Aerial view of Wild Glamping Gal Oya — thatched pavilions, infinity pool and orchard rows below the mountains

Wild Glamping Gal Oya

Rathugala, Gal Oya · Sri Lanka

Availability

Year-round

Per unit

20 tents · 2–4 guests

Region

Gal Oya

Price range

$$

Price range

$$

Per unit

2–4 guests

Type

Glamping

Infinity pool with lounge chairs facing the thatched tent pavilions and mountains
Safari jeep at the edge of a reservoir with mountains in the distance, on the Hathpotha safari
Deluxe Tent bedroom with king bed, opening onto the savannah and mountains
Aerial view of the infinity pool with swimmers, orchard rows and mountains behind the tented lodges
Wide aerial view of the property in a green valley with mist-wrapped mountains behind
Row of thatched tent pavilions lit at blue hour, dusk over Gal Oya
Infinity pool with sun loungers and umbrella facing the thatched tent pavilions and mountains
Family Tent bedroom with king bed and a Vedda-inspired gecko motif on the canvas wall
Family Tent twin beds separated from the main bedroom by a carved wooden divider
Deluxe Tent open-air bathroom with concrete sink and outdoor shower under the thatched roof
Destination dining table on a raised wooden deck under the tree canopy
Open-air breakfast spread on a wooden table, pool and mountains in the background
Main restaurant interior at dusk, lit lanterns under the thatched roof, tents visible outside

Wild Glamping Gal Oya

Rathugala, Gal Oya

Glamping · $$

20 tents · Year-round

  • Built and run with Sri Lanka's Vedda indigenous community
  • Solar power on every tent
  • Greywater recycled for 60% water savings
  • Green Building Council of Sri Lanka Platinum, SLIA Excellence 2023, Good Travel Seal
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Welcome to Wild Glamping Gal Oya

The lodge stands on a former chena (slash-and-burn) plot now replanted as the organic farm that feeds the kitchen. The Vedda community helped build it and still guide guests through the surrounding forest today.

Two tent categories on raised wooden platforms, with attached open-air bathrooms, ceiling fans and solar lighting. Deluxe Tents (48 m²) sleep 2 on Queen or Twin beds. Family Tents (80 m²) sleep up to 4 across two bedrooms.

The Restaurant seats 50 and works ingredients from the on-site organic farm and the surrounding villages. Two signature dining settings, the Pool Deck and the River Deck, alternate by sitting. An infinity pool sits alongside a jacuzzi. Ayurvie wellness offers a list of Ayurveda-inspired treatments.

At the edge of Gal Oya National Park in the village of Rathugala, in Sri Lanka's eastern interior. The lodge sits on 12 hectares of reforested farmland between mountain ridges and open savannah. The park entrance is about 10 km by road.

Solar poweredOrganic gardenFarm-to-table kitchenSustainable architecture

Accommodation

20 tents

Capacity

2–4 guests per unit

Availability

Year-round

Price range

$$

Amenities

Pool · Spa · Restaurant · Wi-Fi · No pets

Included

Daily farm visits across the 12-hectare organic plot · Cooking demonstrations with the kitchen team · Naturalist-led jungle walks

Good to know

  • Tents sit on raised wooden platforms with steps. The 12-hectare farm and forest terrain is uneven and not suited to reduced mobility.

Why it's a Positive Escape

20 tented lodges on a 12-hectare organic farm at the edge of Gal Oya National Park, built with Sri Lanka's indigenous Vedda community.

Wildlife

  • Chena plot reforested into farm and habitat

    an abandoned slash-and-burn cultivation plot, replanted as a working organic farm and native habitat

Community

  • More than 90% of staff from local communities

    the Vedda indigenous community and the neighbouring villages provide the team, from kitchen to forest guides

  • Lodge built by the Vedda community

    the tents and public areas were raised by Vedda community members

Energy

  • Solar power on every tent

    individual solar panels generate direct current for each tent and the public areas

Water

  • Greywater recycled, 60% water savings

    greywater is recycled on-site for sanitation. The Sri Lanka Institute of Architects 2023 jury cited a 60% water saving versus baseline

Food

  • On-site organic farm feeds the kitchen

    heirloom rice, vegetables, mango, papaya and banana grown on the 12-hectare plot

Materials & Construction

  • Earth brick, clay, illuk grass and cadjan

    all building materials sourced from the surrounding land

  • Green Building Council of Sri Lanka Platinum

    the highest tier of the GBCSL rating, awarded in December 2022

  • SLIA Excellence Award 2023

    Sri Lanka Institute of Architects Excellence Award in the green and sustainable architecture category

Transparency

  • Group GHG inventory verified to ISO standards

    Thema Collection's chain-wide GHG inventory is third-party verified by Sri Lanka's National Cleaner Production Centre under ISO 17029 and ISO 14064-3

  • Green Destinations Good Travel Seal Level 01

    awarded in 2024. Green Destinations is recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council

  • Outstanding Sustainable Concept Award 2024

    Sri Lanka Sustainable Tourism Certification Awards (SLTDA, UNDP, NSTCS, Green Destinations and BIOFIN)

Travel mindfully

  • Reaching Wild Glamping Gal Oya takes 6 to 7 hours by road from Colombo. A longer stay amortises the carbon cost of the journey.

Getting there

Airport · 150 km

Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI)

Closest international airport, around 3 hours by road from the lodge.

Airport · 320 km

Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB)

Around 6 to 7 hours by road. The lodge arranges a private car and driver.

Photos · © Thema Collection

Last verified: June 2026

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