Demystify
Mystical Galle
GFW Experience
Skull and bone etchings inside a church, ramparts made out of corals, houses with art décor windows and verandahs, Sri Lankan Muslim families speaking English predominantly, two churches on the same street called Church Street, a road named Lighthouse Street with no lighthouse, a mosque with a European building, a 17th Century architectural opus that has withstood time and weathered the biggest natural disaster of our time, and let’s not forget the smallest community of multicultural Sri Lankans in one place.
This is what I do, this here is what I am and so let me show you my Galle Fort.
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GFW RACE An evening of good fun, great team building and many rounds of beer. -
ART WITH FAMILIES Takes place in a wood workshop which is the front to a family home of creative carpenters. -
CRAB CURRY CIRCLE A new dinner/lunch experience that can be ideal for the food enthusiast. -
BAILA MAGIC A 100 year old art decor home terrace or living space, a magician/musician, laughs and good food. -
ARRACK STORIES Happens at the oldest pub in Galle, and the shots have been coupled with drinking culture in the Isl… -
Sri Lanka Presentation This is a quirky and interactive presentation which takes you through the must knows of the island and… -
Honeymoon Experiences These are private Lunch, Dinner or drinks experiences which can be tailormade to fit into any walking… -
Group Experiences Tailor made experiences for incentive groups which involve cricket matches, pub crawls, Dinners and street… -
Lankan Culinary Experiences This happens inside the premises of a middle class family kitchen, who take a lot of pride in what comes… -
Art Experiences This is once again an add-on to the Walking experience that is exclusive for families with kids. The…
Something
for Everyone
Standard Tours – US$ 40 per head
90 min tour, Inclusive of water/ Thambili upon availability (coconut water) The best way to get a quick outlook on the UNESCO World Heritage site. This conversation will bring you highlights that best suit your interest in the fort. From Architecture, culture to people, this walk touches all aspects that best define and describe the fort.
Extended Tours – US$ 80 per head
The session covers colonial History, its effect on our Sri Lankan people, the comedy that surrounds colonization, detailed insights on the history of the fort and how it has evolved to be the living site it is, a brief brush with craft and trade and all this ends with the perfect ice tea/ice cream or a sundowner inside the fort.
Night Tour at the Dutch Fort – US$ 75 per head
The night is when the Fort becomes calm and lit up. Walk the cobble stone roads that glitter under the moon light while having conversations about the Colonial era. You’re lucky if you bump into a ghost, listening to black comedy wielded by a storyteller. Torches for light sabers and you’re guaranteed to feel like a Jedi time traveling through the 17th Century.
The Man Behind
the Brand
“Wake up, we are headed to the Fort for Breakfast”
That’s when I realized that I had passed out on a beach bed the night before, after a rather heavy night of debauchery, mayhem and madness. Living and working in Colombo can be a taxing affair, and this was my release. I was 23, and this is when my maturing whirlpool of a mind first connected with the Dutch Fort.
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“That’s the difference. Shanjei wasn’t reading from a script. He wasn’t going through the motions. He was engaging, he was listening, and he was reacting. That’s what makes a great tour guide”
“The former advertising professional gave up his corporate life in Colombo to set up Galle Fort Walks at the heart of the old fort. One of the most popular “experiences n Galle, Perumal’s walking tours are peppered with historical, cultural and architectural anecdotes”
“I began by touring Gall’s fortified perimeter walls with Shanje Malraj Perumal, an advertising exec turned music promoter with a bushy beard and knowledge both historic and present-day about the fortifications.
“There’s a living community here,” he says.
“The fort my mom came to and that I come to isn’t just colonial history. It’s got developing boho-chic culture.”
“Sri Lankan history is like a Game of Thrones,” says tour guide Shanjei Perumal, “and no one saw the White Walkers coming.” This unique tour of the Galle Fort – including Shanjei’s pop-culture-friendly explanation of colonialism – is the perfect introduction to local history and culture. Shanjei tailors his tours to guests’ desires, with everything from architecture to street food becoming the focus of a stroll through Sri Lanka’s most charming city.
“There’s a living community here,” he says.
“The fort my mom came to and that I come to isn’t just colonial history. It’s got developing boho-chic culture.”
“Think of Shanjei Perumal, who left his career as an ad exec in Colombo to start Galle Fort Walks, less as a guide and more as your quirky Sri Lankan BFF. He’ll be at your side as you meander through the streets, always ready with a fun fact or hilarious story that somehow involves his mother. Hell spill centuries worth of Galle’s secrets.”There’s a living community here,” he says.
“The fort my mom came to and that I come to isn’t just colonial history. It’s got developing boho-chic culture.”
“After breakfast, go for a walk around the Galle Fort and the ramparts, either on your own or with an awesome tour guide like Shanjei from Galle Fort Walks. ”
“The fort my mom came to and that I come to isn’t just colonial history. It’s got developing boho-chic culture.”
