Ulpotha

»Awarded place, great yoga«

Description

The award winning retreat center Ulpotha is an oasis of tranquility in the heart of Sri Lanka.
Situated in Ulpotha, a traditional working village, it has been a place of pilgrimage for thousands of years. The retreat is cradled between a lakeside at the foot of the Galgiriyawa Mountains and emerald green paddy fields.

The beautiful private hide-away is open to guests during the summer (June-mid August) and winter seasons (November-April). Every 2 weeks a yoga holiday is offered under the guidance of a different yoga teacher for each holiday.

The standard weekly rate per person is $1250/1300 or $1500 peak holiday season and includes accommodation in a shared hut, 3 tasty vegetarian meals per day plus snacks, all yoga and meditation classes, excursions and facilities, and one massage per week from visiting therapists.

The world-class yoga teachers bring different traditions to Ulpotha including Sivananda, Iyengar, Hatha, and Ashtanga. Yoga classes are usually held in a large, open-sided yoga shala with a palm leaf roof, or in the cool shade of a banyan tree. Yoga classes are taught based on the needs of the particular group, however most teachers offer early morning and late afternoon classes. All levels of experience can be accommodated and yoga mats, wooden blocks, belts, small flat cushions & bolsters are provided.

There is no mistaking, this is a place to unwind, live close to nature and simply be and the spiritual energy of the land supports Ulpotha guests seeking balance, relaxation and wellness.

The accommodation can be described as elegant simplicity with thatched roofed and open twin share huts offering space, comfort and peace.

The water lily filled lake and hiking trails offers guests places to contemplate and relax.

Ulpotha offers 3 healthy and delicious meals a day. The meals are almost entirely vegan, naturally wheat free, with an abundance of fresh vegetables, organic red rice and tropical fruit freshly picked from their gardens. From 7am a breakfast of tea, freshly baked goodies, fruit and porridge are served from an open planned house.
Other meals are taken within the renovated white Sri Lankan manor, where guests can lounge over sumptuous vegetarian meals from the cushioned benches in the large, open dining room. Tropical fruits, juices and curries are a specialty and served with delectable vegetable and side dishes on the traditional banana leaf plate.

The region around Ulpotha is the oldest continually inhabited area of Sri Lanka, and it retains much of the ancient healing wisdom that has been valued in this area for thousands of years.
Guests have the opportunity to book additional Ayurvedic treatments with Dr Srilal or participate in specialised Ayurveda programmes from 1- 4 weeks at an additional cost of $400 per week.

Guests will feel well knowing that The Centre is dedicated to the restoration of an ageless agricultural way of life including bio-diverse organic farming and reforestation of the land and its immediate surroundings. Ulpotha is not run on profit-generating basis and all revenues from guests are spent supporting the local community. In addition, Ulpotha operates and supplies a free, year round Ayurvedic clinic treating over 100 local villagers a week.

Photo credits: tharendra http://www.flickr.com/photos/tharendra