Ulpotha · Ayurveda retreat · Sri Lanka
The village is
the medicine
Yoga & Ayurveda, naturally.
“Sit on floor cushions and share stories with fellow yogis drawn by the world-class rota of teachers, or come simply for the Ayurveda treatments and silky waters. A rare, protected microcosm.”Country & Town House
★ 4.9 on Google & TripAdvisor · As featured in National Geographic, Condé Nast Traveller, The Telegraph & The Guardian · Treatments given by our resident doctor and visiting therapists.
Where to begin
First, one question
Are you coming for the full Panchakarma, for a shorter Ayurveda stay, to address a specific ailment, or for a taste of Ayurveda within your yoga holiday?
The full Panchakarma
A four-week stay with the 21-day Panchakarma. Subject to your preferences, we can do more or less.
The stay from $1,764 a week, the 21-day course $1,500.
Choose your start date →
A shorter Ayurveda stay
Three weeks with the 14-day Aswesilla course and gentle yoga, booked the retreat way: pick your Sunday, then your course.
The stay from $1,764 a week, the 14-day course $1,000.
Choose your dates →
A specific ailment
Arthritis, digestion, sleep, skin, emotional temperament: treatment shaped around a condition, guided by our resident doctor.
Length set by Dr Srilal after your consultation. Treatments charged per course, in addition to the stay.
Talk it through first ↓
A taste of Ayurveda
To fit into your yoga holiday: a course of three to fourteen days alongside the yoga, chosen as you book your retreat.
From three days ($250) inside a one- or two-week yoga retreat.
Book your yoga retreat →
The ailment and the full Panchakarma are explained below; the shorter stay and the taste of Ayurveda are chosen as you book your retreat. Whichever you choose, treatment begins the same way: with Dr Srilal's consultation.
The practice
Rooted in tradition
At Ulpotha, we offer an out-of-this-world authentic Ayurvedic experience as an optional extra on top of the yoga retreat. Surrounded by nature’s beauty and a sense of peace best described as ethereal, you have the perfect environment for truly holistic treatment aligned with your doshas. At Ulpotha, Ayurveda is woven into day-to-day life: the food, the jungle, the yoga, the silence, the digital detox, living like a local. Nature is the treatment. The village is the medicine.
A basic Ayurveda Panchakarma treatment lasts three weeks and requires a stay of at least 48 hours before treatment for those arriving from overseas. Our resident doctor (see below), Dr Srilal, is specialised in treating Arthritis, a condition that typically requires at least four weeks of Ayurveda treatment. If you would like to receive treatment for this, or other ailments, from digestion and sleep to emotional temperament and skin disorders, please inform Pri, who takes our bookings, so that she can discuss and/or pass on your details to Dr Srilal, who can suggest the ideal length of stay and treatment. Pri can be reached on WhatsApp or email (bookings@ulpotha.com). Please note that Ayurveda is available at an additional cost.
New to Ayurveda? Start with the three doshas, Vata, Pitta, Kapha, see the full treatments & Panchakarma, or read what an Ayurveda day looks like. Coming for Ayurveda itself? Begin with one question: the full Panchakarma, a shorter stay, a specific ailment, or a taste of Ayurveda within a yoga retreat.
Treating an ailment
Coming to treat an ailment
Some guests come to Ulpotha for one reason: a condition they want addressed properly. Our resident Ayurveda doctor, Dr Srilal Mudunkothge, is registered as a general and specialist doctor with the Ayurvedic Medical Council of Sri Lanka, with specialisations in arthritis and psychiatric ailments.
Ayurveda treatment begins with his consultation, and the length of your stay follows on from this. Arthritis typically requires at least four weeks; other ailments (from digestion and sleep to emotional temperament and skin disorders) have their own rhythms. Tell Pri, who takes our bookings, what you are hoping to address, and she will discuss it with you and pass your details to Dr Srilal, who will suggest the ideal length of stay and treatment. So for an ailment, talk it through with us first: a chat with Pri and the doctor, before anything is booked.
Treatments use herbs grown on site, and are charged in addition to the cost of your stay.
Got it. Pri will be in touch.
She passes your note to Dr Srilal and comes back to you, usually within a day. If it is urgent, message us on WhatsApp.
The full Panchakarma
Coming for the full Panchakarma treatment
Panchakarma is the classical Ayurvedic cleanse, and it cannot be hurried: the full course runs 21 days, inside a four-week stay. Every course contains preparatory therapies (the ones most Ayurveda is known for: gentle massages, oil applications, steam baths, saunas and herbal baths) and elimination therapies.
In traditional village-based Ayurveda, as practised here, elimination focuses on inhalation and purgation. The other three of the five classical therapies (emesis, enemas and blood-letting) are not prescribed or performed at Ulpotha, nor are they necessary given Ulpotha’s holistic consistency.
A four-week stay, with the 21-day Panchakarma
Three weeks of treatment with days to settle in and rest, Sunday to Sunday. The course is $1,500 per person, in addition to your stay. Subject to your preferences, we can do more or less: Dr Srilal and Pri shape it around you.
(Treatment costs are in addition to that of your stay. The full course list is below; the doshas and what an Ayurveda day looks like have their own pages.)
What you can expect
All our Ayurveda treatments, regardless of the personalised elements stemming from your consultation with Dr Srilal, contain preparatory and elimination therapies. Ayurveda treatments are an additional cost to your accommodation at Ulpotha.
Preparatory therapies
These are the ones everyone likes and that Ayurveda is most known for: gentle massages, oil applications, steam baths, saunas, and herbal baths, according to your dosha.
Elimination therapies
These consist of what is more commonly known as Panchakarma or Panchakarma treatment, the five specialised elimination therapies: inhalation, purgation, emesis (vomiting), enemas, and bloodletting. In traditional village-based Ayurveda (as opposed to hospital-based Ayurveda), elimination therapies focus on inhalation and purgation. The latter three elimination therapies are not prescribed or performed in Ulpotha. They are also unnecessary given Ulpotha’s holistic approach.
Programmes & pricing
From three days to twenty-eight
Ayurveda Panchakarma treatments
The complete Panchakarma therapy, for those with four weeks or more.
- SamadhiyaProfound 21 days US$1,500
- MokshayaRedemption 28 days US$2,000
A taste of Ayurveda
If you don’t have four weeks for a full Panchakarma retreat, you can explore a shorter programme of Ayurvedic treatments during your wellness retreat at Ulpotha in a setting that truly supports holistic healing. The climate, the pace, the connection to nature: everything during your retreat at Ulpotha helps you settle, soften and receive the benefits of this time-honoured practice.
- SanthushtiHappiness 3 days US$250
- AshinsanayaBenediction 5 days US$375
- SanasumaSatisfaction 7 days US$500
- NamskarayaSalutation 10 days US$750
- AswesillaSolace 14 days US$1,000
(The costs above are in addition to that of your stay; please select which treatment you would like on our booking form).
If an Ayurveda treatment is short in length, say less than the 7-day Sanasuma programme, you will only have time for preparatory treatments that may include inhalation as an elimination therapy.
If you have time for a longer Ayurveda treatment, then you can also undergo purgation. However, a consultation is essential to determine which elimination therapies you need according to your Ayurvedic dosha.
For Ayurveda treatments that are 10 days or less, you will receive treatments every day, each consisting of roughly one to two hours. Longer treatments will include rest days.
Please note that we recommend a 3-day Ayurveda treatment plan for a one-week yoga retreat and a 7-day treatment for a two-week retreat stay. If possible, we can extend these to a maximum of 5 days and 10 days, provided you are willing to compromise, if necessary, on your excursions and yoga sessions. It's best to discuss this with us when making your booking.
Planning your stay
Arrive on a Sunday
Stays at Ulpotha begin and end on Sundays. For Ayurveda, the question is not which dates to circle but which Sunday to arrive. The length follows from the path you choose.
The full Panchakarma
A four-week stay: the 21-day course with days to settle in and rest. Subject to your preferences, we can do more or less.
A specific ailment
As long as Dr Srilal advises after your consultation. Arthritis typically asks for at least four weeks; other conditions have their own rhythms.
A taste of Ayurveda
From three days, inside a one- or two-week yoga stay, chosen as you book your retreat.
If you are arriving from overseas, plan to be at Ulpotha at least 48 hours before your treatment begins: another reason the Sunday arrival serves the treatment well.
The stay itself, per week
- Summerarrivals June to August per week $1,470
- Winterarrivals November to March per week $1,750
- Christmas & New Yearthe festive fortnight, 20 December to 3 January per week $2,100
Indicative rates per person, per week, for Ayurveda stays, confirmed personally when you book. Your Ayurveda treatment is charged in addition: $1,500 per person for the 21-day Panchakarma.
See what an Ayurveda day looks like, hour by hour.
Our resident doctor
Dr Srilal Mudunkothge
Dr Srilal Mudunkothge, an acclaimed Ayurveda practitioner of this ancient, holistic medical art, is our resident Ayurveda doctor.
Dr Mudunkothge obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery and is registered as a general and specialist doctor with the Ayurvedic Medical Council of Sri Lanka. His specialisations are psychiatric ailments as well as arthritis. Therapeutic programmes for treating arthritis are available on request.
In 1942, a young boy by the name of Sooriya Arachchige Amaratunga went with his mother and brother to see the island’s leading practitioner of the Neelammahara tradition, Dr. Ven. Dehiwela Dhammaloka Thero, for the treatment of his brother. He was immediately captivated by the art and science of Ayurveda as practised by the Thero. So much so that the Thero decided to take the young man under his wing and to become his mentor. After a long and illustrious period of study under the Thero, he went to study under another famous physician specialising in the Elvitigala tradition, which covers general indigenous medicine. After earning honours in the Neelammahara and Elvitigala traditions, Dr Amaratunga came into his own, practising this rare combination. Dr Amaratunga enjoyed a long and illustrious career as both a practising physician and a teacher. As his life matured, he looked for a suitable candidate to whom he could pass his unique knowledge. In 1997, Dr Amaratunga anointed a third-year student, who was studying indigenous medicine at the University of Colombo at the time, to carry on his rare heritage. That student was Srilal Mudunkothge. Srilal completed his formal studies by earning a Bachelor's Degree in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery and then registered as a general and special doctor with the Ayurvedic Medical Council of Sri Lanka in 2002 and 2003, respectively. He is also registered as a Pharmacist with the Sri Lanka Medical Council. After practising as an Ayurvedic physician in Colombo for four years, Dr Srilal has been based in Ulpotha since 2005. He has established a unique practice in the tradition of his illustrious Ayurvedic forebears, Dr Ven. Dehiwela Dhammaloka Thero and Dr Amaratunga.
Apart from being a practicing Ayurveda doctor with over two decades of experience, he is a qualified allopathic pharmacist registered with the Sri Lanka Medical Council.
Free village clinic
Your Ayurveda treatment treats the village too
August 2005
Clinic established
65,750+
Visits, as of mid-2025
21,500+
Patients
An Ayurveda clinic was established in August 2005 to provide free Ayurvedic treatments to local villagers. The clinic is funded entirely by the revenue generated from guests’ treatments.
This initiative, which includes free Ayurveda medicines, harks back to the traditional way Ayurveda was dispensed, where patients rarely paid in cash for the care they received. Instead, they would make a symbolic offering of betel leaves to the Ayurveda doctor at the time of consultation and offer their services in kind.
As of mid-2025, the Ayurveda clinic had received over 65,750 visits from more than 21,500 patients.
Visiting therapists
Bodywork
In addition to Ayurvedic treatments, a visiting massage therapist is available on demand throughout your retreat. You can arrange massages directly with the therapist for an additional fee. The therapist is experienced and intuitive and covers a range of disciplines. You can see which therapists are available and read descriptions of their massage styles under each retreat. They use warm oils, gentle pressure, and slow, grounded movements to help your body unwind after long flights, deeper yoga sessions, or a day exploring the lake.
You take your treatment in a quiet, open-air space where you hear the soft rustle of leaves, the river and the sounds of village life drifting in the background. It feels simple and deeply calming.
Intuitive massage
with visiting therapist Boris Gonzalez
Kahuna massage
with visiting therapist Eva Thomas
Good to know
A few things people ask
How long should an Ayurveda stay at Ulpotha be?
The full Panchakarma runs 21 days inside a four-week stay. A shorter Ayurveda stay is three weeks with the 14-day Aswesilla course. For a specific ailment, Dr Srilal sets the length after your consultation; arthritis typically needs at least four weeks. Inside a yoga retreat, a course of three to fourteen days runs alongside the yoga.
What does an Ayurveda retreat at Ulpotha cost?
The stay is priced per person per week by season, confirmed when you book. The treatment course is charged in addition: $1,000 for the 14-day Aswesilla, $1,500 for the 21-day Panchakarma, $2,000 for the 28-day Mokshaya, and shorter courses from $250 for three days.
Is Ulpotha a clinic or a hotel?
Neither. Ulpotha is a traditional farming village in the Sri Lankan jungle with a resident Ayurvedic doctor, Dr Srilal Mudunkothge, registered with the Ayurvedic Medical Council of Sri Lanka. Treatments are taken in open-air pavilions, the herbs are grown on site, and guests' treatments fund a free clinic for the villagers.
Which Panchakarma therapies are used at Ulpotha?
Every course contains preparatory therapies (gentle massages, oil applications, steam baths, saunas and herbal baths) and elimination therapies. Of the five classical elimination therapies, village-based Ayurveda at Ulpotha focuses on inhalation and purgation; emesis, enemas and blood-letting are not prescribed or performed.
When do Ayurveda stays begin?
Stays at Ulpotha begin and end on Sundays. Arriving from overseas, plan to be at Ulpotha at least 48 hours before your treatment begins. Every treatment starts with Dr Srilal's consultation.
Can I come just for the Ayurveda, without the yoga?
Yes. Daily yoga is included and optional; many guests come for the treatments.
Can I do a shorter course than the full Panchakarma?
Yes: three, five, seven, ten or fourteen days inside your stay, from USD 250. The full Panchakarma needs four weeks.
I have a specific ailment.
Talk to Pri and Dr Srilal before you book anything. Arthritis, for example, needs at least four weeks of treatment.
Can I speak to the doctor before I arrive?
Yes, through Pri. Send your question with the form on this page and she passes it to Dr Srilal.
What does Ayurveda cost on top of the stay, for two of us?
The course price is per person, on top of the stay. The stay is the same per person whether you come alone or share a hut.
Are the treatments refundable?
No, and they cannot be changed during the stay, because of limited capacity. Choose with Pri and the doctor first.
More: treatments & Panchakarma · the doshas · an Ayurveda day · what is Panchakarma?
Booking
Begin with a Sunday
Choose the Sunday you will arrive; the four-week Panchakarma stay is filled in from there, and the treatment is shaped around you once you are here. Coming for a specific ailment, or would you rather talk it through first? Pri, who takes our bookings, can be reached on WhatsApp or at bookings@ulpotha.com.
Joining a yoga retreat? Add Ayurveda to your stay when you book.