Far Cry Forest Retreat is an idyllic hideaway set in the heart of Sri Lanka’s serene rural landscape, far from the bustle of city life. Escape the crowds and stay where the air is cleaner, the sun is brighter and the rain refreshes your soul.
Nestling between a wildlife sanctuary and a lake. Far Cry is a private eco-lodge set in a magical 6-acre forest garden, where the space is entirely yours.
Book your own, much needed holiday, today!
The space
Sleeping accommodation is located on the upper floor and can cater to eight in comfort. It comprises of:
- A large insect-proofed family room with an en suite bathroom leading to a private covered balcony. The room has a queen sized bed that sleeps two, while two single beds can be used inside the room, or on the balcony. The room is furnished with a fitted desk and wardrobe.
- A large roofed deck room with open sides, leading to a viewpoint balcony – Four single berths are provided here, and occupants are served by a large common bathroom on the ground floor. The deck room doubles up as a spacious lounge during the daytime.
Guests are kindly informed that sleeping on the balcony or the deck is intended for the enjoyment of a safe outdoor experience, which will include seasonal wind or rain, and the sounds of the crickets, owls and other nocturnal fauna.
All rooms have panoramic views of the surrounding forest canopy affording great opportunities for bird watching and photography. Neighbouring Ritigala can be seen from the deck. Mosquito nets and ceiling fans are provided in all sleeping areas, while traditional palali (cane blinds) are used extensively for shade and protection from the elements when required.
The ground floor comprises a large living and dining area which is open to the garden and the forest. Cool cement floors and minimalist furniture complemented by comfortable multipurpose canvas chairs create a campsite ambience in the most civilized fashion. You can enjoy your meals in the dining area watching the antics of birds, or lounge around over tea or drinks in the living area just enjoying a view of the manicured lawn and the surrounding forest.
The two spacious tiled bathrooms are equipped with all modern conveniences such as rain bath showers and quality bathware. Solar heated hot water is available on tap.
Guest access
Guests can access all areas of the villa and the garden, with the exception of the pantry and the storage areas which are reserved for staff use. Far Cry is not a self catering facility.
Other things to note
Far Cry is a founder member of the Ceylon Eco Lodge Owners Association (CELO) - a non profit collective of Eco Lodge Owners committed to certified standards of sustainable operations.
Registration of guests is a mandatory requirement by the law enforcement authorities, so kindly ensure that you comply when requested to do so.
A first aid kit and stationery are available, please ask the staff. They can also guide you to the nearest emergency services, in the unlikely event of such a need.
We provide all linen, crockery, cutlery and glassware. Do note that any breakages or damage will be chargeable.
Far Cry is not a self catering facility due to the need for a rigorous waste management regime in the wilderness. We have a resident chef, and meals can be pre-ordered on a half board or breakfast only basis. Please ask for details and book your supplement at least 24 hrs before arrival.
We do not stock or serve pork, beef or alcoholic beverages. Neither do we stock soft drinks. Guests are welcome to bring their own alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages.
In the interests of conserving precious water, we change towels and linen only on request. Please help us in this endeavour.
Cleaning and tidying of guest accomodation and bathrooms will only be performed on request. Otherwise, staff will not access guest accomodation, except for specific urgent maintenance work, with guest permission.
A strong Wi-Fi connection is available and the guest network is accessible around the villa, the lawn and the pool area. We request guests to use this facility responsibly and appropriately by avoiding download of large files, streaming etc. the password is provided in the guest resources section of this listing.
Power outages are rare but they do occur. In such an event, our generator will be switched on for the convenience of our guests. The generator does not support the air conditioner.
The Master Bedroom has an air conditioner installed, However, due to issues with power supply to the locality they may not always be operational. We have therefore temporarily removed Air Conditioning as an amenity.
Lighting throughout the property is kept low to prevent disturbance to wild life at night, and so that bugs and insects are not attracted into the rooms. If you wish to read, a desk lamp is provided in the sleeping deck area, and a standard reading light is also available for guest use.
Sadly, we are not immune to the effects of climate change. Recent years have seen extremes of weather at Far Cry - both wet and dry - and it is possible that at the time of your visit, our lawn and forest garden may not be looking their best. For absolute transparency and accuracy of the listing we will however keep prospective guests informed with photographs if they are likely to find that the photos of the outdoors are not exactly as published when they visit, due to extreme weather conditions.
We are situated in Sri Lanka’s dry zone where temperatures can soar to the mid thirties (Centigrade) in the months of April and August. Our 10'x14' plunge pool and outdoor showers are intended for guests to cool off in hot weather.
At some times of the year guests may experience mosquitoes, flies and other winged insects - usually during extremely wet or dry periods, or during harvest time. This is to be expected in rural forest settings such as Far Cry, and our staff and facilities will do their best to minimize inconvenience.
