3-Day Nature & Yoga Escape in Ella, Sri Lanka

Ella Retreat is a family-run property with three accommodation options — a villa, a hillside villa, and a glamping tent — all sharing a steep, garden-filled slope that ends at the Kithal Ella waterfall. The architecture is deliberately open-plan: walls of glass and wide decks mean the green outside becomes part of the room. The yoga shala is the cottage living area and the glamping tent's deck, so you're always practicing within sight and sound of the jungle. The retreat runs a structured but flexible daily program, with morning and evening sessions that last 60 to 90 minutes, and the option to swap an afternoon activity for a rest or a spa visit.

What makes this retreat different from others in Ella is its scale and its personal touch. The group size is capped at six, which means the two resident teachers — Ruwam, who trained at the University of Kelaniya, and Namal, who specialises in Hatha and Tibetan yoga — can adapt each session to whoever's there. The same guides who lead the treks are the ones who drive you into town. The owner, Danushka, is often around, and the staff will happily collect you from Ella town in a tuk-tuk at check-in and drop you back at the end. It's that kind of place.

The retreat also includes a complimentary 30-minute online consultation with Aoibheanna Mary, an Irish life coach based in Dubai, which you can schedule whenever suits you. There's a free visit to the Mahamewnawa Monastery with your yoga teacher for a longer meditation sit, and a one-hour spa treatment at the nearby 98 Acres Resort & Spa, one of the most recommended spas in Ella. The cooking class is a proper hands-on session, and there's archery, board games, and darts for the quieter hours.

Ella itself is a hiker's town. The retreat's package includes entry to Ravana Cave, Ella Rock, and a tea plantation, and you're within easy reach of Little Adam's Peak, the Nine Arches Bridge, and Demodara Loop. But you could also just stay on the property. The waterfall is a two-minute walk from the tent, there's a hammock with a view of it, and the gardens are full of spots to disappear with a book. The balance of organised activity and unstructured downtime is what most guests end up appreciating.

What's included

- 2 nights luxury accommodation in your choice of villa, hillside villa, or glamping tent - 3 daily meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) plus snacks - Welcome drink and one king coconut per day - Daily morning and evening yoga and meditation sessions (including pranayama) - Happy Drum and Singing Bowl experiences - One 1-hour spa treatment per guest at 98 Acres Resort & Spa - One 30-minute Thai massage per guest - 1 Sri Lankan cookery class - Guided excursions to Rawana Cave & Temple, Rawana Rock, Rawana Waterfall, Nine Arches Bridge, Little Adam's Peak, and Kithal Ella Waterfall - Entry tickets to Ravana Cave and Ella Rock - Tea plantation visit with entry ticket - Visit to Mahamewnawa Monastery with the yoga teacher - Free consultation with Aoibheanna Mary (online, approx. 30 min) - Pick-up and drop-off from Ella town at check-in and check-out - WiFi, parking, and luggage storage - Water, tea, and coffee served throughout the day - Archery, board games, and darts

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Airport transfers - Travel insurance - Visa fees - Additional spa treatments or activities not listed in the itinerary - Personal expenses (souvenirs, extra drinks, etc.) - Scooter rental - Optional excursions outside the standard program