ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE DETAILS

Please be sure to email bookings@ulpotha.com the following information concerning your pick up as soon as your flights are booked and at the very minimum 1 week prior to your arrival.

1. Your arrival details: Arrival flight time AND flight number 
2. OR if already in Sri Lanka: Pickup time, hotel address & phone number
3. Your departure details: Departure flight time AND flight number 
4. OR if staying in the country: your time of departure and drop-off address
5. your mobile number
6. your passport number and nationality

Check in time is 12 noon. Pickups may be made from the airport from as early as 4:00 am (not earlier) – the journey to Ulpotha is 3 hours – but we cannot guarantee that your hut will be ready for you before 12 noon.

CONTACTS IN ULPOTHA FOR TRANSPORT DELAYS OR ISSUES

Should your flight have any delays, please be sure to advise us asap via email (bookings@ulpotha.com) or by sms to the following numbers.

Ajith (transport): +94 773 705 494 | Nirosha (main line at Ulpotha): +94 375 557 900 | Priyanthi (Colombo office): +94 77 301 7536 

As Ulpotha is effectively a retreat and we discourage people from just popping in, very few people in Sri Lanka know where it is. It is therefore important for you to download and print the directions -add link to new page– in case any problems arise with your transport to Ulpotha.

You can search for Ulpotha in Google Maps (under the name “Ulpotha Yoga & Ayurveda Retreat”), but Google Maps will lead you astray at the final stage (approximately 5 km) of the journey.  Also keep in mind that roaming charges will be expensive if you do not have a local sim card in your mobile. All in all, we advise you to follow our directions rather than Google Maps, particularly when you get close to Ulpotha).

VISAS 

All Foreign nationals arriving in Sri Lanka for holiday or business will need a visa on arrival. This can be obtained through your travel agent when booking your ticket or online at www.eta.gov.lk

Please make sure that your passport is valid for at least 180 days before your date of entry into Sri Lanka otherwise you will be refused entry into the country.

VACCINATIONS

Please note that the East Pole Foundation cannot be held responsible for medical decisions or conditions. If you are taking medication, please bring it with you.

Recommended injections are a Tetanus booster and Hepatitis A. The World Health Organisation declared Sri Lanka malaria free in October 2012, so Malaria tablets are not necessary.

For comfort, it’s recommended you bring along some Lavender and Tea Tree Essential oils as these are useful for calming any bites that you might get during your stay.

USEFUL THINGS TO BRING

Very little indeed! Repeat guests leave valuables and smart clothes at home. The sarong you’re given on arrival makes a wonderfully cool and comfortable dress, or a kilt for either sex. Ulpotha also sells other sarongs in stunning colours.

During monsoon months (May, September and October) Ulpotha is closed to the public. The rest of the year sees mainly sunny skies, though November and December have occasional showers.

For yoga, we suggest light cotton tops and shorts or yoga leggings. Our in-house tailor sells light cotton fisherman’s pants and tops which are also ideal.

For visiting temples, women need something arm-covering and leg-covering, preferably in white or light colours. You might also need uphill shoes and clothes for walks or cycling. Flip-flops are useful as shoes are not worn in any of the huts or main house, and they are easier to slip on and off than lace ups. Ulpotha provides towels but a beach towel is useful too.

Other useful things are: a good torch (preferably rechargeable), a hat, sunscreen, bathing costume and insect repellent, binoculars if you like to watch birds, and of course any regular medication.

There are also some good books at Ulpotha to borrow if you want to travel light, or you can also choose to load up and charge your Kindle before you come.

MOBILE USE 

If you wish to phone cheaply from Ulpotha and avoid expensive roaming charges, please follow these steps:

1. Make sure your phone is un-simlocked before you leave your home country.
2. Buy a Sri Lankan DIALOG sim card upon your arrival at the airport (which will only work in an unlocked phone) and buy a phone credit card. Additional credit can be bought from Nirosha in Ulpotha.
3. Please do not use your phone in the Ambalama or main house, best reception is up by the tank.
4. Keep your phone switched off to save battery power. We have a small solar charger for phones, iPods and cameras, but it cannot cater to laptops or tablets.

INTERNET

Only possible on an unlocked smartphone with your Sri Lankan simcard.

A few books we recommend this season:

The Plant Revolution – Stefano Mancuso

Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty by Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee

In Love with the World by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

Thinking on my Feet: : The small joy of putting one foot in front of another by Kate Humble

Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond