Jaffna — Oath of the Black Tigers
Uncover the hidden codes of the Black Tigers' suicide oath in Jaffna's war-torn streets. Decode their secret plans before a forgotten plot resurfaces.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In the shadowed heart of Jaffna Peninsula, the Black Tigers—LTTE's elite suicide squad—swore unbreakable oaths of cyanide and sacrifice during the brutal civil war
Jaffna — Oath of the Black Tigers
You are a Cultural Heritage Investigator, dispatched to Jaffna in the late 20th century, tasked with restoring the fragmented narrative of Tamil history.
Your mission leads you through a millennia-
Immerse yourself in the heart of Jaffna, in Sri Lanka's Northern Province, where echoes of a turbulent past whisper between colonial stones and sacred temples.
The story that haunts this land
Your exploration of Jaffna's history begins at Jaffna Fort, built by the Portuguese in 1619 before being captured by the Dutch in 1658. This pentagonal brick and coral fort, with its ramparts, offers views of the ocean and lagoon. Sunset walks on its uneven terrain are particularly popular, as highlighted by TripAdvisor reviews in 2026. Entry is paid for foreigners (5 USD), but SAARC nationals receive a 50% discount. This site is an essential starting point for understanding the historical layers of the Northern Province Sri Lanka.
The route then takes you to the Jaffna Public Library, a place symbolizing Tamil ethnic tensions. Burned by government forces in 1981, this library saw the destruction of 97,000 ancient manuscripts, including centuries-old palm-leaf olai chuvadi texts, essential to Tamil history. Rebuilt in 2005, it testifies to cultural resilience and the will to preserve the heritage of Jaffna civil war history. This stop is crucial for understanding the importance of memory in local culture.
Continue to the Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, a major Hindu temple dedicated to Murugan, rebuilt in 1734 after its destruction by the Portuguese in 1624. Located 2.5 km from Jaffna city center, this site hosts the annual Kodiyetram festival in July-August. It is intimately linked to the Tamil culture of the North and represents a spiritual pillar for the community. Visiting this Kovil allows you to explore the depth of faith and traditions that endure in Jaffna.
Along the way, you discover St. Mary's Cathedral, built in 1598 by the Portuguese and restored in the 19th century. It was the largest church in Sri Lanka during the Portuguese colonial era, with Baroque architecture capable of accommodating several hundred worshippers. Although Catholic, its presence in Jaffna illustrates the diversity of religious and colonial influences that shaped the city, contrasting with the Tamil heritage sites and highlighting the complexity of Northern Province Sri Lanka's past. Old Park, a historic public park, offers a shaded relaxation spot near colonial landmarks and is used for community gatherings, reflecting its social role.
Your circuit concludes by crossing the Jaffna Market, a historic covered market in the city center, a Tamil commercial hub since colonial times. You'll find spices, fresh fruits, and local crafts in a lively area around the fort. This sensory immersion in the Jaffna Market and its surroundings, after traversing the Pannai Causeway, offers a glimpse into the city's current dynamism. This journey will have allowed you to grasp the essence of Northern Sri Lankan heritage, from its Jaffna civil war history to its vibrant Tamil culture, offering a unique perspective on this rich and complex region.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Shadow Investigation
Dive into a political thriller at the heart of a significant conflict.
Black Tiger Secrets
Uncover the tactics and ideology of the LTTE's suicide units.
Coded Operations Log
Reassemble a fragmented document to reveal the hidden truth.
Truth is a weapon, even in the dark.
Unravel the secrets of the civil war.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
Avis des aventuriers
Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience.
Did you play le serment des tigres noirs? Check the email you received after your game to leave a verified review.
Your turn to play
Immerse yourself in the heart of Jaffna, in Sri Lanka's Northern Province, where echoes of a turbulent past whisper between colonial stones and sacred temples.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
Other escape games in Jaffna, Sri Lanka
See all games in Jaffna, Sri Lanka→More ideas for self-guided walking tours, scavenger hunts & city quests in the same city
Other escape games in Sri Lanka
View Sri Lanka→More destinations, tours & urban treasure hunts across the country
