25 trees will be planted on your behalf for every experience purchased, via our partnership with One Tree Planted.
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Overview
The best way to embrace Sri Lanka in its rich history, culture and traditions, is to go through the “Culture Week” held in Kandy. During this week we will describe the “Do’s” and “Don’ts” regarding safety, transportation, females travelling alone. Get acquainted with Buddhism, mysterious mythology behind the culture and visit a few temples including the most sacred ‘temple of the tooth’.
Enrich your experience with language sessions and be able to talk to the locals, get to know how a traditional Ayurvedic massage feels like, witness an ancient Kandyan dance performance and last but not least, get to look, smell, and taste the Sri Lankan cuisine during the cooking sessions.
Objectives
- Introduce you to Sri Lanka’s diverse geographical and cultural environment by fostering a deeper understanding of cultural similarities and differences through experiential learning in Sri Lanka and to help you develop awareness and deeper understanding of cultural differences.
Impact
Volunteer experiences have a direct and positive impact on local communities by injecting money into the local economy through the purchase of food, transportation, and tourism activities. Volunteering is a great way to give back to the comunity and make a difference in the world. Depending on the type of volunteer experience you are interested in, your time can be spent improving educational resources and opportunities, providing medical services to underserved communities, or promoting environmental conservation and sustainable farming techniques.
1% of gross sales will be donated to 1% for the Planet-approved charities via our partnership with 1% for the Planet.
See more at onepercentfortheplanet.org
Location
Kandy, Sri Lanka
Kandy, the last royal capital of Sri Lanka is a major tourist destination. About 115 km from Colombo at 465 meters above sea level. Famous for the Temple of the Tooth and many other temples the city could be called the cultural capital of the island. This bustling market town is rich in cultural diversity and has plenty to offer to the tourists from songs dances and handicrafts to ancient temples and adventure activities. Kandy was a royal capital and the last stronghold of the Kandyan kings against foreign powers, holding out against them for about 300 years. The two main Buddhist Chapters are based here and formed the last center of independent Buddhist thought during colonial times.
Itinerary
Sunday - Arrival
Bandaranayake International Airport (CMB) in our pickup window of Sunday 05:00 to 21:00
Monday
We start off the day with a welcome and introduction program and the collection of the necessary documents. A basic Language Lesson will be held thereafter. After lunch, we shall attend a cultural lesson and head out on the Kandy City tour followed by a cultural show and dinner thereafter.
Tuesday
After a good Srilankan breakfast, learn about the famous Srilankan Spices and Ayurvedic herbs in a herbal garden. Do you know what the acronym TEA stands for? And what is the national gemstone in Sri Lanka? Let’s find out when we visit a tea factory and the Gem Museum in Kandy. A soothing boat ride awaits at the beautiful Kandy lake later on.
Wednesday
A traditional Sri Lankan cooking experience awaits followed by a visit to a temple and learn a few of the Buddhist religious rituals practised by Srilankans and to practice meditation to soothe and calm your spirit and soul.
Thursday
We start off early today with an early morning visit to a family practising traditional Batik painting. Have a fun-filled, creative workshop/lesson, challenge your creative side into producing an original Batik design of your own, or to try to master the detail of a traditional one. Work with vibrant colours, techniques, tools and dyes. Followed by lunch with the family, thereafter we visit the sacred ‘Temple of the tooth’.
Friday
Today we visit a sacred temple in a small forest and a holy Hindu temple thereafter. An Indian lunch awaits you in the city followed by a relaxing Ayurvedic massage later on.
Saturday - Departure
Leave the accommodation Saturday morning. Take a bus or taxi to the airport (4 hours) for earliest flights Saturday Night
Inclusions
- Shared Accomodation
- All meals included
- Free beverages
- Arrival Transfer (included with 2 wk+ trips)
- Wifi in public areas
- Departure Transfer
Options
More Information
Requirements
- minimum english levelBasic
- CRB RequiredOn signup
- passport copy requiredOn signup
- resume copy requiredNo
Other Requirements
- Participants below 18 should have the parental consent letter and participants above 65 should produce medical clearance
- Hiking Shoes
- Tidy clean clothes for temple visits
Food
You will be provided with three meals a day on weekdays and two meals per day on weekends. The meals are a mix of Western and Sri Lankan food, consisting mainly of vegetarian dishes including rice and vegetables. You can also eat out at any of the local restaurants.
Accommodation
You will be accommodated in one of our centers which are located 2-4 kilometers away from Kandy center. Furthermore, there is a refrigerator which you are welcome to use to store food and beverages.
