Dehigaha Ela Overview

Offering a peaceful retreat amidst natural greenery, Back of Beyond - Dehigaha Ela is located in Sigiriya. It features a restaurant, an on-site tour desk and free Wi-Fi in public areas. Built like a tree house, the cottages come with wooden interiors. Airy and bright, all units are equipped with a fan and private bathroom with shower facilities.

Traditional Sri Lankan and western dishes are served in the dining area. Guests enjoy free tea, coffee and water.

Recreational choices include going cycling or hiking trips. Staff at the tour desk can assist with car rental and currency exchange services.

Dehigaha Ela Accomodation

Enter via a slope through the forest and emerge into an open green of illuk grass and two small rain fed lakes encircled by forest. The lodges are placed along the edge of the grassland and are barely visible as they merge with the forest. The 3 tree houses are designed to be very open to nature, with coconut thatch roofing, folding bamboo tats in place of walls, and wooden floors. The two boulder and family cottages have been made more secure keeping in mind the needs of young families as well as elderly guests.

In keeping with the Back of Beyond tradition all lodges maintain standards of comfort by providing comfortable beds, mosquito nets, linen and modern toilets. Solar panels have been installed to meet all electricity needs at the retreat. Low lighting is used throughout to minimize night time disturbance to the environment as well as to conserve energy.

Dehigaha Ela Dining

The living and dining halls at set on the far side of the lake, in a small clearing that is now surrounded with regenerated forest. In keeping with the tradition of the Back of Beyond retreats, the cook will prepare a wide variety of Sri Lankan as well as western dishes which you can pick from the menu.

The hotel can also pack you a picnic lunch should you be spending the day exploring.

The hotel grows some of their own fruits and vegetables, but these are generously shared among the wild visitors including elephants, wild boar and monkeys! Hence they also source a lot of our fresh fruits and vegetables from the adjoining chena farms. Ask for the seasonal specialty dishes and let the in-house chef surprise you!

Dehigaha Ela Activities

Nature watch: The staff is specially trained to help you identify the fauna and flora in and around the retreat and can help guide you around the nature trail. If you are very lucky you will see elephants, sambhur, deer and other small mammals as they cross the grassland or come down to the stream and lakes. The most exciting large visitors to the little grassland are the elephants.

Nature trails: Forest walks, boulder scrambles, a spot of caving and …the loveliest of it all – stream hikes. For those who love nature, with all its wonders and discomforts the days here are full to the brim. Talk to the naturalist about your particular area of interest, and he will customize the trail and accompany you.

Cycling: For those staying long enough to be tempted out of this magical space, cycling is the way to explore. Cycling along the red earth roads will enable you to stop for photographs and chat with the villagers. Cycling north will take you to the Sigiriya rock. Cycling south will take you through lovely farmlands and flower filled village ‘tanks’ (lakes). Make sure you take some snacks and adequate drinking water as the nearest town is a quite a long cycle ride.