15 Day Yoga Healing Retreat in Ulpotha, Sri Lanka

Facilities

Ulpotha is run as a self-sustained village, where the vast majority of staff are from immediately surrounding local villages and who live in and largely run Ulpotha themselves.

The resident Ayurveda doctor provides training in Ayurvedic massage and therapies for the treatment center staff, who are also from either within Ulpotha or from neighboring villages. Nearly all the food consumed in Ulpotha is grown on site. In addition to growing rice, fruits, vegetables, and timber trees, they have recently started growing medicinal plants and trees used for making Ayurvedic medicines.

Ulpotha sources many of their other supplies and building materials from the immediate locality. Similarly, all the Ayurvedic medicines used in the treatment center are made locally.

Ulpotha regularly invests in services and amenities for the local community (rebuilding and maintaining the reservoir that is central to local agriculture, creation of a free Ayurveda clinic for the surrounding villages, donations to the local hospitals and temples, all which are done in the lowest profile way possible, i.e. without acknowledgements, notices, quid pro quo demands, plaques, etc).

The Ayurvedic treatment center within Ulpotha, which serves paying guests, is used to fund the year-round free clinic for the surrounding villages.

Only local products and services are made available to guests

Social policies

Before their arrival, guests are given an introduction as to what to expect through information provided via the website and a guest information pack.

Once in Ulpotha, guests are encouraged to learn more about the local culture and customs through immersion and interaction with the local villagers.

Guest participation is encouraged in local ceremonies and traditional gatherings, while keeping them informed of locally acceptable behavior and appropriate dress code.

Guests are encourage to visit social projects within the community (such as the free clinic) or in surrounding villages (schools for handicapped children, etc.) and to support such projects.

Ulpotha regularly holds meetings with and seeks feedback from local community leaders. Ulpotha is run by a committee of villagers with help from one of the owners, himself a local.

Nearby places

• Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) - 3 hours minutes
• Colombo - 4 hours
• Kandy - 2 hours 30 minutes
• Kurunagala - 1 hour 30 minutes

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The food at Ulpotha is simply delicious and very healthy. It is almost entirely vegan, naturally wheat free, with an abundance of fresh vegetables, organic red rice, and tropical fruit freshly picked largely from Ulpotha's gardens. A visit to Ulpotha is a good opportunity to detoxify your system without fuss.

Special diets cannot be catered for but it is fairly easy to pick and choose, depending on your taste, from the many dishes served at each meal. If there is anything that you feel that you simply can't do without (coffee, a gin tonic, chocolate, and the like), Ulpotha suggests you bring it with you. As they have no electricity, all food is cooked fresh for each meal on open fires.

Breakfast is served from approximately 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and consists of herbal teas, fresh fruit, fresh coconut water, herbal rice porridge ,and a Sri Lankan breakfast cake.

Lunch served around midday is the main meal of the day and consists of a wide array of Sri Lankan vegetarian dishes, salads, Ulpotha heritage rice, fruits, curd, juice, and herbal tea.

Dinner is served after dusk and consists of an array of salads, Sri Lankan vegetarian dishes, juice, fruit, and herbal tea.

Following popular demand, Ulpotha has published a cookbook of some of the most favorite recipes of dishes served at Ulpotha.

Walking and cycle

Cycle around to the local villages and nearby lakes, and take guided walks to the hilltop temple or Uncle Willie's rock.

Swimming and rafting

Swim in the silky smooth waters of the Ulpotha lake or take a raft or canoe through the backwaters for the best birdwatching spots.

Reading

Relax in a swing bed with a book from our well-stocked library.

Cooking

Visit the kitchen and kitchen garden and learn some recipes from the delicious Sri Lankan cuisine.

Wildlife

Stroll around Ulpotha's large grounds with your camera or binoculars to catch surprising wildlife.

Meet the villagers

Chat with one of the lovely villagers and learn more about their relaxed and unhurried lifestyle.

Visit the tailor

Order a custom-made cool cotton shirt or pants from a tailor, or design your own outfits.

Indulge in one free massage per week from one of visiting therapists or book an Ayurveda treatment for a supplementary fee from the Ayurveda treatment center.

• 14 nights accommodation
• All meals, snacks, and drinks
• 2 yoga classes a day (except on full-day excursion and departure days when there is no yoga, there is morning yoga only on half-day excursion day and evening yoga only on arrival days)
• Guided forest walks
• Transport for one full-day excursion per week’s stay
• A 1-hour massage from one of visiting therapists per 7-night stay
• Laundry service
• The use of bicycles
• Hot water bathing area
• Taxes

• Travel costs to and from Ulpotha
• Insurance
• Ayurveda treatments
• Single supplement (1750 USD per two weeks)
• Entrance fees to cultural sites
• Outside meals during excursions
• Any additional massages guests may wish to book with the respective visiting therapists over and above the one that is included per week’s stay (80 USD per hour)

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• A reservation requires a deposit of 40% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.