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Reservations

Welcome to a wild haven of treehouses, lotus lakes, and timeless silence.

Back of Beyond – Wild Haven

Wild Haven - Dehigaha Ela

Reservations

Why guests
love Wild Haven

The boulder-forest, streams, and small lakes make this retreat an extraordinary paradise.

Families

It is a place that people of all ages find something to do, something that interests them.

Nature lovers

It is a unique place that gives one a real opportunity to live almost as one with the outdoors, stay in a tree house and have a natural fish spa in the stream.

Travelers

A place to relax and enjoy the beauty and the atmosphere while being pampered by the cook.

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Location

  • 20 km from Dambulla and 8 km from Sigiriya Rock.
  • 175 km from Colombo on very good roads (4.5 hour drive).
  • The final 4 km is on village earth roads, the last 1 km is quite bumpy and may be fairly difficult for low clearance vehicles.

Facts in brief

When we came upon this boulder-strewn patch of jungle – where the Kiri Oya and the Dehigaha Ela streams meet and become one – it felt like stumbling across a hidden rainforest in the middle of the dry zone, and we knew instantly that we had found a very special Back of Beyond hide-away.

On this 7-acre land, we have touched little and built less. Instead of clearing trees, we built upon them; instead of cutting through stone, we shaped cottages around them. The result is a retreat where treetop houses, boulder cottages, and a long family house lets you immerse yourself in jungle habitat – to read, to dream, to stargaze, to rewild. It is a place where time stands still.

A winding rural road through chena farms and village countryside takes you to this unique property with a billowing field of white-flowered illuk grass, ringed by thick forest on the sweeping curve of two streams. It is a landmass of mixed vegetation which is haven for a diverse variety of wildlife, including elephant, sambhur, birds, insects and creatures of the waterways.

A nature lover’s dream, with a completely natural fish spa down in the rock pool of the streams, it is not merely a place to stay, it is a whole experience and a photographer’s paradise.

Accommodation:

A total of 7 tree houses, boulder cottages and a family house accommodating up to 25 adults.  Separate rooms for drivers/tour guides based on availability.

Dining

Sri Lankan and Western meals are served in the dining areas. Tea, coffee, and drinking water are provided free of charge. Alcohol is not provided; guests are at liberty to bring their own.

Staff:

Includes manager/naturalist, house-keeper and cook.

Activities and excursions:

  • Stream baths, nature rambles and picnics, archeology explorations, bird watching within property.
  • Excursions to the well-known sites of Sigiriya, Pidurangala and the lesser known sites of Kaludiya Pokuna, Nuwaragala, Wewala, etc.
  • Safaris to Minneriya and Kaudulla National Parks.

Accommodation

Tree houses with views of the canopy (3 nos)

  • Small Damba (up to 3 pax)
  • Family Damba (up to 5 pax)
  • Kon Tree (2 on upper deck, 3 at base)

Boulder cottages built around stone (2 nos) 

  • Seru (up to 3 pax)
  • Sepalika (up to 2 pax)

Longhouse made for the less agile (2 sections) 

Long House – 2 rooms (1–3 pax each) with shared lounge. Ideal for one party   of family/friends, but can be booked separately as well

The lodges are placed along the edge of the grassland and are barely visible as they merge with the forest, with a curtain of trees providing privacy.

The Tree Houses are open to nature, with coconut thatch roofing, folding bamboo tats instead of walls, and wooden floors. The Boulder and Family Cottages, designed with the needs of young families as well as elderly guests in mind, are easier to access.

In keeping with our Back of Beyond tradition, all lodges maintain standards of comfort by providing comfortable beds, mosquito nets, linen and modern washrooms.

Solar panels have been installed to meet some of the electricity needs and hot water requirements. Low lighting is used to minimize night time disturbance to the environment as well as to conserve energy.

There is no air-conditioning (fans are available), nor TV. Free Wi-Fi is accessible in the main lobby. Its village setting and remoteness mean that mobile phone signals are weak.

Select an Accommodation

Damba tree houses (2 nos)
Seru and Sepalika boulder cottages
Kon tree house
Mayila family long house

Among birds and butterflies:
Damba tree house stay

Built into spreading Damba trees, and fairly close to each other, the climb to the sleeping deck is an easy one. Nestled between the main branches of the tree, the upper floor of each tree house consists of a large sleeping area, and a comfortable living space to relax gazing at the distant Nuwaragala mountains or to spot the birds in the adjoining trees and in the lakelets down below.

During the flowering season of the Damba, the air is awash in its gentle fragrance. At the base of each unit is a modern open-plan washroom with hot and cold water showers and an additional living area to sit with a cup of tea or a book.

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A wooden sanctuary above the boulders

Designed around massive granite boulders, these multi-level cottages are hidden among trees overlooking the lotus pond, and become your private sanctuary during your stay. The sleeping area of each is a large wooden platform that makes up the upper floor.

Lower down are the living areas and washrooms which are built around the granite boulders. The modern washrooms have solar-powered hot and cold showers.

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From the front deck and your bed

The Kon tree deck was once a farmer’s watch-hut. At present, the Kon Tree accommodation consists of two levels – a sleeping space for two nimble pax on the upper reaches of the tree, as well as a spacious cottage at the base of the tree, along with modern washrooms and our trade mark open plan hot and cold water shower.

The Kon tree is so tall that it towers above much of the canopy. To sleep on the upper deck is to literally sleep among the stars. The bed is often aglow with the morning sun as it rises and when the tree is in bloom you will wake up to find yourself surrounded by birds and butterflies.

The cottage at the base of the Kon Tree accommodates three, making this unit ideal for a group of 5 adults of varied ages – and agility!

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Where families gather and relax

We discovered that children love our retreat as much (or more!), than adults. But not all parents can relax when the kids are running up and down a tree house!! The grandmas and grandpas also find access to the tree houses and boulder cottages a little difficult.

The Long House is a family-friendly unit with two triple rooms, with a shared common space, including a boulder garden at the back and a small lawn in front of the cottage ensuring a nature-based holiday home ambience.

Attached to each room is a modern washroom where you are able to enjoy hot/cold showers under open skies.

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Things to do

Safari & Nature

Back of Beyond adventures

Kaludiya pokuna archeological site

History & Culture

Kaludiya pokuna archeological site

History & Culture

Minneriya national park

Safari & Nature

Kaudulla national park

Safari & Nature

Elephant watching in the hut

Safari & Nature

Bird watching

Back of Beyond adventures

Nature walk

Back of Beyond adventures

Cycle rides

Back of Beyond adventures

Cookery demonstration

Back of Beyond adventures

Activities and experiences

At Wild Haven, Dehigaha Ela, every moment is designed to bring you closer to nature while offering authentic local experiences. Surrounded by lush jungle and serene landscapes, you’ll discover a balance of relaxation and adventure.

  • Sigiriya rock fortress & museum
  • Polonnaruwa ancient city
  • Dambulla cave temple
  • Kaludiya pokuna archeological site

  • Minneriya national park
  • Kaudulla national park
  • Hurulu eco park
  • Popham arboretum, Dambulla

  • Chena (farm) walk & village breakfast
  • Nature walk (bird watching / bat cave / boulders & streams)
  • Bird watching tour by cycle
  • Village life (cycle ride, village life, breakfast)
  • Pidurangala sunset (guided hike of Pidurangala rock)
  • Pidurangala experience (guided hike, loris watching & dinner at BOB Pidurangala)
  • Cookery demonstration
  • Butterfly tour
  • Magical sunset boat ride & candle-lit dinner (without transport)
  • Boat ride at Thalkota Lake (without transport)
  • Private candle-lit dinner (if HB or FB – $30)
  • Cycle rides

Contact us if you need to arrange a customised tour, around Sri Lanka or in the proximity of our lodges.

Contact us

Facilities and special notes:

Back of Beyond is deeply committed to the environment and sustainability (please see our policy statement) and therefore we have endeavoured to provide facilities for a comfortable stay while at the same time “touching” the environment as gently as possible.

Lodges with modern washrooms & hot/cold open-air showers 

Linen, towels, basic toiletries, mosquito nets, natural repellents 

Fan-cooled rooms, no air-conditioning 

Home library & free Wi-Fi in lobby 

In-house cook and flexible menus 

Low lighting except in the bedrooms 

No built swimming pool, but streams and riverine pool 

Alcohol not served, guests may bring their own 

Mobile phone connectivity usually low 

No TV and other noise generating entertainment

Tea, coffee and safe filtered drinking water, no bottled water 

Full-board basis recommended as there is no public transport and restaurants are several km away

Not close to any shopping centres, so ensure that you bring all your personal needs.

Dining

In keeping with the tradition of our Back of Beyond retreats, our cook will prepare a wide variety of Sri Lankan as well as western dishes. Tea, coffee and drinking water are provided free of charge. Alcohol is not provided but guests are at liberty to bring in their own.

The living and dining halls are on the far side of the lake, in a small clearing that is now surrounded with regenerated forest. We grow some of our fruits and vegetables, which our wild visitors (birds, rock squirrels, elephant, etc.) love too. Hence, we source a lot of our fresh fruits and vegetables from the adjoining chena farms as well. Ask for our seasonal specialty dishes and let our in-house chef surprise you!

As the closest market is many miles away, we recommend that prior notice be given to our staff should you have any specific requests which would require a visit to the town.

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What our clients say

Real experiences from people like you

“A wonderful experience in the midst of nature

Back of beyond is right up there with the best of experiences! After a bumpy road we finally came to a relaxing haven with wonderful tree houses where we stayed a couple of nights. It was amazing to get that close to natur while still having a high level of comfort. Lying under the banana leaved roof listening to the wild life during the night was fantastic!”

- MiaBokmark, Sweden

“Amazing wilderness experience worth it

We were aware that we had booked a glamping site but we never quite expected it to be this close to nature! Living in a tree house with a few hemp or coir curtains and one side completely open, made us a bit nervous on the first day. Well, it took some time to let the reality sink in and we went on to enjoy it! Lovely locale with natural streams nearby.

The staff and chef were extremely courteous and genuinely service-oriented. The chef was simply awesome and encouraged us to try the local cuisines. Delicious food every time.”

- K K Prabha Chennai, India

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