Curated Local Experiences in Sri Lanka
by Serendipity Experiences
Explore
Sri Lankan Hills
MOKE AROUND KANDY
Discover Kandy in style with a 4-5 hour vintage car tour, starting at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya. Begin with a stroll through the stunning gardens, then head to Kandy View Point for panoramic city views. Visit the bustling Kandy Market and explore a private gem museum to learn about Sri Lanka’s gem history. Enjoy a scenic drive around Kandy Lake and the city center, followed by a relaxing drink at a members-only bar or the historic Royal Bar. Optionally, complete your experience with lunch at the whimsical Helga’s Folly.
ADVENTURE OF THE LOST BEANS
Way before Sri Lanka was known for Ceylon tea, this island was number 1 for commercial coffee growing. The humid rainforests and central highlands made for perfect growing conditions of high-quality Arabica beans. Ceylon coffee played a significant part in the old Dutch East Indian company. The early 19th century saw the demise of this crash crop, due to a disease known as the leaf rust disease that brought Ceylon coffee to a halt. A hundred years passed during which these plants were pushed back to the rainforests until the early 90s when the concept of specialty coffee was introduced to the world and coffee explorers went in search of these lost Arabica beans. Hansa Coffee, one of the first specialty coffee producers in the island, roasted these beans and took them to coffee conventions, which tasted the emergence of new taste profiles, It was discovered that natural mutations in the rainforests for hundred years caused new gene makeupsthat led to new taste profiles. The 21st -century Sri Lankan coffee boom is still in its early years.This experience takes you on a tour of these very rainforests and the different types of coffee beans that freely grow. The host has a background in organic farming and a deep love for coffee. Learn about the stories of these lost beans while enjoying these breathtaking rainforests. Conclude the excursion with a coffee tasting of different roasts from different roasters of these lost beans.
DISHES FROM THE MANOR
Kandy, tucked away in the central hills of the island, was the last kingdom of Sri Lanka. It is known to be the final refuge of life before and during colonization. Along line of prominent Aristocrats, leaders, Planters, artisans, and sportsmen have deep-seated roots in the history and heritage of Kandy. This authentic culinary affair revolves around one such family. This experience begins at their family manor, where guests get an exclusive insight into this vibrant home and garden. At the foothills of the manor are acres of paddy land, an indication of the fertile land the manor stands. Guests begin by harvesting and foraging for fresh seasonal produce from the family farm and then help traditionally prepare family-favorite authentic dishes. Learn about the family history and recipes, while you dine in a mouthwatering meal, savoring the ambiance. The host, a cuisinier learned from generations of women like herself is not only a custodian of these old family recipes but an innovator not afraid to create something new. Her insightful knowledge and graceful attitude will make you feel right at home.
AN EVENING AT A COFFEE ROASTERY
Coffee, the world’s most popular beverage was first commercially grown in Colonial Ceylon. In fact there are more years of coffee growing in the country than tea. The humid rainforests of Sri Lanka made for some of the highest quality coffee to grow and was the go-to cash crop for the Dutch East Indian company. After coffee production peaked in the late 18th century, it all came to a halt due to a disease that wiped out the whole industry. More than 200 years later, the coffee bushes that were exiled to the rainforest have slowly been making a comeback. This experience revolves around a personality and business that pioneered the resurgence of these delicious beans. This is the story of the Island’s first specialty coffee brand that has educated and advocated for high-quality coffee production through the conservation of our ecosystem. Take a tour through the old tea bungalow turned coffee roastry and learn about the pain-staking process to make some the world’s best coffee. Meet the faces that run this fully female-operated business while you enjoy an evening of tasting the various roasts produced by this ethical enterprise
THE SERENDIB CHOCOLATE STORY
Cocoa or “food of the Gods” as it was known during the Mayan empire is one of the island’s best shade-grown crops. Introduced during the early parts of the 18th century from Central America, the clay loam fertile soil of Ceylon made for the highest quality of Cocoa to be grown. This experience centers around an artisan chocolate producer tucked away in the central highlands of the Island. Their goal is to produce premium dark chocolate from the highest quality beans. Dark chocolate, cocoa nibs, and chocolate truffles are a few of the products that are produced out of cocoa and coconut sugar. The host is a farmer and conservationist that grows and endorses produce that helps build up the eco system in the country. Cocoa is one such shade-grown, forest-loving product in Sri Lanka. Tour this old tea bungalow turned chocolate factory and learn about the philosophy of the business while you consume you delicious chocolate to your belly’s content.
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