TV Times

Elephant Reach in Yala is just four months old. It is located deep in the heart of southern Sri Lanka, close to two popular tourist destinations - Yala National Park and Kirinda.

It has easily filled the vacuum of luxury accommodation for high end of the market of adventure and nature travellers created by the 2004 December tsunami devastation.

Elephant Reach Hotel (ERH) is a 160 million investment project, owned and managed by Lanka Hotels and Travels, a subsidiary of Lanka Ice (pvt) Limited.

Elephant Reach Hotel is strategically located on four acre land for its visitors to venture out to its environs, which host interesting places of nature and wild life, religious and historical places of interest.

Four of Lanka's most visited wildlife sanctuaries are within one hours reach. Yala is the closest and Buundala National Park and newly created Lunugamvehera also at close approximate. Uda Walawe is also about one hours drive.

Elephant Reach is an eco-getaway, a private haven within the buffer zone of Yala National Park. The hotel has 21 rooms in nine double chalets and three singles with all facilities.

'All our comfortable chalets are well equipped with ultra modern conveniences. Air conditioning, spacious bathroom with hot and cold water, hire dryer, 20" satellite TV, DVD player, fully stocked mini bar, digital safe, complimentary tea and coffee making facilities are bound to make guests stay relaxing and pleasant' said Ravi Perera, the General Manager of the resort.

Open type verandas of the individual chalets open up into the picturesque environment.

'For families with kids we have additional facilities with baby cots, and even baby sitting facilities (on request) to enable you to relax and enjoy. Other popular attraction is the kids play area'.

Main restaurant serves Sri Lankan delicacies along with Western and Eastern cuisine.

'For over 25 guests we lay buffet and bar-b-que on weekends. The 'Mahout's Bar', which reaches out to a higher level of enjoyment, is located above the restaurant and is the ideal place to unwind and enjoy a cocktail amidst the greenery on a star lit night' said the Restaurant Manager, Nalin Wijesuriya.

According to Ravi, service to the guests is the priority at the ERH.

I always see that the guests get the best service. I personally go and talk to each guest here and look into their needs' he added.

The best attraction is their pool, which comes very meaningful in dry zone like this.

Elephant Reach Hotel is categoried under the 'small luxury hotel and within year 2007 will see an addition of twelve more rooms and a spa.

'Our main attraction is wildlife and adventure, apart from religious tourists. We arranged excursions to national parks - Yala, Buundala, Uda Walawe' he said.

Buundala National Park, a 20 minutes drive from the hotel, is a special bird habitat with 149 species and the only resident flamingo population of the south. Uda Walawe National park is famous for its elephant population. Weeravila and Tissaweva bird watching, where birds and other wildlife roam.

'Visits to the religious sites of Kataragama, Sithulpawwa and Tissamaharama can also be arranged for Sri Lankan and other overseas visitors' Ravi said.

Picturesque Kirinda Temple, Kirinda Harbour and the fishing village are quite popular.

'The boat excursion to Great Basses and Little Basses are some what popular with adventure seekers. This is the new adventure area , the hotel is keen to develop' he said.

Lunugamvehera National Park is the immediate catchment of the Lunugamvehera Reservoir. The park serves as a link between the Yala protected area complex on its east and Uda Walawe national park to its west, situated at Lunugamvehera on Wellawaya-Hambantota road.