JB Pathi Tours

Tikalanka Tours developed from JB Pathi Tours, which started independent tours of Sri Lanka in 2000. With an increasing number of foreign tourists choosing to travel to Sri Lanka, JB Pathi Tours was encouraged to expand its business with the launch of the online tour operator, Tikalanka Tours, in 2004. Since then, Tikalanka Tours has extended its interests to the Maldives.

For more background to our beginnings, please read the Feedback and Travelogues from previous customers below.

There are strange tales about Adam's Peak, the second highest mountain of Sri Lanka, some 7000 feet above sea level. Such is the tolerance of religions that each has its' own story and belief. The Muslims say the footprint at the summit is that of Adam. The Hindus believe it is a footprint of the God Shiva and the Buddhists state that it is the footprint of the 35ft tall Buddha who placed one foot on top of the summit and placed the other in Thailand. (Mighty long legs here I think!). However, all are happy to believe what they must and the result is a pilgrimage season where thousands of pilgrims climb the conical mountain that stands out from the surrounding mountains like an eroded volcanic plug.

We set off at midday from Kandy in order to see the countryside - lush hills, full of tea plantations, and signs relating to the old colonial days. The roads were last serviced in the colonial days so the going was slow. We passed one bus that didn't make a bend. It had landed on a typical tin-roofed, breezeblock-built house in the valley. Quite a shock for the house owners, I guess, and an even bigger shock for the passengers, no doubt. We made it to the hotel and settled into good rooms, and with an excellent curry, we watched the sun set over the impressive mountain. The lights guiding the walk became more prominent as the dark increased and they disappeared into nothingness in the night sky, the road to heaven!

We started out at 03.00 hours to time our walk to meet the dawn at the top. Five thousand uneven steps. No problem for me, I thought. To be honest it was quite a struggle. Five thousand steps in three hours. I lagged behind the youngsters a little, but with frequent stops and the odd cup of tea, I made it in good time. Families were coming down and others were going up, it was spiritually invigorating and physically knackering. The route was lined with refreshment stalls and souvenir stands. It was nice not to be hassled except for monks who were targeting people for money - sad. The early start was worthwhile. The dawn came with clear skies and we watched in awe at the breathtaking scenery altering by the minute as the sun rose over the horizon - something that will stay in my mind forever. The crowds descended and we stayed to admire the view. The shadow of the mountain displayed itself over the neighbouring hills in the form of a triangle. We could have tolled the bell once to indicate our first ascent but services were being held. Now to go down…

5000, 4999, 4998 and my knees were going and my calves were aching…2500 and I fell down. Up at once like a boxer stunned by a punch, no injury here. After 2000 steps I sat down - a mistake, this, as I found my legs so heavy that I could not lift them. Others were in a worse state than me, so off I went, no stopping now, I dare not. Pathi stopped to see how I was, and it was then that I realised that he was struggling more than I was! With ego boosted, I made the last 3 km and arrived at the hotel for showers and a late breakfast (curry, of course!).

An almighty bang made us move. The jeep that was outside drove off straight over the cliff and crashed some 100ft down. John shouted at me to get the manager who could speak English. A waste of time, this proved, as he was driving the jeep! The waiter stayed in the jeep all the way down and walked out of the wreck into the river. The passenger was thrown out and cut his head and the driver had back injuries, not too severe as it turned out. A little shaken, we drove off towards Ella for a few days' rest. And did I need it?!

John M, England, February 2004

A Monk's Tale

The small island country of Sri Lanka is a colourful mixture of religion, culture, race and geography - the meeting place of old and new. It is where I have come to continue my education.

I am a Buddhist monk from Burma (Myanmar). When I arrived in Sri Lanka, I was taken sightseeing around the country by Tikalanka Tours. Actually the landscape is not much different from my country, but there is a natural wealth of beauty in Sri Lanka, where you can see green forests and tea plantations, and the majority of houses are cottages on both sides of the road. It was absolutely wonderful for me to see such sights. I especially liked the Nuwara Eliya area as it is a beautiful place - some say it is like a "Little England".

The natural beauty of the country is not the only attraction of Sri Lanka, as there are ancient religious cities full of temples, dagobas and ancient palaces as well. As an example, I would like to tell you about a wonderful palace, the rock citadel of Sigiriya. It reminds us of an ancient royal hideaway, a citadel steeped in history, replete with legend, betrayal and love. Moreover, Sigiriya is the subject of fascination and wonder for both locals and foreigners alike. Climbing Sigiriya was also an enjoyable and enthralling experience for me.

After visiting Sigiriya, we continued on to Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura, where there are many interesting places to see around both areas. But I was most interested in the sacred Bo Tree at Anuradhapura. This is the oldest living tree in existence, documented in historical texts. Nowadays it is a very popular site and pilgrims come from all parts of the Buddhist world to visit it.

The last interesting place I visited on my trip was Sri Pada (Adam's Peak), which is 7360 feet (2240 m) above sea level. When I was climbing, it was absolutely wonderful to see Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Muslims paying their respects at the same sacred place. However, it was also an interesting climb and an exciting experience for me. I have never experienced such a trip of this kind in my life.

As I had such a good time, I recommend that you come and see the real nature of the island. Wherever you go you'll find the traditional welcome, "Ayubowan" - may you live long.

Ashin Sobhana, Burma, February 2003

Elephants and Leopards and Bears, Oh My!

We left Ella in the morning, drove down from the mountains to the plain below, and visited an important Hindu temple at Kataragama, where we were blessed by the Priest and gave him some food for the needy. We journeyed on to Tissamaharama (Tissa) where we had lunch. In the afternoon we were taken in a long-wheel based Land Rover to Yala West National Park. My wife and I are keen bird-watchers and we were delighted to find that an abundance of bird-life as we travelled along the road.

At the entrance to Yala West we picked up a National Park game ranger, which is a compulsory regulation. Fortunately for us, both he and our driver/guide were knowledgeable bird spotters, which was a real bonus. The National Park is large and fortunately retains a natural atmosphere, as the roads have not been asphalted. Both the ranger and our driver/guide knew where we would be able to observe most of the wildlife at close quarters, which made photography, both video and still, an easy task. An important advantage we had over the larger tourist package visitors was that we were a party of four, whereas most of the latter consisted of large groups, packed into a safari vehicle and having to fight to achieve a good position for photography.

We were particularly fortunate to see many examples of life in the wild. We stopped beside a small water hole where we saw a black-necked ibis devouring a frog with obvious relish. Nearby a female peahen crossed our track shepherding three chicks to safety. A short distance along the same track we came upon a large monitor lizard skulking in a ditch and in the bushes beyond a mongoose that was making itself scarce! In any large pool of water there were herds of elephant and water buffalo browsing, and even a large crocodile could be seen sunning itself beside a pool.

The wildlife felt so secure in their own environment that they ignored the vehicle, enabling us to approach close enough to take good photos of them in their natural habitat. Even the elephants made no attempt to challenge us.

The bird-life was fantastic, as birds abounded throughout the park. Highly coloured, fluorescent green bee-eaters posed on twigs beside the vehicle, as did a shrike. Beside the water a variety of storks, including the rarer painted variety, Indian divers and cormorants could be seen as well as a selection of wading birds, including grey and marsh herons, stilts and a variety plovers, including the ringed and grey.

As we started our safari I had asked the guides to find a hoopoe, a rare sight in England. As we drove out of the Park at dusk I had hardly mentioned that they had failed to produce one for me, when, lo and behold, there was one right in front of us, scratching around in the dust. What an end to our safari! In fact, it did not end there, as we were able to see many more birds flying beside us or beginning to roost for the night as we drove back to the Tissa Inn for the night. However, we didn't manage to spot the elusive leopard, unfortunately, but may be we will be luckier next time…

We had lived in East Africa in the 1960's when we were able to enjoy wildlife in a relatively unspoilt environment before the emergence of package tours and the inevitable paving of Park roads. Our safari in Yala West National Park compared very favourably with our previous experiences in East Africa and is highly recommended.

Tony & Pam, England, March 2001

Sigiriya - Between a Rock and a Lion's Place

The bunker is the last refuge of the despot. Sigiriya is such a bunker; not the subterranean labyrinth, constructed in haste with rudimentary fitments and hidey-holes, but rather a lavishly appointed penthouse, perched atop a rock and evolved over a decade by Prince Kasyapa, during which time the luxurious trappings of a palace, rather than a fortress, accreted.

Arrive before dawn, before others, accompanied by the whooping and hooting creatures of the dark jungle, threading through sunken water gardens that lead to the "Lion Rock", looming out of the twilight before you. Ascend on ancient rock-hewn steps, passing though galleries decorated with impossibly pneumatic damsels and a terrace with vestiges of colossal, leonine-themed statuary. The summit is gained via steep, winding, single file stairs (no stiletto heels, please). You will be first to the top and the grey dawn twilight casts the foundations of the palaces' many chambers into silhouette. The sun rises revealing pockets of mist that hang in the jungle like huge spider webs, and the birds proclaim the new day with their raucous calls. The complex is extensive, with water tanks and bathing pools, and you can explore at leisure. But what will lodge in the memory are the views - witnessed by you alone - of the jungle beneath and hills beyond, whose appearance dramatically alters by the moment as the light changes with the rising sun.

It soon gets hot at Sigiriya. Those visitors stealing an extra hour in bed pay a price, having to gain the summit in rising heat and humidity. Descending, you will smugly pass these puffing, labouring, red-faced forms and look forward to a refreshingly cool drink and a leisurely breakfast. And as you leave, reflect upon the fate of Prince Kasyapa who, on his battle elephant, boldly followed the same route to meet his fate at the hands of his avenging brother, departing his extraordinary confection of citadel and pleasure-palace for the last time.

Keith, England, February 2001 & December 2003

Sri Lankan Travels

I have travelled quite a lot in South East Asia, but the trip I'll tell you about is my second visit to Sri Lanka. On my previous visit it wasn't possible to see much of the island because of the internal troubles in the country. Therefore I was looking forward so much to seeing the treasures of this small but amazing island.

What a good choice to go to Kandy and meet up with John, who is now running Tikalanka Tours. It was a great experience to see the cave temples at Dambulla, the palace on Sigiriya rock in the mist of the morning, and the ancient city of Polonnaruwa in the sunset. We drove around in our own vehicle with the guide, Mr Pathi, who was very friendly and welcoming all the way through my trip. Funny to see how the different religions have had their influence through time here.

Later we drove south to follow the pilgrimage trail to sacred Adam's Peak. We climbed the mountain for 3 hours in darkness in order to be on the top by sunrise. Walking up with so many pilgrims was an experience in itself - but seeing the sunrise beat it all. I took lots of photos trying to capture the beauty of the light at sunrise. It was a unique experience that I'll never forget.

From Adam's Peak we continued on to Ella - last stop before the lowlands. Such a relaxing and quiet spot, and with only a few tourists. We only went for a short walk to Little Adam's Peak...my legs were sore so it was a good choice. I really enjoyed it, though.

We then headed further south down to the lowlands at Tissa near Yala West National Park. WOW, another breathtaking story. So many different animals I may have seen before but never knew the name of, and then to have seen them in the wilderness so close-up - truly amazing. I guess I was lucky as well being with John, who was very interested in the bird-life and animals, and the local guide was a really good one, too. We spotted 16 elephants all together, more than 20 different species of birds, crocodiles, iguanas and an elk. I was amazed - and still am.

After such great experiences we went to visit Pathi's family in their village, which is between the south coast and Sinharaja. They were so loving and giving. They made us a wonderful traditional meal - best one I've had - and the young guys took us for a little walk in the jungle. I played carrom with the boys afterwards and, being gifted with the luck of a beginner, I won...they were very surprised - and I guess I was as well.

I can only say that my days travelling with Tikalanka Tours were like a holiday in my 7-month travel. I saw so much in such a short time and in such a comfortable way that I'll never forget it.

Thanks.

Mie, Denmark, February 2004