Excursions at Santani Resort and Spa

The gushing river sounds you would be able to hear from your room at Santani is an amazing spot for a leisurely stroll. This river borders the Santani estate and is the ideal location to walk along if you are looking for a great place to relax, catch your breath or even wonder about life’s biggest mysteries. Santani’s resident naturalist will guide you down a steep path to the shores of the river. It is roughly a 3.8 km walk along the shores and residents usually complete this trek in 1-2 hours. This river walk will definitely be beautiful and give you the opportunity to observe the local flora and fauna and maybe even interact with the tea harvesters working in the area.

This scenic walk will not only give you peace of mind but allow you to be in awe of the beauty of Sri Lanka. This walk takes you through a village, passing terraced paddy fields, mud houses and spice gardens. This walk offers you an opportunity to see traditional rice and palm harvesting as well as naturally created pools in the river and we recommend that you take your swimwear along with you as a river bath is a define must. This is also a great spot if you are interested in bird watching as a variety of birds are usually spotted in this area. This is a 7km loop that is expected to last 2-3 hours, so make sure you wear long bottoms and trainers.

Even though Sri Lanka is a small island it is rich in biodiversity and is home to more than 500 species of birds. 34 species of birds are considered to be endemic to Sri Lanka. If you are interested in bird watching you have definitely come to the right spot as the area surrounding Santani has spotted 15 of these endemic species. You are welcome to join the resident naturalist and field guide at 6am to spend a couple of hours observing resident birds such as the Thorny Billed Babblers, Ceylon Grey Hornbills, Orange breasted Green pigeons and many more.
(Image: Brown Fish Owl; Scientific Name: Ketupa zeylonensis zeylonensis; Captured by Damitha Prabodha)

The Bambaragala Buddhist temple was built over 250 years ago, and as you may have already guessed, is located inside a cave on top of the Bamabaragala rock. A visit to this temple will provide you with great insight into the historic and cultural heritage of Sri Lanka. The hike to the top of the rock is only an hour long, but is recommended for the experienced hikers as the final stretch requires balance and confidence. But once you reach the top it would definitely be worth it as you will be welcomed with a breathtaking panoramic view.
(Image credits: nirodyasjourney | Instagram)

Your trip to the beautiful island of Sri Lanka wouldn’t be complete unless you visit one of the many beautiful waterfalls that this nation has to offer. Bordering the beautiful Kukul Oya region you will stumble upon two waterfalls that open up into small ponds. This scenic spot is directly accessible from Santani and in the drier season is a short walk away. The walk to the waterfall is quite picturesque as well as you will be surrounded by lush greenery and jungle flora on this trail. However during the rainy season a 45 minute drive before the short walk is recommended to the falls. The staff at Santani will be more than willing to help you with the arrangements for this trip.
(Image credits: TripAdvisor)

The village of Galmaduwa is known for the local artisanal industries that have been passed down through generations. This tour will take you through the many skills that the craftspeople have perfected such as making copper, wooden handicrafts, batik fabrics and much more. This will end with a simple cup of Ceylon tea at the house of the village coppersmith before continuing towards the temple. This temple is an impressive building that showcases a fusion of two cultures, Hinduism and Buddhism, as it was originally built as a Kovil by the last king of Sri Lanka but later venerated as a Buddhist temple. Please make sure to wear long bottoms and a long sleeved top (ideally white or light colored) when visiting the temple out of respect for the culture.
(Image credits: jayfromkandy | Instagram)

Named after the British army colonel, naturalist and adventurer, Jim Corbett, Corbett’s Gap is one of the highest mountain passes in Sri Lanka. The land rises to 2,500 meters above sea level and is home to an extraordinary range of flora and fauna including several endangered species such as the western purple-faced langur and the Sri Lankan leopard. This hike is mostly along an abandoned jeep track where you will observe stunning mountain vistas, verdant tea fields and a village nestled in the foothills of the mountains. Experiencing the breath-taking view from the summit should definitely be high on your to-do list.

Tea is Sri Lanka’s biggest export product and if you have tasted tea in Sri Lanka you know that it is one of the best in the world as well. But how is this tea made? The Hatale tea factory takes you through the journey of producing the perfect tea and the nitty-gritties of the tea industry. The various processes of withering, rolling and fermenting will all be explained to you by one of the factory workers and you will even be able to taste the different kinds of tea that are offered. It is estimated to be a 3.5 hour excursion and long bottoms and trainers are recommended.

This Observation Center is located in a serene location with a good viewing point of the Victoria dam and Mahaweli River. This dam is the biggest hydro project of the country and is now equipped with the latest technology. The caretaker has a vast amount of first-hand knowledge and experience about the project as he has worked in the area for more than 4 decades. In addition to the caretaker’s explanation you will also be able to learn from the many images and prototype models in the area to showcase the construction, functioning and history of the Victoria dam.
(Image credits: attractions_in_srilanka | Instagram)

Your room at Santani will overlook what is known to locals as Dumbara as it means mist-laden, but named by the British as Knuckles as it has a slight resemblance of knuckles in a clenched fist. The hike along this mountain range is considered to be spectacular as it starts in a tea estate but soon enters a cloud forest that is truly unique and stunning. This trail crosses different types of forests, grasslands, streams and waterfalls. There are three different hikes to the peak with a jaw-dropping view. The distance and time taken to complete the hike depends on the route you choose. Please ensure you are in appropriate hiking attire.
(Image credits: sri._.lanka | Instagram)