Jetwing Jungle Lodge
Palatupana, Yala — Sri Lanka
Jetwing Jungle Lodge
Palatupana, Yala
Lodge · $$
10 cabins · Year-round
- Own 125 kW solar array on top of a 300 kWp estate solar system
- 100% of wastewater treated and reused on site
- Turtle conservation hatchery
- Travelife-certified estate with a published annual sustainability report
Why it's a Positive Escape
Ten wooden dwellings on a 15-hectare coastal estate beside Yala National Park, sharing a 300 kWp solar grid and a closed-loop water system with its Travelife-certified sister hotel Jetwing Yala.
The lodge opened in 2024 after a full refurbishment of the former Jetwing Safari Camp. The land is dry-zone scrub at the edge of the park, where elephants and the occasional leopard still cross between Yala and the dune.
Most of the sustainability backbone was built next door. Jetwing Yala spent the past decade turning the shared estate into a closed-loop site for energy, water, waste and food, and the Jungle Lodge taps into all of it, with its own solar array added on the rebuilt dwellings.
Sustainability in action
Wildlife
Turtle conservation programme
in-situ nest protection and an ex-situ hatchery for five sea-turtle species nesting on the estate beach, run with Sri Lanka's Department of Wildlife Conservation
Free-roaming wildlife on the estate
elephants, leopards and langurs pass freely through the 15-hectare property, which has no perimeter fencing on the park side
Community
Jetwing Eternal Earth Programme (JEEP)
the Jetwing Youth Development Project trains young people from communities near Jetwing properties for hospitality careers, an initiative that earned a PATA Grand Award. The programme also runs environmental education in local schools.
Local sourcing
fresh milk from local farmers turned into curd on site, produce from neighbouring farming villages
Energy
Lodge solar PV
125 kW photovoltaic system installed at the lodge in 2024
Estate solar PV
300 kWp grid-tied array since 2014, around 1,500 kWh per day, the largest hotel solar installation in Sri Lanka at the time
Biomass boiler
cinnamon-wood boiler producing steam for hot water, laundry and air-conditioning chillers, replacing diesel
100% renewable hot water
solar flat-plate collectors by day and biomass-generated steam by night
Water
Reverse-osmosis desalination
dry-zone water sourcing with an energy-recovery unit cutting energy use by around a third
100% wastewater reuse
black, grey and laundry streams treated separately on site, black water reused for irrigation and grey water for cooling towers
Food
On-site organic garden
produce grown on site without commercial pesticides
Local sourcing
around 60% of supplies procured from within the Hambantota district, including produce and dairy from farming villages around Yala
Waste
On-site biogas digester
food waste converted into biogas used in the staff kitchen, with the sludge applied as soil enhancer
Composting
garden clippings composted through a windrow system and a process-enhanced composting machine
On-site glass bottling
up to 2,000 litres of drinking water bottled in reusable glass each day, replacing single-use plastic
Transport
Electric buggies
all on-property transport runs on electric buggy carts
Materials & Construction
Wooden cabin construction
dwellings built from wood, with expansive timber decks designed to sit lightly on the dune landscape
Local product partnerships
in-room toiletries made by Link Natural, a Sri Lankan natural products company
Transparency
Travelife certification (Jetwing Yala)
the sister hotel on the same 15-hectare estate holds Travelife certification, an independent audit programme recognised by the GSTC that reviews environmental and social performance every two years
Annual Sustainability Performance Report
Jetwing Yala publishes a yearly report covering energy, water, waste and community indicators for the shared estate
UN Global Compact reporting
Jetwing reports through the UN Global Compact under its Jetwing Eternal Earth Programme
Travel mindfully
Reaching the lodge means a long road transfer from Colombo of roughly 4 hours each way, with a significant carbon footprint.
The property sits on an active leopard and elephant reserve where wildlife passes freely. Guests share the landscape on its terms.
Photos · © Jetwing Hotels
Last verified: June 2026
The full picture
Ten Jungle Dwellings sit on stilts among the coastal scrub, each a 79 m² wooden cabin with its own private deck. Inside, a king bed and a separate sitting area open under a high pitched ceiling, the bathroom runs to a rainfall shower, and soundproofing keeps the wildlife outside where it belongs. The in-room minibar comes with the all-inclusive rates.
The lodge gathers around a 15-metre rooftop infinity pool with a swim-up bar. The Thicket restaurant handles meals and The Hive opens as the rooftop bar at sundown, with beach dining set up on the property's stretch of coast on request. Every stay comes with a personalised butler, 24-hour room service and a travel desk for safari planning, and Ayurvedic treatments can be booked in-room. Toiletries are custom-made by Link Natural, a Sri Lankan natural products company.
The lodge is at Palatupana on Sri Lanka's southern coast, on a 15-hectare coastal grassland estate that opens directly onto Yala National Park. The setting is dry-zone dune and scrub. Five sea-turtle species nest on the beach in front of the property.
Accommodation
10 cabins
Capacity
2 guests per unit
Availability
Year-round
Price range
$$
Amenities
Pool · Spa · Restaurant · Wi-Fi · No pets
Included
24-hour room service · Direct beach access · Rooftop infinity pool with swim-up bar · Free Wi-Fi
Getting there
Bus station · 20 km
Tissamaharama
Nearest town for supplies, restaurants and access to Yala. About 30 minutes by road from the lodge.
Airport · 30 km
Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI)
Closest international airport, with limited flight options. Private transfer on request.
Airport · 240 km
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB)
Sri Lanka's main international gateway. The lodge can arrange a private car transfer along the Southern Expressway, around 4 hours.
Good to know
The jungle setting can mean occasional insects in the dwellings.
The wellness facilities of sister property Jetwing Yala are on the same estate and accessible to lodge guests.
