About | WelikandeYogaRetreat

OUR ETHOS

The Welikande Way

Welcome to Welikande, where nature, community, and wellbeing are at the heart of all we do. Here, we embrace the healing wisdom of Ayurveda, honour the land we call home, and support the local community.

Our mission is to create a sanctuary of peace for our guests, offering deep restoration and connection to nature, while fostering sustainable living and cultural harmony. Our land is a sacred space where wellness, compassion, and respect for the earth guide every moment.

Zero-waste

We try to reduce our waste by composting, avoiding single-use plastic and making a water refill station available to guests. We are always learning and adapting new ways to be come eco-friendly.

More Plants

All meals we serve are vegetarian, mostly sourced from the village market or our backyard. Plant-based food helps to reduce our carbon footprint and nourishes you for the retreat.

Community

The hotel directly supports 10 local families and have many others who rely on tourism like shop keepers and trekking guides. We do not discriminate against ethnicity, caste or religion.

Local

Farm-to-table is always our goal. We grow our own coffee, fruit, and veggies. We also shop at the local market and try to utilise all the edible plants in our environment.

Clean Energy

We use solar energy to power all outdoor lights. Our rooms don't have AC because we believe it's not necessary in the cool mountains and wastes energy.

Animal Welfare

You will meet Tanita & Whitey, our rescue dogs that live here. We get our eggs from Pushba, who keeps the chickens at her house and we don't serve any meat, chicken or fish on the property.

THE WELIKANDE ESTATE

Our Story

Michael first came to Sri Lanka in 1983 as a traveler and felt a strong connection to the land and the people. More than a decade ago, he bought property in Sri Lanka on a whim. His original plan of building a quaint summer house unexpectedly transformed into owning 12 acres of land and 6 homes on a mountain top. Although English by birth, he lived in Denmark for 17 years before relocating permanently to Sri Lanka.

Tush rebelled against Sri Lankan customs by running off with the bad boy from next door when she was only 15. She managed a variety of businesses with her husband at the time, but when she left him a few years later she had to find a new way to make a living.

She started taking in lodgers of up to 50 people providing them 3 meals a day on a small budget. Her style of cooking is a fusion between traditional Sri Lankan and European flavors, that has developed into an ever expanding menu as they travel more outside the country. Her grandfather was an Ayurvedic doctor and passed on traditional knowledge which she uses in her cooking and magic potions.