Polwaththa Eco Lodges

We stayed in one of the lodges for 2 days. The hosts were very accomodating and we had some nice chats with almost all of them. Even though we were the only guests (because it is off-season now) we never felt alone. We went on the waterfall hike with one of their guides and it was very nice and entertaining. Also the food was really good and the premise is very nice and eco-friendly. Furthermore we did a yoga class which is definitely good value for money. You should definitely stay here if you are in for a nice stay in nature and want to see the local surroundings.

The team at the Polwaththa Lodge was simply incredible - the hospitality was unmatched - from the kitchen staff, to the guides to the owners everyone did their absolute best to make our experience exceptional. The lodges are spread out so over the property that one feels like the only one in the jungle, the yoga shala is a nice 10 minute walk into the jungle as well so for every session it was pure serenity. our teacher Flavia was covering for Freya and she was such a perfect fit for our group of four girls consisting of 2 more advanced and two beginner yogis - she really took her time in every session to give us all the comfort and support needed and thanks to her i think we all now have an even better connection to our practice! The hike to the waterfall and through the villages and also the cooking classes were absolute highlights and the food we got to eat every evening was simply amazing - you are really spoiled for choice at the lodge!! I can only recommend this place to anyone traveling through the area around Kandy - no matter if for an actual retreat or simply for a unique accommodation. Dear Polwaththa Team - I WILL BE BACK!!

Eco Lodge Polwaththa is a fantastic place to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The jungle surroundings are beautiful and peaceful, the hike to the waterfall is stunning, and the yoga class in the shala is rejuvenating. The staff are also incredibly helpful. Highly recommended!

It is heartwarming to see, that places like this exist. I visited the place for a short yoga retreat and was overwhelmed by so much social engagement and hospitality. Nihal and his wife have created a little hideaway, where you can focus on the simple things and enjoy nature and community. You can feel, that it is a family run business. A lot of local people from the village have a job here, get trained and supported. The family is additionally running a rainforest foundation, has planted a organic vegetable garden and has recently founded a small spices manufacture, which I absolutely loved. We had a cooking class in the traditional kitchen with two local ladies. I loved it and the the food was amazing. A highlight is for sure the coffee, that is grown on the property and roasted over a wood fire. We planted a tree with Nel, which was a great experience to learn more about the forest and local fauna. Prasanna picked me up at the petrol station and was available all the time during our stay to make all our wishes happen. His service was really professional and still personal. We had a very fun and interesting tour with him to the waterfalls. He was showing us a lot of herbs and local plants on the way and bought some nice little snacks here and there to give us an authentic experience. Freya, the daughter in law, is an excellent yoga teacher and was taking so good care for us! She created a very good atmosphere in the group and we really enjoyed her company. The yoga shala with view in the jungle and on a lake is a dream. I learned a lot during my stay and good really enjoy the yoga classes.

I highly recommend this place if you want to experience what it means to live in line with nature. The cabins are pretty remote, which allows you to live a more conscious lifestyle. The owners have a clear understanding of the cycle of life, thus teaching us the way they live alongside nature, animals, and the community members living close by. They are doing wonderful work enriching the soil and enriching social ties. And who doesn't like doing yoga and walking around a food forest?

Polwaththa Eco-Lodges seemed like a cool place to hang out for my visa run from Dubai. I chose here because of the jungle surroundings and the yoga classes offered. Staff member Namal greeted me and showed me around. He had a easy-going manner with a great sense of humour and he answered all the questions I had. I booked in to the 4-day yoga retreat which included two yoga classes per day in their Yoga Shala, an open air yoga gazebo built from timber with a large tin roof. It has sweeping views of the evergreen jungle. Very nice. The birds and wildlife are a constant reminder that you are indeed deep in the jungle. This is exactly what I needed. I haven't done yoga for quite a while so it was a little nervous about how much stiffness had developed around my back and hips. My 4-day yoga package included a traditional cookery class on fire wood and clay pots. That might explain why everything tasted so good and fresh. They also use ingredients from their own organic garden, including their own excellent  coffee beans grown locally and hand-picked. They roast it on a hearth old-school style. I was really impressed with the coffee, especially since I had read that Sri Lanka is not known for it's good coffee. Wow! Who'd've 'thunk' it? In the 4-day package I booked there are other activities that appealed to me as well which included an adventurous hike through the jungle to a swimming hole,  complete with a natural waterfall. After the trek through the dense jungle there's nothing better than a refreshing swim in clear water surrounded by abundant green jungle and talkative birdlife. To me this is the ideal excursion. There are about ten different activities on offer that fit nicely into the definition of "eco-tourism", including interaction with the surrounding community, a visit to their organic farm, tree planting in their re-forestation and some programs that support the local people, including a Women's Empowerment program. The treks have a large range of distances and levels to suit most adventurous traveller's taste. I didn't participate in many of the treks simply because my main focus was on getting some of the kinks out of my body doing two yoga classes a day. Freya's yoga classes were so well structured that I changed my plans and extended my booking another six days and included her two yoga classes for the entire trip making my visit nine. Freya's careful instructions and her cues were consistently clear and precise. She managed to facilitate the needs of beginners as well as the more advanced yogis. She was phenomenal, enabling me to make many breakthroughs and encouraging me to reinvigorate my self practice. I took copious notes to work on at my own pace at home. All the staff are very enthusiastic and helpful so it was an easy decision for me. I really appreciated the way they all make sure you're satisfied with the amenities, service and meals. We are all able to do as little or as much as we want. I chose to do very littl