Santani Wellness Sanctuary
About this
Your wellness journey starts when you arrive at this peaceful mountain location where fresh air and beautiful valley views help you relax immediately. Santani covers 116 acres of natural wilderness where you can do yoga next to the Hulu River, walk through tropical gardens, or swim in warm pools while looking at old rice fields. Every day includes meetings with Ayurvedic physicians who create treatment plans just for you, whether you want to detox your body, lose weight, sleep better, or reduce stress.
The kitchen staff works with health experts to make meals that help your wellness goals using fresh herbs and vegetables grown right on the property. Yoga teachers guide you through exercises that work on your specific body and mind needs. Evening activities include cultural shows, cooking lessons, and sitting around fires under the stars, creating special memories that remind you why this trip was important. The resort uses sustainable practices so every comfort you enjoy also protects the beautiful environment that helps you heal.
Best Time to Visit
Discover the optimal periods to experience Santani Wellness Sanctuary at its finest. These recommended times are carefully selected based on weather conditions, local events, and overall visitor experience.
Key Highlights
Santani Detox
Work with Ayurvedic physicians who check your health and find toxins that affect your energy, sleep, and mental focus. Your personal plan includes daily treatments like herbal oil massages and steam baths, plus special meals designed to help your body clean itself naturally. You will also do yoga, breathing exercises, and meditation that help both your body and mind detox while taking easy walks in nature.
Santani Weight Loss
Learn healthy weight management through ancient Ayurvedic methods that speed up your metabolism without extreme diets or hard workouts. This 5-night program includes spa treatments that improve blood flow and reduce fat, plus yoga that tones your body naturally. You work with nutrition experts to learn which foods actually make you feel full and get cooking lessons to make these healthy meals at home.
Santani Sleep
Train your body to sleep naturally without sleeping pills through special treatments that calm your nervous system and fix your sleep schedule. Therapists use specific massage methods and herbal treatments while yoga teachers show you relaxation techniques that work better than regular meditation for sleep problems. The program includes advice for bedtime routines and breathing exercises you can do at home to keep sleeping well.
Santani Spa
Perfect for people new to wellness, this flexible program lets you try everything Santani offers without making big commitments. Choose daily 90-minute treatments like massages or facials, join yoga classes if you want, or just relax by the pool with fresh organic juices. The program changes completely based on what you like, whether you want deep relaxation or to learn about wellness.
Personalized Yoga
Improve your yoga practice through private lessons with expert teachers who adjust sessions for your skill level and body goals. This 5-night program includes two private yoga and meditation sessions each day, plus three spa treatments designed to make you more flexible and connect your mind and body better. You learn to build a yoga practice at home that keeps supporting your wellness after your trip ends.
Itinerary
Your trip begins with airport pickup and a beautiful 4-hour drive through Sri Lanka's mountains to your wellness retreat. Check into your private room and eat a welcome lunch made with organic ingredients grown on the property. Spend the afternoon walking around the 116-acre grounds, meeting your wellness team, and learning about your personalized program choices.
Meals: Lunch & Dinner
Drive Time: 4 hours
Begin with group yoga at 7:00 AM as morning fog clears from the valleys, then eat breakfast and have free time to rest or explore. After early lunch, join the nature guide for animal watching and hiking to the hanging bridge with amazing mountain views. Come back for a 5-course dinner using local ingredients before evening rest with jungle sounds around you.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (5-course dinner)
Yoga Time: 1.5 Hours (7:00 AM – 8:30 AM)
After breakfast, visit historic Kandy city including holy temples and busy local markets that show Sri Lanka's spiritual culture. Return for lunch then enjoy your first personal spa treatment designed to release travel stress and muscle tightness. Optional late afternoon yoga gets you ready for evening drinks around a fire and 7-course dinner with traditional flavors made healthy.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (7-course dinner with bonfire cocktails)
Yoga Time: 1 Hour (4:30 PM – 5:30 PM - Optional)
After breakfast, travel to Bentota's beach where your wellness trip continues at oceanside Kirana villa. Settle in with lunch overlooking the ocean before visiting turtle protection projects that save endangered sea turtles. Evening brings dinner with ocean wave sounds while planning tomorrow's water activities.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Start with breakfast before trying Bentota's famous water sports from easy kayaking to jet skiing based on what you feel comfortable doing. Return for villa lunch before exploring old Samudrarama Temple and learning about its building design and spiritual meaning. End with sunset tea at a clifftop spot overlooking the endless Indian Ocean.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, High Tea & Dinner
After breakfast, discover UNESCO World Heritage Galle Fort with expert guides who tell fascinating stories about 400 years of history. Eat lunch inside the fort walls before shopping at local craft stores for handmade jewelry, fabrics, and spices. Return to Bentota for final dinner and evening thinking about your life-changing week.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Your wellness change ends with a final breakfast at the villa before leaving, taking home new health habits, stress management skills, and fresh energy for continuing your wellness journey in daily life.
Meals: Breakfast
What's Included
Activities & Adventures
Daily personalized yoga sessions by the Hulu River with mountain views
Bird watching tours to spot endemic Sri Lankan species in the cloud forest
Waterfall hunting expeditions to hidden cascades in the Knuckles Mountain Range
Hatale tea plantation walking tour through historic Ceylon tea estates
Forest hiking trails with expert naturalist guides through pristine wilderness
Cultural excursions to historic Kandy temples, local markets, and UNESCO World Heritage Galle Fort
Beach extension at Bentota including turtle conservation visits and water sports
All Meals & Drinks
Ayurvedic "Rasa Haya" cuisine featuring six tastes tailored to your body type
Three gourmet wellness meals daily using fresh ingredients from on-site organic gardens
Unlimited herbal teas, cold-pressed juices, and purified mountain water
Special dining experiences including 5-course and 7-course dinners with local flavors
What's Not Included
Extra Costs
Premium spa treatments beyond your selected wellness program
Private couple's spa sessions and extended treatment packages
Water sports activities at Bentota beach like jet skiing
Personal shopping at markets, craft stores, and souvenir purchases
Personal Items
International flights to Colombo airport
Travel and health insurance coverage
Shopping and handicrafts from local markets
Good to Know
Santani means "in harmony with" in Sanskrit, perfectly describing this wellness retreat's healing approach. This high mountain location also reduces energy use by over 70%, making your stay healthier and more environmentally friendly. The famous tri-level spa was designed like ancient Buddhist meditation caves, with open-air treatment rooms that look out over peaceful mountain valleys. All buildings use reclaimed wood and natural airflow systems, making Santani Sri Lanka's first resort built specifically for sustainable wellness.
Best Time to Visit
Year-round: The high mountain location keeps temperatures comfortable in all seasons, perfect for outdoor activities and wellness treatments with Sri Lanka's natural healing plants available throughout the year.
What to Pack
Essential Items: Comfortable walking shoes for mountain terrain, light layers for cool evenings, and swimwear for infinity and thermal pools.
For Wellness Programs: Personal yoga mat if preferred, journal for reflection, and any current medications or supplements you use.
Accommodations
Your private room has a simple design with natural materials that create instant calm and help you sleep deeply. Ask for Ambalama One for amazing uninterrupted valley views where your private balcony becomes the perfect morning meditation spot and evening thinking space. The resort has two different pools including a hillside infinity pool with mountain views perfect for sunrise swimming and a healing thermal saltwater pool inside the spa area. Natural air flow systems keep rooms comfortable without air conditioning while on-site organic gardens provide 80% of meal ingredients including fresh herbs, vegetables, and tropical fruits. Santani's environmental practices make your luxury experience better through harmony with the clean mountain environment, making sure your wellness trip actively supports the natural beauty that makes change possible.
FAQs
What awards has Santani won?
Santani was named the world's top holistic wellness retreat at the 2025 GlobalSpa Awards.
What makes the spa facilities unique?
The tri-level spa features a cedar wood sauna with glass walls overlooking emerald paddy fields plus four open-air treatment rooms built into the hillside's natural curves.
How does Ayurvedic cuisine work?
The kitchen follows "Rasa Haya" philosophy using six Ayurvedic tastes in each meal, with dishes personalized according to your individual body type determined during consultation.
How far is Santani from Kandy city?
The resort is located 32 kilometers from Kandy, about a 45-minute scenic drive through beautiful Sri Lankan hill country.