Responsible Tourism

Tree Tops Jungle Lodge

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Where we are.

Non-touristic and remote dry zone wilderness in Southeast Sri Lanka a few kilometers north of Yala National Park. The lodge, 10km from the small town of Buttala, is surrounded by bush-jungle as well as a unique patch of mature dry zone tall tropical forest. The wilderness is connected to Sri Lanka's largest protected area - the 1300 km2 Yala National Park that is basically the South East 'corner' of the island.

What you can see and do.

Tree Tops Jungle Lodge is located in wilderness outside the Yala national park. Living in a stunning landscape in the really wilds, among wildlife, is the element of adventure at the lodge. It must be stressed, however, wildlife sightings - apart from birds and elephants - are difficult. Observing wild animals isn't easy. They are extremely cautious and scared of human beings due to the traditional hunting lifestyle. Still, even without actually seeing animals the atmosphere is special; you'll feel the soul of the jungle. The lodge is not a wildlife park - the interesting aspect of the Tree Tops location and philosophy is exactly that it is not in a park - but demonstrates the wonder that such wild and magic places do still exist. The Tree Tops management is working hard to protect the forest and wildlife and ecotourism is used as a tool to generate tourism with a purpose: new nature based jobs with the aim to convert the local lifestyle away from destructive to constructive use of nature.

THE STAFF TEAM

Safe sleeping is secured by vigilant watch men who are qualified guards. Grown up as hunter and gatherers they know the ways of the jungle, highly skilled in using eyes, ears, and smells for interpreting nature's signs.
All excursions are on foot and escorted by 4- 5 man TTJL team incl. English speaking naturalist guide.
For leopard watching inside Yala National Park 4 wd safari tours are offered. There is 1.5 hours transfer to the park gate.

Facilities available.

• Huts are basic with shared clean toilets & clean hammocks put up on day of arrival. Mudhut has separate private toilet.
• Bedsheets, towels, ayurvedic soap and toothpaste.
• Well trained, experienced team of 5 local staff members organise all details of your jungle experience and are looking out for you 24 hours. Provisions are purchased in advance and the staff team are cooks as well as trackers and nightwatchmen.
• Local boy Kamal learned good English in record time and is host, naturalist, cook, and assistant manager.
• The library includes books on elephants, nature, and Theravada Buddhism.
• Anytime tea/coffee etc. including organic coffee from the highlands of Sri Lanka prepared French press style
• Lovely freshwater well for a 'cool down' bath native style. Stay in the sun watching tropical bird life with steep golden rocks covered by pristine forest in the background.
The combination of silence and cacophony of nature is the main facility. Human sound is kept at a minimum.

Rooms and food.

The tree and mud huts are simple and rustic, quite similar to traditional huts of the local area. We combine traditional building methods with fresh ideas about design, strength, and function. The architectural style is based on a radical principle of being integrated with environment.
Materials used for the huts are very local: an inner wooden structure (from fallen trees found in the surrounding forest) plastered with a thick layer of clay dug from our land. Walls and floors are polished with a mix of clay and cow dung to make a soft look and prevent insects from finding a place to live inside our walls. Tree huts made with inspiration from the traditional 'chena tree huts'. From these huts farmers watch their cultivated plots in safety from wild animals, especially elephants.

EATING AND DRINKING

Wake up to a cup of fresh brewed Ceylon tea or choose organic highland grown Sri Lankan coffee made french press style.
Breakfast - usually 'rotties', flat bread baked on wood fire. Rotty is usually served with 'dhal' (spicy lentil soup) and grinded coconut.
There is a selection of fruit and delicious water-buffalo curd which goes very well with kitul-palm syrup. The yogurt is homemade first quality, produced by a villager who is the owner of the herd of water buffaloes often roaming the bush outside the lodge.
Lunch - is served early afternoon about 1.30 pm and dinner between 8-9 pm. It is all flexible and depending on treks and individual preferences.

The local cooks prepare traditional Sri Lankan vegetable curries using exotic ingredients such as banana flower, manioc, green bananas, jack nut and fruits, as well as herbs and spices often found in the jungle.

Meat, fish or chicken can be prepared on request.

Why we are special

Life at Tree Tops is a journey back to basics; in rustic huts made from clay and wood found in the forest, vegetarian meals are prepared native style on wood fire, there is no electricity, nights are black, and bathing is primitive at a freshwater well.
The remote location and basic, camp style set up is balanced by spotless organisation and service as well as a staff eager to create great experiences for visitors; be it tasty Sri Lankan meals, jungle treks, or wild elephant spotting accompanied by local trackers.
The read thread in the philosophy behind the lodge is to live as close as possible to nature. With this idea in mind Tree Tops offers only enough facilities to make life comfortable, no unnecessary luxury. At a Buddhist hermitage the meaning of basic surroundings is to focus on meditation, we use material minimalism to enhance the 'state of being one with nature'.
Most prominent amongst the wild visitors at Tree Tops Jungle Lodge are the elephants. Tree Tops is situated between main elephant tracks, in the bush surrounded by mature tall dryzone forest. Absence of electric light and the simple set up ensures the original lodge experience is preserved and wild elephants are frequently moving around the lodge as if they are fully undisturbed by the existence of the lodge.
At nights wild elephants are often heard feeding around the lodge and when the moon is full they can be observed as dark shadows gliding over the landscape.
Important waterholes near the lodge are attracting elephants, especially in the dry period from June to October. Yet, they might be around throughout the year.
You may even be lucky to get photo opportunities from the lodge itself as the bush garden right outside the lodge offers ideal habitat for wild elephants. In fact - they might even drink water from a freshwater well just 100 feet away from the lodge.

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