Sri Lanka Retreat
Ayurveda & Alchemy:
Yoga & Wellbeing Retreat
Saturday 22nd February - Saturday 1st March 2025
Join us for an immersive journey, where ancient practices meet modern wellness.
Escape the chaos of daily life and reconnect with your mind, body, and soul. Our retreat offers the perfect environment to recharge, leaving you renewed, centered, and ready to embrace life with clarity.
Seven nights to blow away those winter blues.
reserve your space today
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reserve your space today 〰️
About the retreat
Picture this
Wake Up to the Jungle’s Embrace
Picture yourself waking up to the serene sounds of the jungle, the hazy morning glow enveloping you as you head to the Shala for a peaceful meditation and invigorating Vinyasa flow.
Sunset Yoga by the Ocean
Feel the sand between your toes and the warm, golden rays of the setting sun on your skin as we move and breathe in harmony with the crystal-clear ocean waves during our sunset yoga sessions.
Nourish Body & Soul with Ayurvedic feasts
Savour Ayurvedic-inspired, vegetarian feasts that nourish you from the inside-out. Explore the healing powers of local Sri Lankan plants and bring this newfound wisdom back home with you.
Float into Bliss under the Stars
Experience deep relaxation in our floating crystal healing sound bath, under a canopy of stars. This unique experience will leave you feeling rejuvenated and deeply connected to yourself.
Adventure or Relaxation – Your Choice
With plenty of free time, you can explore palm-filled beaches, learn to surf in warm waters, or simply unwind by the pool with a good book. Indulge in a massage that will melt your stress away.
The Venue
Nestled amidst lush jungle foliage and just a stone's throw from the pristine ocean, this retreat offers an unparalleled setting for relaxation and rejuvenation at Soul House, a sanctuary where wellness, culture, and community intertwine.
Nice Things Others are Saying
The Yoga
Is it right for you?
The yoga Eliana offers is designed for all levels of experience and ability, with a focus on making wellbeing accessible to everyone. No matter your age, body type, gender, sexuality, race, or background, you are warmly welcomed here. The only requirement is that you're able to get up and down from the floor with relative ease.
Those who are looking for a strong practice - she’s got you, those who are looking for something gentler - she’s got you covered too!
Experience Embodied Vinyasa and deep stretch Asana (posture) sessions, designed to balance yang and yin energies.
Enjoy hands-on guidance & tips, and soothing Savasana massages.
Explore Pranayama (breathwork) practices to restore balance in your nervous system and reconnect with nature and yourself.
The Food
At the heart of our philosophy is the belief that organic, fresh and seasonal food is the cornerstone of vibrant health.
Our chef, Elspeth, thoughtfully crafts each meal to align with the natural rhythms of the day, the temperature, the season and our unique body constitution. This ensures that every bite is packed with the nutrients and energy our bodies need, enhancing digestion, energy levels and overall well-being.
We work closely with a beautiful supplier who sources the finest organic fruit and vegetables from local small-scale farmers, allowing us to support the community while delivering the highest quality produce to your plate.
Example Daily Schedule
7:30am - 8:45am
Vinyasa Flow & Meditation
Start your day with a dynamic Vinyasa Flow to awaken your body, paired with silent meditation (Mauna) to calm the mind and set a peaceful tone for the day.
9am - 10am
Ayurvedic Breakfast
Enjoy a nourishing Ayurvedic breakfast accompanied by organic spiced teas, designed to gently detoxify and support your digestive health.
10am - 5pm
Free Time
Take this time to explore the beautiful surroundings, relax by the pool, or join one of our curated activities. This space is for you to do what your body and mind need most.
5:30pm - 6:30pm
Yin Yoga & Sound Healing
Wind down with a soothing Yin Yoga session, accompanied by the healing vibrations of a crystal sound bath, helping you release deep tension and restore inner harmony.
7pm - 8pm
Ayurvedic Dinner & Talk
Savour a wholesome dinner while learning about Ayurvedic principles. Discover how to eat in alignment with your Dosha (body constitution) and the seasons to promote balance and vitality.
8pm
Guided Journaling
End the day with guided journaling, a peaceful moment to reflect on the day’s insights and deepen your personal growth journey.
Discover Sri Lanka:
Where Wild Beauty Meets Timeless Culture
Additional Activities
Here are some ideas for your free time during the day. The local area offers plenty to explore, and we’re here to guide you and help arrange activities. Please note that these are optional and not included in the retreat price unless specified.
Floating sound bath
under the stars - included in retreat price
Learn to Surf - approx. £10pp for 1 hour
Bike ride around
Koggala Lake - approx. £2.50pp for 2 hours
Boat Safari - £2.50pp for 1 hour
Health workshop with
Ayurvedic Doctor - no charge
Volunteer at local
gardens - no charge
Rooms & Prices
Your Hosts
/ Elspeth
Elspeth is a passionate chef and wellness enthusiast who left her corporate job in 2013 to pursue her true calling in the kitchen.
After honing her skills at the River Cafe in London and Florence University of the Arts, her culinary journey led her to super yachts and her own restaurant. Personal health challenges sparked her interest in food as medicine, focusing on women’s hormonal health, raw food, Ayurveda and adaptogens.
Now based in Sri Lanka, she founded Soul House and creates nourishing, holistic retreats, blending local flavours with practices like crystal bowl sound healing and shamanic healing.
Certificates and Trainings:
Certified Professionally Trained Chef, Florence University of the Arts, Italy, 2014
Certified Holistic Health Coach, New York, 2015
Yoga Teachers Training, Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga & Yin, 220hrs, 2016
Sound Healing, Level 1, 2 & Expert, CMA Certified, 2023
Reiki, Level 2, Certified, 2023
Shamanic Healing, 1 Year Completed, 2024
/ Eliana
Eliana is passionate about fostering inclusive, welcoming spaces where yoga is accessible to everyone. Her classes are dynamic and fun, balancing playful flows with restorative practices that encourage relaxation and rest.
Her teaching is deeply influenced by the intersection of yoga, somatics, and the nervous system. By integrating contemporary science with the ancient wisdom of yoga, Eliana believes that we can forge deeper connections with ourselves, support personal healing, and cultivate healthier relationships with others and the world around us. Her classes empower students to explore their unique path to well-being, focusing on self-healing and inner transformation.
Certificates and Trainings:
Certified Yoga Teacher with over 300 hours of Training, YogaSara, Bristol March 2020 - July 2021
Ayurvedic Yoga Massage training with the AYM Institute, January 2023
Trauma-Informed Yoga Training, Bristol Yoga Roots Project, October 2023
Somatics Foundations Course, Soma Mystica, May 2024
The Art of Adjustments under Chloe Knowlden, Bath June 2024
Applied Polyvagal Theory in Yoga with Dr. Ariele Schwartz, June 2024
Healing with the Breath, Bandhas, and the Vagus Nerve Course under Laura Gilmore of the Bristol School of Yoga September 2024
Want to know more? Here are some FAQs
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It takes just over 2 hours door-to-door with no stops
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Flights costs
Visa fee
Travel insurance
Airport transfer
Additional activities not included in the itinerary
Additional treatments
Lunches are not included so that there is time to explore for the day without feeling tied to the villa
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7 Nights Accommodation
7 Days of delicious rejuvenating ayurvedic breakfasts and dinner
Welcome drink
Water, tea, coffee served throughout the day
5 Days of wholesome ayuvedic dinners to leave you feeling nourished
1 night-time crystal sound bath on lilo's floating in the pool whilst looking up at the stars
Daily yoga classes
1 Healing crystal sound bath with yin yoga
Daily meditation classes
Parking
Daily room cleaning
Natural locally made handwash, bodywash and shampoo with essential oils and natural ingredients
Wifi connection
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Costs in Sri Lanka:
This section is designed to give you an idea of the general price of things in Sri Lanka, this is at the time of writing in September 2024.
Average price for Sri Lanka lunch/dinner: £2
Average price for Western breakfast/lunch/dinner: £6-10 (soft drink and main meal)
Tuktuk from Soul House to Ahangama Town/Beach: Total £2.50 (2/3 persons)
Tuktuk to Weligama: Total £5 (2/3 persons)
Tuktuk to Galle: Total £12.50 (2/3 persons)
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There are four masseuses that Soul House work with, varying in price from $40 per hour with a local Sri Lankan, fully trained masseuse, specialising in Ayurvedic massage to $250 for 2.5 hours with Julien who specialises in Body Therapy, starting with a 30 minute assessment and finishing with a flute mediation and rest. More information and pre-bookings will be available for these closer to February.
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Yes, the villa is ideally located just slightly inland which means that you benefit from the peace and quiet of the tranquil location yet are not far from anything either.
Bicycles, mopeds and tuktuks are available to rent from on average 1000rs (bicycle) per day, 2000rs (moped) per day and 5000rs (tuktuk) per day. Please note that theses prices are the current average and are subject to change.
Travelling into Ahangama Town takes about 6-8 minutes on a moped, here there are the shops, beaches, surf spots, Ayurvedic doctor and lots of cafes and restaurants.
Wild is a local ice-bath, sauna and cafe space that is about 3 minutes drive away.
PALM Boutique Hotel is next door and about 1 minute walking distance and has a restaurant, pool and gym.
Galle Old Town is about a 40 minute drive away. This is most likely the furthest place that you would travel too whilst on the retreat.
Unawatuna is about 20 minutes away for those that want to check out the beach, go shopping or go for a dive.
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Soul House is perfectly located so that you can easily access everything that the south coast of Sri Lanka has to offer.
Here are a few ideas of extra things to do (some are scheduled as options for the retreat already):
Guided cycle tour around the beautiful Koggala Lake
Boat Tour of Koggala Lake with a trip to a few of the islands including Cinnamon Island where you can meet a local family on their small cinnamon plantation
Surf with the various surf schools in Ahangama, Weligama or Midigama - it doesn't matter if you're a complete beginner there are instructors for all levels
Enjoy a beautiful sunset all the way up on the 5th floor of Lighthouse Ahangama
Have a wander around the old town of Galle while having a gelato from Isle of Gelato and perhaps dipping into a few of the boutique shops to gether a few presents for friends back home
Go to some of the fabric shops in Galle town and then visit a tailor and have some new garments made especially for you
Go on a cruise with Sail Lanka and look back on the beautiful coastline while soaking in a gorgeous sunset
Go to the Turtle Hatchery and learn about some of the sea wildlife we have and see all different shapes and sizes of tortoises
Go scuba diving in Unawatuna and see some of the ancient shipwrecks just off the coast and explore the stunning waters and wildlife
Visit a tea plantation and learn all about the history of tea in Sri Lanka and the many different types available. See the tea process from start to finish, giving yourself a greater appreciation for how this brew is made
Visit the Ayurvedic Doctor for an appointment and have your doshas checked, check out the shelves of all the wonderful different herbs and plants and choose a selection to support your mind and body
Get involved in one of the local community gardens and offer your servives for an afternoon of planting or picking vegetables or fruits ready for harvest
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Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad all operate flights to Sri Lanka offering a change en-route.
Sri Lankan Airlines operate a direct flight every evening from Heathrow at 20:40pm taking 10 hours and 20 minutes arriving at 12:30pm the following day.
Sri Lankan airlines offer a convenient day time eturn flight everyday, departing Colombo at 12:55pm arriving to London at 19:10pm the same day, taking 11 hours and 50 minutes.
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Absolutely not. This is your time away to retreat and you can choose to do as much or as little as you want. We actively encourage you to tune into your body and do what feels right for you, moment-to-moment, day-to-day.
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Breakfast will be served everyday totalling seven breakfasts.
There will be five dinners as two nights will be off with a suggested restaurant to go to, though no-one is under any obligation. The two meals out are not provided by the retreat.
Due to the nature of the Ayurvedic food on the retreat we understand that some of you will want to continue eating this style of food for the duration, restaurant and cafe suggestions will be offered in this regard so that you can continue to nourish your body in the best way possible whilst on the retreat.
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The food will be mostly vegetarian/vegan and is curated by Elspeth who trained as a professional Chef in Italy in 2013 and has worked in everything from Michelin Star Restaurants to super yachts to having her own restaurant as well as being a certified Health & Nutrition coach.
The food will be filling, nourishing and all dietary requirements will be taken into account to make sure that your bodies are looked after in the absolute best way possible.
Elspeth has followerd a plant based diet for the past 9 years and understands how to put dishes together that not only satisfy but also take your tastebuds on a culinary journey.
The ingredients are Organic, local, seasonal and made with a whole lotta love.
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November until April are generally the sunnier months of the year with less rainfall. Average temperatures each day are approximately 31 degrees celsius with quite high humidity. There tends to be little to no rain so you can pack summer clothes and swimwear.
The Location
Ahangama, a picturesque town on Sri Lanka's Southwest Coast, ranked the best island in the indian ocean, offers a perfect mix of natural beauty, cultural experiences, and adventure.
At Soul House, you can fully immerse yourself in the lush jungle and serene paddy field views while enjoying peace and calm.
Whether you're taking a surf lesson, visiting a local tea plantation, or exploring Koggala Lake by boat, you'll find the ideal balance of relaxation and cultural discovery.
Some of the things that others are saying about Sri Lanka...
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Some of the things that others are saying about Sri Lanka... 〰️
‘20 of the Best UK Holidays in 2024’
‘The Best Winter Holidays to Book for 2024’
‘100 of the Best Holidays in 2024’
‘Best Travel Destinations for 2024’
‘The Best of Sri Lanka – Land of Serendipity’
‘Why Sri Lanka’s South Coast should be your next destination’
This retreat is more than just a getaway—it's a journey to a balanced, holistic wellness experience in a luxurious tropical paradise. Return home refreshed and ready to embrace life with renewed energy.
Have questions?
Book your free 10minute discovery call to ask us anything about this retreat - email us on yogawitheliana@gmail.com or fill out the form opposite and we’ll get back to you shortly :)