2-days MARKET-TO-TABLE Food-Safari
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This 2-day culinary tour can only be arranged on weekends or during school holidays or if the second day of the tour falls on a public holiday in Sri Lanka. The tour suitable for adults is also highly recommended for families travelling with children. |
Our 2-day Galle food safari in a car, visiting a lady teacher's house,
starting from Galle or Hikkaduwa,
include visits of a cinnamon and a tea garden, a visit of a school for private classes,
tasting fresh coconut and local snacks,
and a cooking demonstration or cooking class in a private house,
preparing local cuisine of southern Sri Lanka.
A special highlight is that you not only taste buffalo curd
but will visit a buffalo farm to see the processing.
High Tea will be served on the first day in the private house and spice garden of the teacher.
Dinner will be served on the second day in the same house.
The tour costs include all transports and visits,
welcome drinks, the meal, beverages, tea with snacks, fresh fruits.
starting from Galle or Hikkaduwa,
include visits of a cinnamon and a tea garden, a visit of a school for private classes,
tasting fresh coconut and local snacks,
and a cooking demonstration or cooking class in a private house,
preparing local cuisine of southern Sri Lanka.
A special highlight is that you not only taste buffalo curd
but will visit a buffalo farm to see the processing.
High Tea will be served on the first day in the private house and spice garden of the teacher.
Dinner will be served on the second day in the same house.
The tour costs include all transports and visits,
welcome drinks, the meal, beverages, tea with snacks, fresh fruits.
Curd is an art, enjoy more than tasting: An estimated 60% of guests traveling in Sri Lanka taste buffalo curd, and most are captivated by its flavour. However, very few tourists have the opportunity to witness the curd production process firsthand. This two-day culinary itinerary offers a unique chance to observe the production process and, on the following day, enjoy tasting the curd you saw being prepared. |
Animal Welfare Farming: The buffalo milk farming family visited on this tour raises their cows in a natural way, allowing them to roam freely in a public forest, where they graze on natural vegetation without being fed additional food. The farmer guides the buffalo cows to the forest for grazing and brings the females back to the farm for milking, which takes place before sunrise. If there are baby buffaloes, he allows the mother buffalo to spend three days in the forest without milking. |
Local Food of Southern Sri Lanka - 2-days Tour Itinerary
Day 01
begins around 2:30 PM or 3:00 PM in Galle or Hikkaduwa. The tour starts with a visit to a buffalo curd processing facility, where you’ll observe the preparation process, which takes 24 hours to complete. While tasting is not available on this day, your curd will be ready to try the following day. Next, visit a toddy-producing house to see the toddy palm tree and receive an explanation of the tapping process. If toddy is available, you are welcome to taste it (for adults only, as it contains 12% ABV. The alcohol is produced by the tree, not destilled.) The toddy is typically bottled for consumption. Additionally, you will witness how jaggery is processed; if available, you can taste it and purchase 200 to 500 grams as a recommended treat. Around 5:00 to 6:00 PM, enjoy a delightful Late High Tea in a private garden setting, featuring: - Plain hoppers - Egg hoppers - Fried rolls - A slice of butter cake - A slice of chocolate cake - Sweet sesame fingers made with local jaggery - Traditional triangle vegetable roti The tea served includes Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings (BOPF), the characteristic variant of this region, with warmed milk on the side. On request, you can opt for Sri Lankan milk tea with ginger or a herbal spiced tea infused with cinnamon, cardamom, and clove. End the high tea experience with a taste of Sri Lankan coconut arrack (35% ABV). The first day's tour concludes around 7:00 to 8:00 PM with drop-off at your hotel. See you tomorrow morning, when we meet again. day 02 Pick-up from your hotel in or near Galle or Hikkaduwa is scheduled around 10:00 AM. (Pick-up can also be arranged for hotels located in Unawatuna or Ginthota.) This specially curated weekend and bank holiday itinerary, suitable for everyone but especially for families with children, starts with an enchanting morning experience of swimming with turtles at Hikkaduwa Beach. Village Tour Highlights: After your swim, the journey continues with a scenic village tour. You will travel along the serene riverbanks to visit a cinnamon garden and a tea plantation. Upon arrival at the teacher's home again, you'll be warmly welcomed with a tea-tasting session featuring freshly plucked low-grown green or black tea from local production. Complementing the tea are delightful snacks, including local short eats, spring rolls, traditional coconut cake, and jaggery-based sweets. The snacks served in the house are home-made and therefore less fatty than the usual Sri Lankan street food. The village tour resumes with a visit to the local vegetable market and fish stalls, where you can personally select ingredients for dinner. (Note: On Poya Days, fish markets are closed, so fish will be pre-purchased.) Host and Family: Your host, Niroshani, is a dedicated government school teacher at a nearby college. She resides with her two children, born in 2009 and 2011, and her elderly mother, who is over 80 years old. Adjacent to their home is a small private school providing free education to underprivileged children. During your visit, you may have the opportunity to meet some of these students. Children's Activities: Weather permitting, children in your group can enjoy hands-on clay crafting sessions, guided by the host's son and daughter. Traditional games such as Carrom or Sri Lankan Dame will also be available, with instructions provided by the children of the house. Additionally, your children can learn to write their names in Sinhala characters at the attached school. Private Garden Experience: The family’s one-hectare garden, brimming with spices and tea plants, offers a tranquil view of the River Gin. It’s an ideal spot to relax with a refreshing drink. Cooking and Dinner: Before dinner, you may sample freshly tapped treacle toddy, if available. As the sun sets, join in the culinary experience by participating in or observing a cooking demonstration in the spacious family kitchen. Dinner will be served on the verandah, overlooking the lush spice and tea garden. The menu includes six delectable curries, highlighted by Baddegama Ambulthiyal Fish Curry, a regional specialty. These are accompanied by pink or red rice grown in the family’s garden (white rice is available upon request), Pol Roti (coconut bread), Papadam, and Pol Sambol. For dessert, enjoy an assortment of fresh local fruits — pineapple, bananas, and watermelon -- paired with buffalo curd from a neighbouring farm, drizzled with treacle honey. Beverages include bottled water, ginger beer, and one Sri Lankan Lion Beer per person. As a special treat,the teacher's husband will demonstrate how to mix coconut arrack with ginger beer. This private dinner and food tour concludes around 9:00 or 10:00 PM, leaving you with culinary memories of Sri Lankan hospitality and culture. 350,- US$ for a single person
650,- US$ for a couple (= 200,- US$ per person) 250,- US$ for each additional adult 200,- US$ for one child below 12 years Please note: This 2-day culinary tour can only be arranged on weekends or during school holidays or if the second day of the tour falls on a public holiday in Sri Lanka. This culinary tour must be booked at least 72 hours prior to tour start, because the farmer providing the curd must be informed to milk the cow in the morning and to keep it till arrival. The availability of buffalo milk for curd is not certain, as it depends on the numbers of orders by other clients. This can result in a shortage particularly on festival days. To ensure you can fully enjoy this part of the itinerary, we recommend booking the tour as early as possible, allowing us to place your order for the curd among the first. After enjoying this culinary experience, if you found it authentic and felt genuinely welcomed, we kindly ask if you would consider sharing a selection of the photos you took during your trip, along with permission to publish them.
Please note that the founder and CEO of Lanka Excursions Holidays, Mr. Nuwan Gajanayaka, who also personally works as an islandwide licensed driver guide (English and Italian speaking), is the brother of the hosting teacher. Leave a review on our company website or on our tripadvisor page. The latest possible booking deadline is
72 hours prior to the start of this food tour. Those interested travellers who have only come across our offer within 72 hours before the scheduled start of this culinary tour are invited to contact us by hotline or whatsapp number +94 71 609 7795 to discuss whether a last-minute arrangement can still be accommodated. Payment Policy We kindly request the following payment schedule: 1. Advance Payment: A deposit of 20% of the tour costs is to be paid upon confirmation. 2. Balance Payment: The remaining 80% of the tour price is due 72 hours prior to the start of the tour. If the booking is made within 72 hours of the scheduled time, a payment of 100% of the tour price is due immediately. Please let us know your preferred payment method from the options below: option 1: Online Payment You can pay securely using a credit card (Visa, or MasterCard) on our online payment gateway, but in this case 4% or the tour costs have to be charged additionally to cover card fees. Log-in details for the payment gateway will be sent to you upon confirmation. option 2: Wire Transfer For bank transfers, please ensure that all international bank charges are covered by the sender. (E&OE Invoice) Cancellation and No-Show policy • In case of cancelling after the confirmation: 20% will be charged • In case of cancelling less than 72 hours prior to arrival: 100% will be charged • In case of no-show: 100% will be charged Unless stated otherwise above, our general terms and conditions apply. |
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