The Mudhouse

The main house, and first ever creation of The Mudhouse, can sleep from 1 – 6 guests, it provides one double master bedroom, a western toilet, luggage room, living area and a covered veranda with chairs and hammocks. A second dwelling, known as The Nest, is a stilted wooden structure that overlooks the village lake – containing a double bed and lounge area. There is also a recently added extra small hut with two single beds. This unit has a large outdoor bathroom with two jungle showers and a covered western toilet, as well as a separate dining hut where teas and refreshments are housed. All the dwellings are sold together as a single unit to create a small private village.

The Original Mudhouse is ideal for couples, and families who prefer to spread out over a few spaces rather than stay together in one of our larger huts. However, if this unit is booked by a couple, The Mudhouse staff will prepare both double rooms anyway – the entire area is yours.

Amenities and Perks Included

• 100% cotton linen
• 100% Latex Mattresses
• Beanbags
• Bicycles
• Binoculars
• Bird books
• Blankets
• Cool Box
• Cycle helmets
• Drinking water
• Hammocks
• Herbal insect repellent
• Hot water flask
• Mosquito nets
• Outdoor shower
• Re-usable water bottles
• Soap
• Solar Lights
• Tea & Coffee
• Torches
• Towels
• Western toilet

The term Maha Gedera roughly translates as Head Quarters but in practice refers to the name of the family home – usually the ancestral home of a family, this Maha Gedera hut can sleep from 1 – 9 guests. The Maha Gedera is suitable for couples, families and small groups and, despite its size, has a very intimate atmosphere inside. The Maha Gedera is a grand and elegant structure from both inside and out. The largest of all the huts, the Maha Gedera has a square shaped footprint and a large internal courtyard. The hut is furnished with 3 large double beds, 3 large single beds, a dining table and a lounge area.

The semi-outdoor bathroom is the largest at The Mudhouse, with a large tree shower, traditional ‘bucket shower’ and western toilet. Also recently added is an en-suite bathroom for extra convenience. Behind the hut there is an additional jungle shower.

Amenities and Perks Included

• 100% cotton linen
• 100% Latex Mattresses
• Beanbags
• Bicycles
• Binoculars
• Bird books
• Blankets
• Cool Box
• Cycle helmets
• Drinking water
• Hammocks
• Herbal insect repellent
• Hot water flask
• Mosquito nets
• Outdoor shower
• Re-usable water bottles
• Soap
• Solar Lights
• Tea & Coffee
• Torches
• Towels
• Western toilet

The Palu Hut is designed in an unconventional ‘V’ shape, with two beds on each side of the hut. There are two luggage/changing rooms, two outdoor showers and two covered bathrooms – accessed by raised stone pathways. The rammed earth floor leads down to an outdoor seating area and garden. Inside the hut, hammocks are draped liberally, there is also a lounge and refreshments area with beanbags.

The Palu Hu sleeps from 1 – 8 guests and is suitable for couples, families or small groups. The set-up is tailored to the size and requirements of the people staying there, with excess beds turned into daybeds.

Amenities and Perks Included

• 100% cotton linen
• 100% Latex Mattresses
• Beanbags
• Bicycles
• Binoculars
• Bird books
• Blankets
• Cool Box
• Cycle helmets
• Drinking water
• Hammocks
• Herbal insect repellent
• Hot water flask
• Mosquito nets
• Outdoor shower
• Re-usable water bottles
• Soap
• Solar Lights
• Tea & Coffee
• Torches
• Towels
• Western toilet

The Myla Hut is made up of two separate huts that share bathroom facilities. Sleeping from 1 – 6 guests, the Myla Hut is ideal for couples or families.

The main hut has two double beds and an open plan lounge area with hammocks and beanbags. The annexe is an additional hut that was added a few years back, functioning as an additional double bedroom. The outdoor shower is one of The Mudhouse’s most wild, whilst the western toilet is in a separate enclosed hut. The Myla Hut is located on the bank of our yoga lake and is particularly private. The flip side of this is that, it is significantly further to the restaurant however, bikes are provided.

Amenities and Perks Included

• 100% cotton linen
• 100% Latex Mattresses
• Beanbags
• Bicycles
• Binoculars
• Bird books
• Blankets
• Cool Box
• Cycle helmets
• Drinking water
• Hammocks
• Herbal insect repellent
• Hot water flask
• Mosquito nets
• Outdoor shower
• Re-usable water bottles
• Soap
• Solar Lights
• Tea & Coffee
• Torches
• Towels
• Western toilet

The Sharma Hut is shaped like a mushroom with a distinctive double-layered roof. The hut contains a double bed, luggage area, sink, hammock and chairs. A second hut, known as The Hide can be used as a separate lounge or can also be converted into a second bedroom, with two single beds. This hut also houses a tea and refreshments station, along with hammocks and beanbags.

Sleeping from 1 – 4 guests, the Sharma Hut is ideally suited to couples but can accommodate families if required. This is probably our most private hut, tucked away just beyond the Myla Hut and the yoga lake. The flip side of this is that it is significantly further to the restaurant however, bikes are provided.

Amenities and Perks Included

• 100% cotton linen
• 100% Latex Mattresses
• Beanbags
• Bicycles
• Binoculars
• Bird books
• Blankets
• Cool Box
• Cycle helmets
• Drinking water
• Hammocks
• Herbal insect repellent
• Hot water flask
• Mosquito nets
• Outdoor shower
• Re-usable water bottles
• Soap
• Solar Lights
• Tea & Coffee
• Torches
• Towels
• Western toilet

At The Mudhouse food is one of their greatest passions, with healthy and nutritious meals cooked the traditional Sri Lankan way, using clay pots and firewood for that distinctive flavour, The Mudhouse team hope that guests will discover new dishes and cooking styles whilst on their stay.

Much of the produce they serve is sourced from their own organic farm, with other ingredients purchased locally from farmers or from the market in town. Vegetarian food makes up the majority of what they cook, although they do serve chicken and fish as well. Being surrounded by lakes and located only 30 km from the coast, there is a range of sea and fresh water fish available throughout the year.

There is no menu in the restaurant – meals are planned between the cooks daily and served as a surprise. If you have any special requests, the Mudhouse team will always try to accommodate them. You can also learn how to cook any of your favourite dishes in our complimentary cooking classes. Vegetarians and vegans will be well looked after too – the cooks have plenty of experience in this area as some of the team have also chosen this path. Special dietary requirements or allergies will always be considered. Advance notice is preferred in such cases.

Angampora is Sri lanka’s traditional and ancient martial art, with a history dating back circa 5,000 years. The history of Angampora is interwoven with previous kings, dynasties and political eras spanning thousands of years. Angam was believed to have been mastered by King Ravana who appears in the Hindu epic The Ramayana and displays incredible physical prowess and skill.

Practicing Angampura can be a life changing experience, enabling practitioners to harness their inner strength and power while simultaneously training their minds to promote calm and tolerance. The Mudhouse is the only lodge in Sri Lanka able to offer this unique experience. Come and discover why STIMA decided that this is the ideal place in Sri Lanka to train in the country’s indigenous martial art form.

The Yoga Sala is one of the most unique and iconic spaces to practice yoga in Sri Lanka. Perched on an island in the private lake, the circular structure of the hut is ideal for group practice, with a capacity of roughly 20 people in a circle. There are no columns inside the hut and the conical shape of the roof can really acts as a guide for while you practice. One of the most distinct elements is the rammed mud floor, which literally earths you. Wonderfully exposed and open to the elements, the Yoga Sala was designed and built for both serious practice and as a space to create and commune in.

Visit Paramakanda Temple, dating from the reign of King Walagamba in 89-77 BC, this rock temple is steeped in myth and legend. With fascinating shrine rooms, frescoes and a 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside, there is plenty to admire and explore. The temple is located 2 km away from The Mudhouse and is accessible by bike or tuk-tuk.

If you only do one excursions while staying with here, this should probably be it!

All guests are provided with complimentary bikes on their stay. The bikes are handy for getting about the property as well as for going on longer rides. The tracks, lanes and roads around The Mudhouse are predominantly flat and easy for cycling. For the more adventurous, there are some remote trails with a bit more rugged action to be found.

Explore the vast ancient city of Anuradhapura which dates back from 377 BC, and is one of Sri Lanka’s greatest treasures. This sprawling complex of historical ruins contains a rich collection of archaeological and architectural wonders including enormous stupas, ancient pools and majestic temples, all built during Anuradhapura’s thousand years of rule over Sri Lanka.

Discover Wilpattu, Sri Lanka’s largest National Park, covering 130,000 hectares and known for its natural fresh water lakes. Leopard, Elephant, Sloth Bear, Sambur, Wild Buffalo and the Jackal are just some of the species to be found here. Wilpattu can be arranged as a full or half day jeep safari with the drive being roughly 1 hour and 15 minutes each way.

“With two lakes and four acres of rice fields, water collection, retention and management are crucial areas for us. All our land is now shaped to channel rain water to storage tanks, lakes or fields and we continue to improve our irrigation network within the site. With more frequent drought periods seeming likely, smart water management is now an essential survival skill in this region.”

“A key tenet of The Mudhouse’s approach to sustainability is generating employment. We do not promote charity but instead concentrate on creating livelihoods. We promote local employment by training staff rather than recruiting from further afield, as well as deliberately maintaining an overall labour-intensive approach.”

“The Mudhouse offers employment opportunities for local men and women in an area where good jobs are often scarce. We also actively promote and train women in the workplace and aim to offer practical solutions to some of the barriers that often prevent women from working in tourism. We are unquestionably stronger as a team for this approach.”

“What we cannot grow or produce ourselves we source locally. All our hardware is purchased in town and fruits and vegetables are sourced from local farmers or longstanding suppliers in the Anamaduwa market. We hire local drivers to operate many of our transfers, promoting local indirect employment. Our entire focus is deliberately local.”

“All our furniture is hand made on site and every piece is unique. Beds, tables, chairs, racks, doors, stools, benches, cabinets, bookshelves and more are all lovingly and slowly crafted by our team of carpenters. The none-linear style of many of the pieces is our signature and we encourage creativity. This also an ongoing and never-ending part of our approach.”

“A crucial and ongoing part of our project is the reforestation of sections of our land that were damaged by dubious farming practices or logging in prior eras. A healthy, vibrant forest is going to be key to maintaining balance, especially if temperatures continue to rise. We are actively working towards enriching and shaping the canopy around us for the benefit of all.”

“We have been able to embark on a long and wide-reaching regeneration project, encouraging biodiversity through careful forest management and landscaping. The main aims are to encourage ecosystem services and wildlife habitat. This sometimes includes removing certain plant species to promote balance. Every year our environment matures, and we do whatever we can while striving to find improved ways to nurture and facilitate this natural healing process.”

“The first stage of our approach to conservation to protect what we already have. Only by doing that that can we embark on more ambitious projects. We share our home with a hugely diverse range of flora and fauna. Our futures are entwined with theirs and by protecting their habitats we also protect our own.”