Elephant Watch Hut

What Buddy & Brigitte have made here supports local families and touches your heart. The lovely ladies who looked after us made us feel at home, with the best curries we had in Sri Lanka and a breakfast to remember. Our spotless room was beautifully comfortable, with a gentle breeze at night. We had a joyful stay at The Elephant Watch Hut, one of the best parts of our Sri Lanka trip. We started with a scenic mountain bike ride through the village, then had a dreamy BBQ under the stars by crackling fire pits. Pure magic from start to finish. A must-visit!

The community is what makes The Elephant Watch Hut such a special stay. Different families prepare different dishes, so no two meals are the same, and everything was delicious. We also appreciated that they understand vegan food well. From our terrace, we could look out over a pasture full of birds and other animals, though no elephants appeared while we were there. Binoculars are well worth bringing for birdwatching. Our two-hour village walk with guides was a highlight. With Google Translate, we could ask questions about village life and see the community. The village bike ride included a cultural dance workshop, a lovely surprise for our 10th wedding anniversary, and we'd recommend it to anyone staying a few days. We spent a little over a month in Sri Lanka, and our two nights here were the trip's highlight. We were a little anxious because this was our only bank transfer for accommodation, but it turned out exactly as hoped. The lodging was gorgeous, thoughtful, and quite unique. I'd suggest staying at least 2-3 nights.

Buddy and his local village team were phenomenal hosts, and the village cycle ride was very well looked after. We spent one night at the elephant watch hut, and all the food they made for us was absolutely delicious. The individual huts offer privacy, lovely views over the surrounding area, and a comfortable, relaxing place to stay. There was quite a bit of noise from a nearby property until late that night, possibly because it was Poya Day, the full moon holiday. It was outside their control, and they provided ear plugs. When we mentioned it, Buddy kindly offered us another night, though we couldn't take it because we were moving on. I can't praise the service highly enough. It was a fantastic experience.

The village connection made this stay feel special: local people prepared the meals and looked after the property. We also took the half-day bike tour, an easy ride along local roads with stops to see a dance school, broom-making and oil extraction, followed by a short cooking lesson. At the lake, we sat quietly watching birds when eight wild elephants came out of the scrub to drink, about 100 meters away. Our room was unusual and comfortable, open to the air with big blinds and a breeze that kept us cool overnight. The welcoming, enthusiastic staff made our short visit memorable. We only stayed one night and wished we could have stayed longer.