Arana Sri Lanka Eco Lodge and Yoga Center is a perfect place for the lazy wildlife spotter. While sitting outside my room at Arana Eco Lodge, typing on my laptop, two hornbills swooped down to hang out in a nearby tree. If you get really lucky, you might even see a giant squirrel.
Hornbills come calling at Arana Eco Lodge
The jungle retreat in the hill town of Ella, Sri Lanka, just opened in December of 2017 as a place for people to relax in nature. As co-owner Anna Brandt describes it, “My vision was to create a place where people can relax and really meditate and find yourself or get some help to manage your life better.” They offer four quiet rooms, good Sri Lankan food, local tours and private or small group yoga and meditation sessions with Anna. They plan to add a couple more rooms soon, Brandt said.
My writing spot outside my room at Arana Eco Lodge
Arana Eco Lodge Activities
My three nights at Arana Eco Lodge were terrific. Anna and the rest of the staff were extremely kind to me, preparing vegan meals, bringing me organic coffee in my room and helping me plan a guided sunrise hike (I never would have found my way alone in the jungle darkness!). The hike was perfectly timed to reach Ella Rock just as the sky was getting light. I found about five wily dogs waiting, knowing that hikers would share breakfast treats with them.
Sunrise with dogs atop Ella Rock
Never would have found the way to the top of Ella Rock without my guide
The Arana Eco Lodge crew also helped me tour Amba, an organic tea estate about an hour away. Amba grows tea, pepper, cinnamon, a little coffee and cloves.
Amba tea estate
Making stick cinnamon at Amba
Anna even designed a one-one-one Kundalini yoga class and guided meditation to help me increase my creativity as a writer.
The yoga house at Arana Eco Lodge.
Veg Food in Ella
Ella is firmly on the tourist route. It’s a bit overrun by young backpacking couples, mostly from Europe. However, this makes it very easy to find vegetarian and vegan food and strong coffee. Sri Lanka is generally easy for vegetarians.
Rice and curry dinner at Arana Eco Lodge.
South Indian foods are prevalent, such as dosas (crepes made with rice and lentil flowers), dal, fried vegetable fritters and samosas. Vegetable roti—curried vegetables folded in flat bread—are available from street vendors and at train stations, usually for less than 50 cents. The humble-sounding “rice and curry” turns out to be a feast of rice, papadam and many little bowls of vegetable dishes, most of them not curried at all.
You’ve got to love stairs to stay at Arana Eco Lodge.
I spent three nights at Arana Eco Lodge in Ella, and found it a comfortable jungle experience with an extremely kind staff. As Anna told me, “It’s my wish to have a place where everyone can feel like more home. And to have some connected feelings to the place.” They certainly succeed.
