Abode, Sri Lanka

Abode is a responsibly managed and creative community tourism programme. Located in the heart of the knuckles mountains, the project aims to support and preserve a village community that has shrunk to just six people. Staying in a remote village with no roads and accessible only by trekking three hours, you will live amongst the remaining indigenous inhabitants.

Your expert guide, who has developed the project himself, will meet you by vehicle at your hotel in either the Kandy region or the 'Cultural Triangle' and drive you to starting point of the walk. Provisions are shopped for in town and a local helper will carry the provisions over the mountain with you. The winding walks take you through stunning scenery. Packed with information and anecdotes, your team will be a valuable source of information on this unique and incredibly diverse region of the country.

Reaching the village you will stay two or three nights in a local village house, alongside the couple who dwell there. Simple creature comforts have been brought to make the stay feasible - blankets, cushions, pillows and camping mattresses. However, the accommodation remains very basic. During your stay you will explore the forest and jungles around the village. Swim in idyllic rivers, trek on verdant paths and relax with your wonderful hosts. This project provides a fascinating insight into the lives and culture of these remarkable people, whilst responsibly supporting the sustainability of village life there. A three night stay includes a night camping on a longer trek deeper into the jungle to reach a magnificent waterfall.

Food in cooked on the traditional clay hearth by the local family, almost entirely with produce grown in the village and surrounding mountainsides. The village is almost entirely self-sufficient, with only sugar, salt and lentils generally purchased from the nearest towns. The house itself is a classic example of dwellings in the Knuckles Range. Stoned walls and clay flooring mean it is cold in summer and warm in winter periods. Guests occupy one of the three rooms which is simply transformed into a basic lodge with camp beds and lanterns.

In order to limit and manage the impact of visitors to the village the number of tours operated are strictly limited. The longer term plan is for the project to develop as a resource centre for documenting the culture and traditions of these incredible mountain people before the last inhabitants depart. There is no other place quite like this in Sri Lanka, and the opportunity to live amongst the indigenous peoples of the mountains will, sadly, probably not be possible for much longer. A fascinating tour in stunningly beautiful surroundings with an incredible array of flora and fauna.

** Note: This project is markedly different from similar projects available involving the indigenous Veddha tribes of the Mahiyangana jungles of the central province, which we do not endorse. Many measures have been taken to prevent exploitation and to ensure that the effects of bringing outsiders in is beneficial to all and impacts minimally on the age-old traditions.