Sri Lanka Jungle Yoga & Reforestation Retreat in Kandy

The retreat runs at Polwaththa, a locally owned eco-lodge in the jungle outside Kandy. Guests stay in wooden lodges on the property. Each day starts with a morning Hatha or Vinyasa class in the open-sided wooden shala, reached by a short trek from the lodge through the trees. Monkeys and birds are regular visitors during practice. Evenings wind down with Yin yoga and meditation, usually before dinner.

Meals are cooked on site and included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with dinner provided on arrival day. You drink unlimited water, tea, and coffee. The family runs a cooking lesson where you learn a local dish, and you visit a community spice factory on the longer retreat. A guided trek goes through the jungle and the nearby village and ends with a swim at a waterfall.

What separates this from a standard yoga retreat is the Forest Healing Foundation. Guests can plant their own tree as part of the reforestation work, subject to soil conditions at the time. You also spend time with people from the village, including helping them practise English if you want to. The retreat is beginner to intermediate for the shorter options and intermediate for the seven-day version — you need enough fitness to handle the jungle trek and the walk to the shala, but classes are taught at a level that works for most people who have done some yoga.

Accommodation is in private, double, or triple lodge rooms. Rates are per person and include VAT and all other taxes. The site lists three retreat lengths: 4-day, 5-day, and 7-day. The 7-day Connect to Nature retreat is the newest and adds a Connect to Nature workshop, a visit to a community spice factory, and mandala making alongside the usual classes, trek, tree planting, and cooking lesson. A 16% discount is advertised for bookings until 31 October 2026. Pickup is from Digana town.

What's included

- 3, 4, or 6 nights accommodation depending on retreat length - Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner (dinner on arrival) - Daily Hatha / Vinyasa morning yoga - Daily Yin yoga and meditation in the evening - 5, 7, or 12 yoga classes depending on retreat length - Jungle and village trek ending with a waterfall swim - Tree planting with the Forest Healing Foundation (subject to soil conditions) - Local cooking lesson - Connect to Nature workshop (7-day retreat) - Visit to community spice factory (7-day retreat) - Mandala making (7-day retreat) - Pickup from Digana town - Unlimited water, tea, and coffee - VAT and all other taxes

What's not included

- Flights to Sri Lanka - Travel to Digana town - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Alcohol and soft drinks outside included tea, coffee, and water - Optional activities not listed - Tips and gratuities