! Living in South Africa we have been fortunate to experience many safaris and eco-tourism destinations. When I asked for the same style of fun, interactive, connecting, real, authentic and enriching travel experiences in Sri Lanka I was not sure what we would get. But we had the most exceptional trip which was soulful and life enriching for our children and for us as mothers…”
- Suzanne Bayly, MD, Classic Portfolio
“…Ayu in the Wild’ is a gem of a company…We are confident putting clients in the hands of Chamintha and her team. They are professional and responsive. We look for companies that align with our dedication to delivering journeys that are not just sustainable on paper but also beneficial for the local communities involved and ‘Ayu in the Wild’ go way beyond ticking all the boxes! They listen carefully to our needs and proactively put together itineraries that are truly bespoke. They then deliver all the details with meticulous attention. They are quick to respond with itinerary proposals which are seamless and outstandingly authentic. Each trip is completely bespoke with unique and exclusive experiences that are immersive and off beat whilst also enabling guests to enjoy the best highlights of Sri Lanka. Working with Ayu in the Wild, enables us to achieve our wider aim of connecting our guests to the bigger picture and to deliver journeys that make a true difference to all those involved.…”
- Founder of a Tour Operator specialising in Sustainability Sabbaticals, Film Shoots, Slow Journeys & Climate Collaborations - UK
© Brian Harrisburg
Experiences in sri lanka
Many of the experiences we create started with someone we knew, a conversation we had or an idea we thought our guests would love. See below just three examples of how our trips grow from those relationships and from the interests of the people travelling with us.
Hands behind Sri Lankan traditions
Meet simple rural artisans in Sri Lanka: like the tsunami survivor whose skill and story offer a very personal introduction to one of our island’s traditional crafts.
Into the Wild
Explore one of the world’s great biodiversity hotspots with Ayu’s Naturalist-Guides, whose knowledge of Sri Lanka’s wildlife and ecosystems goes far beyond what you see on safari.
Colombo through a different lens
Explore two contrasting sides of the capital alongside an award-winning Sri Lankan writer, getting to know the stories, art and inner city demographic, through her voice.