Yoga Retreat
A quiet immersion in a beautiful place — a small-group retreat led by senior faculty, designed to deepen practice and restore perspective.
Where time stands still
Of all the retreat venues we have hosted at over 20 years of running retreats, Ulpotha is the most extraordinary. This is a retreat in every sense of the word.
Nestled in the ancient jungle of Sri Lanka, Ulpotha is a Buddhist
off-grid eco village unlike anything else. There is no electricity
in the guest quarters, no Wi-Fi, no clocks on the wall — only the
rhythm of nature, the sound of the lake, and the slow, unhurried
unfolding of each day.
Our retreats here have been
featured in The Guardian, which called the experience
transformative. Guests return year after year, and it is not
difficult to understand why. Ulpotha has a quality that is almost
impossible to describe: an atmosphere of profound peace, warmth,
and aliveness.
A magical immersion in nature — where time stands still and something essential returns.
Ulpotha — extraordinary by any measure
"This has to be the most extraordinary retreat venue we have ever
hosted at, in 20+ years of running retreats."
— Gingi Lee,
The Shala
Set in the ancient north-west highlands of Sri Lanka, Ulpotha is
an organic eco village and internationally celebrated yoga
retreat. It operates entirely off-grid — no electricity in the
guest cadjan huts, no Wi-Fi, no artificial noise. Just the sounds
of the jungle, birdsong and the lake that forms the heart of
village life.
The yoga sala is open to the surrounding
jungle. Accommodation is in traditional cadjan-thatched huts. All
food is grown on the Ulpotha farm using organic, biodynamic
principles — Sri Lankan cuisine at its most wholesome and
delicious. Ayurvedic therapies and massage are available
throughout the retreat.
Traditional cadjan thatched huts
Open-air yoga sala in the jungle
Ancient natural lake for swimming
Organic farm-grown Sri Lankan meals
Ayurvedic treatments & massage
Fully off-grid, no electricity
Buddhist temple walks
Village cycling & jungle trails
The rhythm of retreat life
Days at Ulpotha unfold gently — without schedules to keep or screens to check. This is how we suggest you imagine your time there.
Morning practice
As the sun rises over the lake and the jungle stirs, we gather in the open-air yoga sala for morning practice with Gingi. Each session is grounding, attentive and deeply nourishing — a gift to begin the day.
Rest & explore
Days are yours. Drift in a swingbed with a book, swim in the ancient lake, receive an Ayurvedic treatment or massage, cycle through the surrounding villages, or walk through the jungle to the Buddhist temple.
Evening practice
As the heat softens and the light turns golden, we return to the sala for an afternoon session. Slower and more meditative, this practice draws the day inward — pranayama, yin, restorative or gentle vinyasa.
Sharing & stillness
Communal meals made from produce grown on the land. Lanterns and starlight instead of electric light. Space for conversation, silence, laughter — and the rare luxury of simply being present with others.
Held by Gingi
Gingi Lee is co-founder of The Shala and one of the most experienced and beloved yoga teachers in London. She has been leading retreats internationally for over two decades.
Gingi's teaching is characterised by warmth, precision and an
extraordinary ability to hold space. She weaves together a deep
knowledge of asana, pranayama and yoga philosophy with a genuine
care for each student's individual journey.
Having led
retreats from the Scottish Highlands to Morocco, India and Sri
Lanka, Gingi knows Ulpotha intimately — she has returned there
many times and describes it as unlike anywhere else she has taken
students. Her presence makes this retreat not just a beautiful
travel experience, but a genuinely transformative one.
Gingi's
approach to teaching on retreat is intuitive and responsive —
reading the group each morning and evening, offering practices
that meet people exactly where they are.
What this retreat offers
Beyond yoga — a complete change of state, body and mind.
Morning & afternoon yoga
Two guided sessions daily with Gingi in the open-air sala. Morning practice tends toward dynamic and energising; evenings lean into stillness, pranayama, yin and restorative work. All levels welcome — the retreat is nourishing for experienced practitioners and beginners alike.
Ayurvedic therapies
Ulpotha's skilled Ayurvedic practitioners offer a range of treatments and massages throughout your stay. These are bookable directly and are deeply restorative — many guests describe them as among the most powerful bodywork they have ever received.
Nature & community
Swimming in the ancient lake, walking through jungle to the Buddhist temple, cycling to nearby villages — and sharing it all with a small group of like-minded people. Ulpotha creates the conditions for real connection, the kind that often lasts long after the retreat ends.
Organic Sri Lankan food
All meals are prepared using produce grown on the Ulpotha farm using biodynamic and organic principles. Sri Lankan cooking at its most vibrant, wholesome and delicious — eaten communally, by lantern light, at long shared tables.
A genuine digital detox
No Wi-Fi in your accommodation. No electricity in the huts. No notifications, no feeds, no noise. Just the lake, the jungle, the stars — and the profound rest that comes when you stop being available to the world and become available to yourself.
20+ years of Shala retreats
The Shala has been running international retreats for over two decades — to Morocco, India, Italy, the Scottish Highlands and many places in between. Ulpotha is the venue our teachers return to again and again. It is, quite simply, the best we have found.
A glimpse of life there
Retreat Details
Prices are per person and are set and processed by Ulpotha. Early Bird rates are subject to availability — please enquire directly.
14 – 28 March 2027 (14 nights)
Ulpotha,
Sri Lanka
Ulpotha is set in the north-west highlands of Sri Lanka,
approximately 3.5 hours from Colombo International
Airport. Ulpotha can advise on transfers. The nearest
town is Kurunegala.
- All accommodation in traditional cadjan huts
- Three organic, farm-grown meals daily
- Morning and afternoon yoga with Gingi Lee
- Access to the lake, jungle trails and village cycling
- One welcome Ayurvedic treatment (additional therapies bookable)
- Guided temple walk through the jungle
- International flights to/from Colombo
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Transfers to/from Ulpotha
- Additional Ayurvedic treatments & massage
- Personal spending
- No electricity in guest huts — a full digital detox
- All levels of yoga experience welcome
- Maximum group size: intimate — spaces are limited
- All dietary requirements catered for
- Malaria prophylaxis & travel vaccinations advisable — consult your GP
Booked direct with Ulpotha
These retreats are run by Ulpotha. For terms, payment details and all logistics please refer to their website.
Get in touch with Ulpotha
If you'd like to know more about what to expect on retreat, or anything else before booking — Ulpotha would love to hear from you.
What our students say
“Going to Ulpotha with Gingi was genuinely one of the most profound experiences of my life. Not just a yoga holiday — a real transformation. I've been practising for fifteen years and I have never felt so held, so rested, or so alive.”
Sarah M. · Sri Lanka retreatThe combination of Gingi's teaching and the magic of Ulpotha is impossible to overstate. I went not knowing what to expect and came back a different person. Already thinking about 2027.
Rachel T. · Shala studentI have been on many retreats but nothing has come close to this. The food, the lake, the jungle, Gingi's morning classes as the sun rose — I still think about it every day.
Philippa W. · Shala studentUlpotha is the real deal. No pretension, no Wi-Fi, no noise — just nature, yoga, community and extraordinary food. Gingi creates an atmosphere of complete safety and joy. Unforgettable.
James K. · Shala studentReady to go to Ulpotha?
Places are limited and fill quickly. Book directly with Ulpotha now — or message them if you have questions about the retreat first.