Wednesday, September 12, 2012

The Rainforest Ecolodge, Deniyaya

Last weekend I was lucky enough to be hosted at The Rainforest Ecolodge, a project that has been undertaken by a number of private sector companies in the leisure industry, including Walkers Tours. The sprawling property sits atop a tall mountain, 1000 metres above sea level.

The ascent to the Ecolodge is quite steep and winding, but is well worth the slight dizzy sensation you might feel once you reach the top! My first impression was that the view was absolutely breathtaking. The air is crisp and fresh, with pleasant gusts of cool wind greeting you. It can get quite chilly, especially at night. Upon entering the main building, you are heralded with the most magnificent view of the property and the tea plantation sprawling before us. If you look beyond the tea bushes you will be able to see thickets of the Sinharajah rainforest encircling the property.


View of the property and the surrounding rainforest

We were taken on an invigorating trek through the rainforest, where we saw many colourful endemic flowers and trees. The trek lead us across tiny streams to a large area of flat plain that gave way to the most spectacular views of the valley that surrounded us. For a first time trekker like myself, I was astounded by the lush greenery that enveloped me. The naturalists were ever ready to assist us with any questions and geared up to scare away leeches with spray cans full of Dettol!

On our trek

Mist covered mountains


Getting doused with Dettol

Attractive leech socks!

The property houses 16 chalets that line the sides of the tea plantation. What is truly unique about the chalets is that they are built on an incline, which enables one to be at eye-level with the canopy of the surrounding rainforest, each one presenting a different perspective from the ground up.

The Rainforest Ecolodge stands true to its mantra of being environmentally friendly as well as practicing sustainable tourism. Every single detail has been carefully constructed to mirror the property’s pledge. For example, each chalet is an old shipping container that has been re-designed to create a surprisingly plush deluxe room. None of the chalets are air-conditioned neither do they have any fans, but gusts of heady wind are bound to keep you cool all day long and therefore such amenities become dispensable. We were all impressed when we caught sight of the head chef walking around the property collecting fresh produce grown in the garden for our lunch. What’s even more impressive is the work that The Rainforest Ecolodge has done for the surrounding community. An outreach programme was initiated to enrich and develop the quality of lives of the surrounding community who lived in squalor, prior to the help provided. The communities have now been equipped with new homes, a crèche, health clinic and school.


Glass bottles and No Smoking sinage

Inside the shipping container!

Local children at the Child Development Centre

It struck me that the entire tourism industry, competitive though it may be, had come together to create such a unique project. With sustainable tourism at its core, I was convinced that everyone who worked at the property was genuinely committed to enhancing the lives of the local community whilst also providing clients with a luxurious, eco-friendly stay.

All in all we had a pleasant stay at The Rainforest Ecolodge. The food was delicious (especially the Sri Lankan meals), the staff were hospitable and I cannot forget the best part about the property – the spectacular verdant scenery.


Photo credit - Ms. Annelie Wambeek

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Congratulations to our team at Walkers Tours!

Walkers Tours won an astounding six awards at the Sri Lanka Tourism Awards held on the 30th of August 2012. The Company managed to clinch the hotly contested award for the ‘Best Inbound Tour Operator (large category)’. Displaying our strength at multiple channel promotion, Walkers Tours also won the award for the ‘Best Destination Promotion Website’.
The secret to our success lies in the fact that we have a team of innovative and dynamic professionals across all levels of the Company. The fact that four of our national guide and chauffeur guide lecturers won awards for excellence in service is testament to this fact. Below are a couple of pictures of the event.




Mr. Vasantha Leelananda (EVP & Sector Head of Leisure Inbound) recieving the trophy for Best Inbound Tour Operator


Mr. Umeshi De Fonseka, Head of Leisure Inbound IT recieving the award for Best Destination Promotion Website 


Mr. Aloy Diaz - Most Outsanding National Guide Lecturer

Mr. Nalaka Pallipana - Most Oustanding National Guide Lecturer - Nature

Mr. Ajith Wijesinghe - Best Chauffeur Guide Lecturer - Culture & Heritage


Mr. Ranjith Sudasinghe - Best Chauffeur Guide Lecturer





The entire John Keells Leisure Group (City Hotels, Resort Hotels and Destination Management Companies) won 12 key awards at the Sri Lanka Tourism Awards, the largest haul of awards won by a single company.