Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to Uga Ulagalla Resort, Anuradhapura
Facts in brief
Official star rating Luxury boutique
Location In the countryside, approximately 110 miles from the city of Negombo
Annual opening All year
Closest airport Colombo
Distance from airport About 5 hours by car
Hotel facilities and services
Veranda restaurant with a view, bar, Wine cellar, Pool table and board games, Swimming pool, Fitness centre, Spa, Kayaking, Horse riding, Archery, Bicycles, Music and film library, Wireless internet, Wedding planning.
Land sports
Fitness centre, Kayaking, Horse riding, Archery, Bicycles.
Out and about nearby
UNESCO World Heritage Site of Anuradhapura, Mihintale, local Buddhist temples and villages, Ulagalla Reservoir, Wanamaduwa reservoir, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya Rock Fortess and Dambulla Temple, Ritigala monastery (ruins), Aukana Buddha, Minneriya National Park, Kaudulla National Park.
Sports nearby
Nature walks, Horse riding, Kayaking on Ulagalla or Wanamaduwa Reservoir, Archery. Cycling around the ruined ancient city of Anuradhapura.
Absolutely loved it. Bespoke sense of the trip is very good. Very pleasant and efficient service.Mrs H, Sep 2023
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Chalet in the Uga Ulagalla wing for 7 nights
From about
£2,140
Holiday Code EXH713
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to Uga Ulagalla Resort, Anuradhapura
Uga Ulagalla Resort near Anuradhapura is a new, eco-friendly, hotel in the cultural and spiritual heart of Sri Lanka. The resort consists of a 200-year old Walauwa mansion and 25 luxury 'chalets' with private plunge pools, discreetly scattered around 58 acres of grounds. The Walauwa mansion, now the focal point for wining, dining and relaxing at Ulagalla Resort, has great historic significance, having been the abode of powerful Chieftains for over 150 years. Beautifully restored to retain its distinctive character and reflect a glorious past, the Walauwa houses a magnificent lounge that opens out onto the garden and a bar with a glass floor revealing the wine cellar down below. Upstairs, the open-sided restaurant is graced with 200 year old wooden chests, glass lamps and long antique dining tables, long verandahs and wonderful views over the swimming pool to the paddy fields. The newly built 'chalets' at Ulagalla Resort have been thoughtfully placed around the lush paddy fields and peaceful reservoirs, to offer guests privacy and seclusion as well as tranquil views. With plenty of space and the latest in state-of-the-art luxury, each chalet boasts a separate bedroom and living area and a spacious deck with plunge pool. Enjoy private dining in your own living room at Ulagalla Resort, sipping cocktails on your plunge pool terrace and gourmet cuisine on the verandah of the Walawwa, or maybe even an authentic Sri Lankan meal prepared by the gammiliya (local village women).The rice, fruit and vegetables are locally produced or grown on the estate and with no set meal times, you can have your personal butler serve whenever you please. There is an Ayurvedic spa to relax and rejuvenate the mind and body as well as an inviting 30-metre fresh water swimming pool and some wonderful outdoor activities that are rarely offered by hotels in Sri Lanka: guests can learn archery, go horse-back riding through the fields and enjoy kayaking on the lake. Above all, Ulagalla Resort is a lovely place for watching the farmers in the rice-paddies, spotting kingfishers and butterflies and generally observing the beauty of nature. Each villa has two bicycles so that you can cycle around, whilst electric cars are also available to convey guests around the resort. A unique feature of eco-friendly Ulagalla is that it has its own solar farm, the largest in Sri Lanka, which aims to supply 50% of the energy requirement of the resort. Ulagalla Resort is ideally located for visiting the ancient city of Anuradhapura, which is around 20 kms away, Mihintale and Ritigala, and the other main heritage sites in the Cultural Triangle.
Room descriptions
Ulagalla Resort has 25 chalets all with air conditioning and ceiling fans, private plunge pool, private terrace, living area, bedroom, dressing area, 24-hour room service, private butler, electronic safe, mini-bar, IDD telephone, satellite TV, tea/coffee-making facilities, hairdryer, bathroom with rain shower, two bicycles available at each chalet.
Absolutely loved it. Bespoke sense of the trip is very good. Very pleasant and efficient service.Mrs H, Sep 2023
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Chalet in the Uga Ulagalla wing for 7 nights
From about
£2,140
Holiday Code EXH713
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to Uga Ulagalla Resort, Anuradhapura
The journey and how you get there
For a holiday to Uga Ulagalla Resort in Sri Lanka, our clients fly to Colombo, usually with Sri Lankan Airways on a direct flight from London Heathrow (or with Emirates from other UK airports via Dubai). This hotel is 4 hours' drive from Colombo airport and is usually stayed at as part of a tailor-made touring holiday accompanied by a driver-guide.
Additional information
Children: Children under 2 years old are accommodated free of charge. Children aged 2 to 12 years receive a discounted rate on accommodation when sharing their parents room.
Special offers
Call to make your booking and save an extra £50 per adult Call us instead of emailing us when you are thinking of booking a holiday and save an extra £50 per adult (in addition to any special offers that might be available). We want to talk to you to discuss your requirements and a phone call is usually the best way for you to define what you want enabling us to respond more accurately. We want to talk to you and you save an extra £50 per adult.
Absolutely loved it. Bespoke sense of the trip is very good. Very pleasant and efficient service.Mrs H, Sep 2023
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Chalet in the Uga Ulagalla wing for 7 nights
From about
£2,140
Holiday Code EXH713
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke holidays and tours to Uga Ulagalla Resort, Anuradhapura
About Cultural Triangle
An Expressions tailor-made holiday to the Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle gives visitors the opportunity to experience a melting pot of heritage, culture and wildlife in the central dry, which is home to a wealth of UNESCO world heritage sites and beautiful landscapes, still rich in wildlife and natural habitats. It is essential to visit the Cultural Triangle during a holiday in Sri Lanka. Most visitors spend a day or two visiting the cultural sites as part of a touring holiday around Sri Lanka, yet we think this area is so rich in culture, local life and wildlife that it can also merit a week’s stay, discovering the culture and enjoying the natural environment. The local people here lead a largely agrarian life often centring round rice cultivation. Today’s landscape on these flat, dry, red earth plains is dotted with vast tracts of water - fields of rice paddies and water lilies and the ancient reservoirs known as ‘tanks’ - interspersed with forests and smallholdings, solitary rock mountains, temples and villages. Wild elephants are often sighted inside (and sometimes outside) the national parks, whilst monkeys, swamp hens, cormorants and mynah birds are commonly seen. This area is considered to be the cradle of Sri Lanka’s Buddhist civilisation as we know it today. It is also the epicentre of Sri Lankan Ayurveda, the science centrifugal to a healthy life – if you want to find a really authentic, traditional Ayurvedic doctor, this is the place to be. There is a great range of high-quality hotels in the Cultural Triangle - we have carefully selected hotels throughout the area which we believe to be the best at what they do. They all enjoy tranquil and beautiful rural settings and range from luxury boutique hotels such as Ulagalla Resort, to eco-friendly resorts such as Jetwing Vil Uyana. There are many highlights of Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle including four UNESCO World Heritage Sites which between them telling the fascinating story of Sri Lanka's Civilisation. As well as Sigiriya Rock Fortress, the Cave Temples of Dambulla, the Mediaeval capital of Polonnaruwa and the sacred city of Anuradhapura there are numerous other places of interest which are well worth a visit.
Highlights of the Cultural Triangle
Sigiriya Rock Fortress; Dambulla Cave Temples; Polonnaruwa – ruins of the ancient capital; Anuradhapura – sacred city; Wildlife safari in Minneriya National Park (or Kaudulla National Park); Elephant rides/treks; Birdwatching on the ‘tanks’; Hot air balloon ride; Cycle ride – local village life; Ayurveda health treatments, massages, herbal steam beds and aromatic baths; Ritigala monastery ruins (walking required); Aukana Buddha; Mihintale; the story of Buddhism; the story of Ayurveda. Day trip or continue on to Kandy, visiting spice gardens, batik workshops, Temple of the Tooth, Kandy market, city centre, view from hills, workshops for woodcarving, brass and musical instruments.
Cultural highlights of the Cultural Triangle
Four of Sri Lanka's eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites are in what is popularly known as the Cultural Triangle. Between them they tell a fascinating story of Sri Lanka’s civilisation. The 5th century Sigiriya Rock Fortress is one of Sri Lanka’s most awe-inspiring archaeological sites and its prime tourist attraction, well worth climbing to see the majestic views from the summit. Nearby are the Dambulla Cave Temples, each cave filled with murals and gilded statues depicting the life of the Buddha. The well-preserved ruins of Polonnaruwa, the 12th century capital, tell a story of Buddhism, royalty, kinship, war and power. Highlights are the Royal Palace, Council Chamber and four graceful Buddha statues of Gal Vihara. The ancient city of Anuradhapura is a vast archaeological site of palaces, monasteries, temples and dagobas, mostly in ruins, although some have been resorted. This was one of the grandest monastic cities that the world has ever seen. Other sights worth seeing are Mihintale Sanctuary, known as the ‘cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka’; Ritigala, ruins of a 9th century monastery hidden amongst dense forest; and Minneriya National Park, a park filled with wildlife including elephants, buffalo, wild boar and crocodiles.
Festivals in the Cultural Triangle
The Buddhist festivals: monthly on Poya (full moon) days, especially Vesak (May) and Poson (June). Poson marks the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka by Arahat Maha Mahinda, son of Asoka of India at Mihintale in 3rd century BC. July to October – the Elephant Gathering: during this season in the evenings, hundreds of wild elephants gather along the banks of the Minneriya Tank.
Climate in the Cultural Triangle
As the climate is very hot with an average temperature of 30° C, it is best to do sightseeing and activities in the early mornings and late afternoons, with time to relax at the hotel, eat or travel in air-conditioning at the height of the day. Average humidity is 60%, with very little rainfall most of the year - most of the rain falls between November and February when the North-east monsoon prevails.
