On a Tuk Tuk Adventure

15 teams set off on the world’s greatest road trip:

by Husna Inayathullah

The Lanka Challenge Tuk Tuk Adventure, considered the world’s greatest road trip adventure, is a challenging competition where intrepid travellers from all over the world traverse approximately 1,200 km around Sri Lanka, in what is being deemed the funkiest modes to transport invented by man – the ‘tuk tuk’, more familiar to Sri Lanka as the ‘trishaw’. The challenge is in driving their own tuk tuks and finding their own routes.

The Challenge, now in its seventh edition, is organized by Large Minority in partnership with Connaissance de Ceylan and the Ministry of Economic Development, got underway on September 4. It will wind to a close on September 14, with the Lanka Challenge Award Ceremony being held at the Mount Lavinia Hotel.

General Manager, Connaissance de Ceylan, Anushka Perera, excited at the prospect of being the official travel agent, said the Challenge was an extra-ordinary way for tourists to discover Sri Lanka.

“We make them find their own routes to the given destinations. It is challenging because they try to find their own way but we make sure that we properly guide them,” he said, explaining that they keep indicators to make sure the challengers do not get lost. “And indicators are also are fun.”

He said three challengers who actively participate in the adventure and are successful in reaching the destinations at the proper times will be awarded at the Mount Lavinia Hotel.

Daily challenges

Each day the participants are given a list of challenges to complete along the way. The Challenge is team based, with 15 teams comprising 35 individuals from Australia, America, Denmark, UAE, New Zealand, South Africa, Britain, Holland and France, participating. The teams have been travelling in 16 trishaws making stopovers n Minuwangoda, Sigiriya, Wasgamuwa, Pasikuda, Arugambay, Udawalawe, Mirissa, Beruwala and Colombo the past nine days.

Large Minority, is adventure challenge organizer offering responsible travel experience in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Philippines and Colombia. It incorporates philanthropic projects and eco-friendly initiatives in its travel experiences and is committed to protecting children and adolescents against commercial sexual exploitation in tourism in the destinations in which it operates.

All of Large Minority tours are geared around fund raising, with and ten percent of each adventure sold being set aside for flagship charity projects and tree planting campaigns. They conduct the Tuk Tuk Adventure as a competition where the participants are tested with navigational, cultural and physical challenges.

The Challenge gives the teams of two or three a close up and personal experience of some of the most fascinating historical sites and natural delights of Sri Lanka, while raising money for local charities and environmental organizations.

Julian Carnall, Co-founder of Large Minority, who along with Juan Paredes conceived the event states in the official brochure, “After the success of the last 6 Lanka Challenge events, it is only natural to continue our meaningful adventure with the seventh edition. We hope to once again captivate the world through our responsible tourism initiatives which will also include the Tamil speaking areas.”

Meaningful adventure

Local charity partners of this year’s event also included the Red Cross Society of Sri Lanka and Land Owners Restore Rainforest in Sri Lanka (LORRIS). A total of 10 per cent of each team’s entry fee will be given directly to the charity partners.

According to Juan Paredes, last year the Challenge had generated over USD 8,000, which had been used for different charitable projects including donating text books, musical instruments and planting more than 200 indigenous trees to offset our carbon emissions. The organizers hope to raise a similar amount this year.

Since 2009, Large Minority has teamed up with different charities and organizations based in Sri Lanka and Cambodia and raised over USD 65,000.00 for different meaningful travel initiatives.

In addition to this, various participants have raised an additional USD 40,000.00 for different charities of their choice.

The event which is endorsed and supported by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Economic Development is also partnered with David Peiris Motor Company, with Sri Lankan Airlines as the main sponsor and Connaissance de Ceylan as the official travel partner.

Pic : Kumarasiri Prasad Airport Corr.