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Ulagalla by Uga Escapes is a 58-acre resort of 25 private pool villas at Thirappane, near Anuradhapura, built around the 150-year-old mansion of a village chieftain. The old house, its red-tiled roofs reflected in a 30-metre pool, is the social heart of the estate; the villas are spread out across the grounds among paddy fields, woodland and lakes, and guests get about on bicycles or the resort's buggies.
Every villa at Ulagalla has its own pool, a separate living area, a timber deck, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a minibar, an espresso machine and a safe, and in-villa dining is available from early morning until late evening. They are sold in three categories, and the names below are the ones you will see when you choose a room.
Children can share all three categories with their parents. If you need to bring a fourth adult into an Ulagalla or Deluxe villa, or a fifth guest into Nikaweva, ask us before booking, as these cost extra and cannot be booked online.
Liyawela is the main restaurant, serving refined Sri Lankan and international cooking in the heritage setting of the estate. Kamatha is the signature experience: Sri Lankan food served out in the middle of a working paddy field. Uga also arranges private meals around the grounds, from breakfast on your own villa deck to dinners under the stars, and in-villa dining is available throughout the day.
The estate is large enough to fill a day without leaving it. There is horse riding through the surrounding countryside, archery, nature trails, cycling on the villa bicycles and a scenic drive around the estate, and you can kayak among the lotus flowers on the Wannamaduwa reservoir, an ancient man-made lake attributed to King Mahasen in the third century AD. Younger guests can join a Junior Ranger programme. Back at the main house there is the 30-metre pool, a spa offering massages and wellness treatments, and a gym.
Ulagalla sits in the north of the Cultural Triangle, close to the oldest of Sri Lanka's royal capitals. The ancient city of Anuradhapura, with the great white dome of the Ruwanweliseya and the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree, is around 25 to 28 kilometres away, and Mihintale, where Buddhism is said to have arrived on the island, about 20 kilometres. The forest monastery of Ritigala is 39 kilometres away, the Dambulla cave temple 46 kilometres and Sigiriya 54 kilometres, so all make comfortable day trips. The resort also runs tours to the medieval capital of Polonnaruwa.
Yes. Both Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka's largest, known for leopards and its natural lakes, and Minneriya National Park, famous for the elephants that gather on the shores of its reservoir in the dry season, are about 63 kilometres away. The resort arranges jeep safaris to both; an early start is worthwhile.
Uga gives the distance from Colombo as 176 kilometres, and Bandaranaike International Airport, north of the city, is on the way, so the drive is a little shorter from there. The easiest way to arrive is a private transfer from Colombo airport to Ulagalla, which takes you all the way to the resort.
It suits couples and families who want space, privacy and their own pool, with the ancient cities and the national parks within reach, rather than a busy hotel in town. Three nights gives time for Anuradhapura, a safari and a slow day on the estate. For more choice in the area see our places to stay in Anuradhapura, or the other Uga Escapes hotels around the island.
Our objective was to explore the sacred sites of Anuradhapura. Staying at Uga Ulagalla was a first for us. It did not disappoint! It’s a beautiful 50 acre property. We were warmly welcomed by Yalindee who continually made certai…
We stayed at Uga Ulagalla for four nights at the end of August / early September. We absolutely loved it: the grounds and facilities feel very quiet and entirely your own even when fully booked and the gardens and grounds are imma…
A beautiful well kept property with large roomy well decorated individual villas set amongst paddy fields and gardens and jungle. The staff were warm and friendly but not all trained to the same consistent standards of a four to…
Ratings and reviews provided by TripAdvisor for Uga Ulagalla.
Bookable activities, tours, and tickets within a 25 km radius.
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