Our Story
Some people travel to check places off a list. We travel to feel something.
We are Dithmi and Sathis. We have spent years walking the wild edges of Sri Lanka – not as tourists passing through, but as students of the land. We have stood on the misty plains of Horton Plains at sunrise, felt the cool silence of Ohiya settle around us, watched leopards move through the golden light of Yala, and listened to the forest breathe in Knuckles.
We know the island differently. Not from guidebooks – from the road itself. The right seasons. The guides who know the forest better than they know their own homes. The hidden corners where the crowds never go.
Every field visit, every road trip, every sunrise and sunset shaped how we see Sri Lanka – and how we want others to see it too.
The Uncommon Route was built on that understanding. We are not interested in being the biggest. We are interested in creating journeys that stay with you – not because you saw everything, but because you felt something real.
If that sounds like the kind of travel you are looking for, we would love to hear from you.
Meet The Team
Dithmi Jayawardhana
Founder
Dithmi holds a degree in Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management from NSBM Green University, affiliated with the University of Plymouth, UK. She is drawn to the wild – leopards, misty mountains, and the kind of silence that only exists in nature. She believes travel should leave you different than you arrived.
What moves her: The patience of a leopard in golden light. The stillness of a forest at dawn. The way a landscape can change you without asking permission.
One moment that stays: Sitting in silence at Horton Plains, watching the mist rise over World’s End, knowing some places can only be felt
Sathis Samuditha
Co-Founder
Sathis is also pursuing the same degree, with additional training in WEST Level 01 and bartending. His heart belongs to the cool highlands – the open roads, the smell of fresh tea leaves, the calm that settles over the hills when the mist rolls in. He believes hospitality is not about service – it is about making people feel truly welcome.
What moves her: Cold mornings in the hills. The stillness of a mountain landscape. The quiet conversations that happen when the world slows down.
One moment that stays: Standing in the cool mist of Ohiya, feeling the stillness of the mountains, and knowing this is where he belongs.
Our Impact
Conservation. Community. Proof.
Every booking changes something. We show you what.
Impact is not an add-on at The Uncommon Route. It is the reason the company was started. A fair share from every booking goes directly to two areas: conservation and community wellbeing in Sri Lanka. Our guests choose where their contribution goes. When they return home, they receive proof.
Where the Contribution Goes?
Conservation
- Conservation support is directed towards the landscapes and species that make Sri Lanka exceptional: forest systems, coastal habitats, wildlife corridors and the field work that helps protect them.
- Forest and wildlife habitat restoration.
- Beach and coastal cleanup programmes.
- Wildlife monitoring and anti-poaching support.
- Partnerships with eco-lodges and operators that fund park conservation directly.
Community Wellbeing
- Community support is directed towards the people who keep these journeys possible: village families, schoolchildren, women’s livelihood groups, local guides, drivers and specialist partners.
- Village education and school support.
- Women’s livelihood programmes.
- Local healthcare access.
- Fair wages and working conditions for all local guides, drivers and partners.
You Choose?
When you book with The Uncommon Route, you decide where your contribution goes. Conservation. Community. Or a split between both. The choice is captured at booking stage and carried through into your Certificate of Contribution.
The Certificate of Contribution
After your journey, you receive a Certificate of Contribution. It includes the amount contributed, where it went, the split chosen, photographs from the project it supported and the names of the people or places it reached where appropriate. Not a marketing email. Not a receipt. Proof.
Our Sustainability Approach
Sustainability is not a separate paragraph at The Uncommon Route. It is woven into how we work. Single-use plastic is avoided wherever possible. Fair wages are expected for every local partner. Eco-lodges and certified wellness centres are preferred. We do not claim to be perfect. We claim to be serious about doing better.
Contribution Amount
CLIENT NOTE: The exact contribution amount or percentage per booking must be confirmed by the client before publication. Once confirmed, it should be added to this page, booking confirmations and the Certificate of Contribution flow.