Summer 2020

36 Feb20143 Retreat to Elephant Country Deep in the heart of elephant country is a haven from outside worries and distractions. Drawing on an authentic Sri Lankan experience, the Mahagedara Wellness Retreat is a place of true respite. Recognized in LUXlife’s Global Luxury Hotel and Spa Awards as Sri Lanka's Most Tranquil Wellness Destination – 2020, we take a moment to discover what it means to truly be at peace. The story of the Mahagedara Wellness Retreat starts with a woman named Lakmali Abeynayake. Having achieved amazing success in her corporate career, she was drawn back to her motherland with the dream of bringing an eco-jungle haven to life. The result was the Mahagedara Wellness Retreat. Located seven kilometers from Sigiriya Lion Rock and 3 other UNESCO sites, surrounded by 4 National Parks and multiple historical sites, the Mahagedara Wellness Retreat is ideally situated as a place where visitors, the community and nature can thrive. The last seven years have allowed the retreat to truly explore what it means to be at one with the natural world. Authenticity is key to any sort of wellness, allowing the true nature of a place to bring out the best in a person. Every part of the Mahagedara Wellness Retreat, from the food to the living spaces, is built on the idea of expressing most clearly what Sri Lanka has to offer visitors. The charming huts that are a guest’s home throughout their stay are a key part of the Mahagedara story, with the winding paths encouraging guests to consider and experience their surroundings. The approach to the retreat has always been one of minimalism, with the personality of the place enhanced as far as possible. Instead of remaining indoors, Lakmali’s approach encourages a deeper connection with the outside world that guests are able to take with them when they leave. The experience of attending a Mahagedara Wellness Retreat is something to be favoured. It is an opportunity to go beyond the stresses of the day to day and explore what it means to be human. The team offer a range of options, each appealing to different people. A mix of healing massages, relaxing yoga techniques and a general calming of the mind through sophisticated meditation and mindfulness are used to ensure guests can really see the difference by the end of their stay. These exceptional courses, each carefully designed to achieve as much as possible last between a day and a week. The Ayurveda retreats, drawing on a 5000-year-old holistic system to heal the body and the mind, are a definite highpoint of a stay at the Mahagedara Wellness Retreat. Grouping the five great elements of ether, air, fire, water, and earth together, the team explore the dance of creation around and within visitors. The Mahagedara Wellness Retreat is a place to immerse in the wisdom of Ayurveda and experience its healing touch at the hands of some of the science’s best practitioners. This is the option for someone who needs full rejuvenation. There are many different experiences to be had that make the Mahagedara Wellness Retreat one to visit beyond their incredible retreat techniques. The chance to take a break in the calming air of the Sri Lankan countryside is not one to be missed, with the opportunity to go for a walk as dawn breaks and listen to the bird call. Throughout the day, activities such as soap making, and honey harvesting are undertaken, with guests encouraged to engage with the life of the honeybee or to make organic soaps from mango, pineapple or lemongrass. What sets the Mahagedara Wellness Retreat above and beyond is its strong connection to place. It grounds this retreat site into something solid, providing firm foundations on which to rebuild. A place to be simply be is hard to find, but everything about the Mahagedara Wellness Retreat is designed to help you be, simply. Contact: Lakmali Abeynayake Email: [email protected]