Niyagama House

We had the most incredible time and can’t wait to return!

The location is simply stunning - nestled in a tea plantation, surrounded by beautiful fauna that attracts so much wildlife. It truly feels alive, full of energy, and brimming with character. The house itself is gorgeous, with lots of special features that made us feel relaxed and calm from the moment we arrived.

It’s a real hidden gem, and the food was absolutely delicious. Flavoursome local and international dishes made with ingredients grown right on the grounds - like fresh mango and pineapple. Everything we tried was exceptional. All of the staff were fantastic: they couldn’t do enough for us, nothing was ever a problem, and everyone was attentive, helpful, and super friendly.

The yoga with Elke was brilliant. I loved her Mindset Yoga - Elke delivered the classes in such a way that completely reignited my passion for yoga. The morning meditation was the perfect way to start the day, and Elke has a real talent for guiding you to a place of calm and peace. I also tried three Aerial yoga classes (something I’d never done before). They were so much fun - what an experience! Even though I was quite apprehensive at the start, Elke taught me in a way that made me feel confident, following her clear instructions the whole time while she kept it enjoyable and engaging.

Elke and Niyagama House hold so much charm - this is a place to make memories that last a lifetime. We can’t to return but this time for longer!

The attention to detail was amazing. Elke and the staff go out of their way to make sure you have a wonderful experience.

We enjoyed all the yoga classes, we were very fortunate to have classes of only 2 or 3.

The massage therapist was fantastic and every meal a delight.

We spent a lot of time just enjoying the pool and the beautiful space Elke and her team have created.

We felt cared for and appreciated the way Elke teaches both meditation and yoga.

All in all the most wonderful stay.

It’s an amazing place, combining 5 star luxury with a very personal homely welcome plus really top notch yoga instruction. Honestly one of the best places I have ever stayed.

Niyagama house retreat is exceptional - beautiful and quiet. It is Elke's passion who teaches 2 or 3 times a day and offers flexible packages for each person's needs. Her teaching is excellent - very thorough and personalised. Elke is very well trained . It is also a beautiful place to stay if you don't want to practise yoga.

Das Niyagama House ist eine Oase des Friedens, die geprägt ist von der Authenzität und Lebendigkeit Elkes, sowie der Wärme und Freundlichkeit des gesamten Teams. Bis ins kleinste Detail stimmen hier die Lage in der zauberhaften Natur, die Gestaltung des Hauses und die Zimmerausstattung, der liebevoll gepflegte Garten mit einem großen Pool zum Schwimmen, die Zubereitung der Speisen und der individuelle Service. Nicht zu vergessen die wunderbare Massage! Außerdem gibt es Tipps für Unternehmungen und die Möglichkeit, Taxifahrten ab Haus zu buchen.

Elke unterrichtet Hatha-Yoga mit einer solchen Leichtigkeit, das sich jeder in der Gruppe abgeholt und sicher aufgehoben, jedoch keineswegs unterfordert fühlt. Sie hat ein Gespür für individuelle Bedürfnisse und Wünsche, und auch neben dem Yoga sorgt sie für ein absolutes Loslassen und Wohlfühlen. Ich erlebte super schöne Morgenmeditationen und entspannendes Yin Yoga. Die Erfahrung des Aerial-Yogas, unter ihrer professionellen Anleitung, war besonders fantastisch.

Danke für diese einzigartige Zeit!

This is one the most beautiful places I‘ve ever been! Thank you so much for having me ;) Hope to come back one day. Many thanks to Elke and her lovely Crew and Family 🩷

Everything! Personal and friendly, like a small pearl!

We enjoyed our stay at Niyagama house so much 🤩 Attention to every little detail made it a very special experience (fantastic food, personalized handwritten little messages, fresh flowers, recommendations, service offering but not too much…). The service in the restaurant and around the room was fantastic. Pool a delight!

Elke is a wonderful instructor adjusting her classes right to the level where you are. My husband who had never tried yoga before, got quite into it ;) The mix of meditation, Hatha and aerial was good - more focus in the morning, more action in the afternoon.

I can also highly recommend the massage by Namika - gentle, strong and such a nice lady!

Overall we super recommend to stay here for a couple of days!

Amazing place if you want to get away from it all, switch off and totally relax.

House and pool are beautiful, scenery is stunning, the food was excellent and staff were so friendly and attentive.

Elke the yoga instructor was excellent - very experienced, patient and explained all the moves so well.

From the moment I arrived until the moment I left, everything was just perfect! The whole stay exceeded my expectations. The staff were incredibly kind and attentive without being intrusive — always respectful, professional, and genuinely caring. You can really feel how much they love what they do and how much they enjoy taking care of their guests with so many thoughtful little touches.

The yoga classes with Elke were wonderful, she’s a great teacher who knows how to adapt to everyone’s level and needs. Everything was so well organized, and she even gave me great tips about what to see and do around the area.

Passad is also a genuinely kind person.

I also had a massage with the wonderful therapist. It was a nice moment !

This little gem, nestled in the hills above Galle, is an absolute treasure. I’m already dreaming about coming back💛

S.

Niyagama House is a beautiful, tranquil place to unwind. The rooms are beautiful, clean and the bathroom has lovely products to use.

The host is incredibly welcoming from the moment I sent the query. No ask was too much and even though it is low season - I still received 5 star attention and treatment.

The food is delicious and made fresh every day. I was actually waking up excited thinking about what I would have for breakfast.

The yoga sessions are of a high quality and Elke is very experienced, knowledgeable and thoughtful in helping you and sharing feedback on where you can improve your postures.

A perfect escape in nature—highly recommended! I wish I could have stayed longer.

Well what can I say? I had an absolutely incredible stay and yoga retreat at Niyagama House. I booked the 3 nights Hatha and Yin Retreat (Yin and Yang Yoga Bliss Retreat) and I wish I could have stayed for 3 weeks not 3 nights!

Elke and Prasad, the owners of Niyagama House were so welcoming, helpful and warm from the moment I arrived until I left. They have an obvious passion and love for what they do and it shines through in abundance during your stay here.

The accommodation itself is stunning, set within a tea plantation with stunning views, beautiful bedrooms and an outdoor swimming pool. My room was a great size, well equipped, comfortable bed and had a beautiful view of the sunset each evening. Niyagama is a perfect haven for peace and relaxation.

The yoga programme was excellent. Meditation and Hatha Yoga each morning and Yin Yoga in the afternoons - the perfect balance. Elke is an incredibly experienced, nurturing and thorough yoga teacher. She approaches each individual with a very personal touch and helped me with corrections and new positioning. I learned so much and really enjoyed every minute of the yoga classes.

The food is all very healthy, nutritious and delicious. I particularly enjoyed my breakfasts each day, the yummy king coconuts by the pool and the homemade, traditional rice and curries in the evening.

Elke and Prasad really go above and beyond to make your stay here special. Highly highly recommend. Can't wait to come back one day.

This was my first-ever retreat, and I was admittedly a little nervous before arriving. However, from the moment I was greeted by Elke and her team with their warm and friendly welcome, I felt instantly at ease. The location itself is nothing short of breathtaking—a serene oasis surrounded by lush greenery and the soothing sounds of nature. It’s the perfect escape to truly relax, recharge, and reconnect.

The retreat is pure five-star luxury. Every detail was thoughtfully planned and executed with precision. From the delightful ritual of a sunrise cup of tea delivered to my room, to the beautifully structured yoga sessions and all the thoughtful touches included in my package, everything was seamless and stress-free.

Elke’s extensive knowledge and experience shine through in her gentle and inspiring teaching style. After just four days, I felt an incredible transformation—my mind was calm, my body rejuvenated, and my spirit uplifted like never before.

I truly cannot recommend this beautiful retreat highly enough. A heartfelt thank you to Elke and her amazing team for creating such a memorable and life-enhancing experience. I’ll carry the peace and positivity from these few days with me for a long time to come.

Niyagama house it’s an incredible place to spend few days to rest and practice some yoga with Elke, she’s a very dedicated yoga teacher and will adapt the yoga sessions to your level. I did enjoy a lot the previous morning meditation with the beautiful views of the garden outside and birds chirping outside. The place is really comfortable, beautifully designed with a colonial style and there’s plenty of space. The food was excellent with different options on the menu, healthy and tasty breakfast. I did enjoy a lot the swimming pool and the cute flowers all over.

All the staff was really kind and made sure I had the best stay. Also The tuk-tuk service is very convenient.

What makes this place great and unique is that they take extreme care of all the small details.

Mir gefiel wirklich alles!

Mein Lieblingsort war allerdings der sehr lange, von der wunderbaren Natur umgegebene, chlorfreie Pool, der zum entspannen, schwimmen, ruhen und zum leichten abkühlen einlädt. Darüber hinaus sind Elke und ihr Team eine wunderbare Gruppe aus ganz herzlichen, zuvorkommenden und umsorgenden Menschen. Ich habe mich vor allem als Alleinreisende Frau sehr gut aufgehoben und sicher gefühlt! Ich komme wieder, dieses Mal fit und gesund, sodass ich mich noch mehr dem Yoga widmen kann. An der Stelle nochmal kurz ein großes Lob an Elke, die ihre Yoga-Einheiten ganz wunderbar gestaltet! Angenehm herausfordernd, aber voll und ganz angepasst an das Level, das man mitbringt! Danke :)

Lovely people, amazing food, beautiful nature and wonderful Yoga Sessions. It is like paradise here - the perfect place to relax and enjoy life

Es war rundum ein sehr gelungener Aufenthalt. Besonders hervorzuheben finde ich die vielen liebevollen Details im Haus und Zimmer, die den Aufenthalt zu etwas sehr besonderem machen. Die Yoga Stunden waren auf die Bedürfnisse und die Kenntnisse der Gäste angepasst & haben sehr viel Spaß gemacht. Das Essen ist ein Traum & das freundliche Staff sehr bemüht. Es besteht die Möglichkeit, tagsüber Ausflüge zu unternehmen, ich habe mich für eine 120 Min Ayurveda Massage entschieden - highly recommended! Der Pool ist herrlich & lädt zum Sonnenbaden ein.

Ich würde auf jeden Fall wiederkommen, wenn ich in der Nähe bin. Es war ein toller Aufenthalt!

The hotel / house is a great place: well decorated, clean, with space, beautiful pool and surrounded by trees. Ideal to relax! It is 20 min drive from Galle, but tuk-tuks are always available and they are affordable.

The rooms are big and modern. They are cleaned and proper to have a great sleep.

The staff is welcoming, professional and always happy to help.

The food is amazing, both in quality and quantity.

Elke is a fantastic host and a great yoga teacher.

I would definitely go back and I highly recommend to anyone to stay in Niyagama.

Fantastic stay in this piece of heaven!

Me and my wife stayed for the blissfull meditation and yoga retreat.

Everything here really exceeded our expectations! The estate is situated a bit up surrounded by a tea plantation and with lovely gardens surrounding the house. It's very quiet and peaceful.

You really get a nice feeling when living surrounded by nature, jungle and can watch animals like lovely birds and monkeys etc

The house is beautiful and our room was spacious and very comfortable, so well planned in every detail. We had an own balcony, but even if you don't have there are some really nice ones for everybody to use.

Lovely pool and pool area.

The staff is very welcoming and helpful, always with a smile. The food is lovely.

Elke, the owner is a great host, really checking that all is great, also helped out with our planning for the visit, taxi etc.

We had really great Hatha YOGA classes every morning and in addition we joined some nice Yin and meditation classes in the evening. Elke is an amazing yoga teacher! She is experienced and checking on each student, making everyone feel safe and comfortable. Always with warmth and a smile.

Can't really don't find anything to improve right now, so If you want to recharge and relax this piece of heaven is the right place to be!!

Mattias and Catharina

We spent 4 days in Niyagama house at the end of our traveling journey across Sri Lanka. We couldn’t have wished for a better place to relax, meditate and get spoiled :) the yoga classes helped us to stretch and get more flexible and we were able to enjoy the splendid views while exercising. Everyone working at this place was super nice and polite and they took very good care of us. The food at the restaurant was absolutely delicious and always made from fresh ingredients. Big thanks to the whole team 👍👍👍

The Niyagama House is surrounded by tea plantation and Jungle. It is the perfect place to calm down and focus on your yoga practice. I am at the beginning of my yoga journey and Elke really adapted the classes to personal levels. You can also choose to do different yoga styles or meditation. Elke herself is a lovely host, very caring and helpful. Thank you Elke for making me feel so welcome and home.

The rooms are very nice & clean and the staff is overall exceptional. Food is a bit on the more expensive side (for Sri Lanka) but freshly made, locally sourced and really good. Eventhough it is a little far from everything else, you can reach Galle & some beaches within 20-30 Tuk Tuk ride (which is also organized by the hotel). Overall I really enjoyed every single second of my stay! Recommend!

I did a 4 days yoga retreat at Nyiagama house and I loved every moment of it. The hotel is a beautiful mid-size building with beautifully decorated, that fits perfectly for a yogi feeling. The rooms are super clean with all you can dream of in it. The garden and the swimming pull are just amazing. Staff is very helpful.

Elke is an amazing yoga teacher. She knows a lot and is a high quality teacher, but still always put a happy and fresh mood into the class.

You can also easily go to Galle of some other beaches place for the afternoon with a 30 mn tuk tuk drive.

I loved my experience, I definitely recommend staying there.

The owner and my yoga teacher,Elke! She gives so much love and passion on her work.I always feel much better and completely rejuvenate after attending her class.I am a hotel owner myself and I can tell you this lady is a super woman!she has it all under control!Accomodation,food,staff etc! Nothing is a problem!I’m so happy that I choose Niyagama house and I’ll be back for sure! It’s a happy and very relaxing place.thanks so much Niyagama House and thanks again Super woman Elke! Great and excellent place to be!

Was hat mir nicht gefallen? 😆. Alles in diesem Resort ist perfekt: vollkommen sauber, sehr still; das Essen ist einfach unbeschreiblich gut, die Yoga Stunden und die Meditation auch. Ich finde keine Worte die das Ganze beschreiben. Das Resort ist nicht ganz billig, aber die Leistung übertrifft den Preis bei weitem! Volle Empfehlung! Die Elke hat ein kleines Paradies geschaffen! I‘ll be back 😃

Amazing place to stay. Wonderful place to relax at the end of a busy tour of Sri Lanka. Elke and all the staff were so welcoming. Would love a return visit one day and would highly recommend Niyagama House to anyone.

The house is superbly designed - spacious, stylish and every detail thought about. Elke is a fantastic character and encouraging teacher great with beginner n Yoga pros alike. The Ariel Yoga was a particular treat! The food is also varied and delicious.

We loved the yoga, the meditation, the location, the serenity, the service, and Elke's contagious warmth and energy. Elke has knowledge and experience with many different types of yoga and meditation. Her passion to teach makes this retreat such a wonderful experience.

Elke is a fantastic, knowledgable and intuitive yoga instructor. I was lucky enough to have one on one yoga sessions with her. She understood intuitively what I needed everyday. I got to try aerial yoga for the first time and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have already found classes back home. Elke finished off each yoga session with self- compassion meditation and visualisation. Her voice is very soothing and helps draw you into deeper relaxation. Elke is a rare find- she’s very present, loving and open. I’m incredibly grateful that I found her.

As for the hotel- Niyagama House is pure perfection. All of Elke’s team are friendly and efficient. The food is delicious- make sure to try all the Sri Lankan dishes! The rooms are spotlessly clean and pretty. The infinity pool is sublime- surrounded by jungle, beautiful birds and monkeys high up in the trees.

I had two Ayurvedic massages during my stay and they were both incredibly relaxing.

I arrived at Niyagama House in need of rest and relaxation and came away with much much more- a renewed love of yoga and a deeper sense of self-compassion and loving-kindness.

Thank you Elke and your fabulous team for making my three days of Yoga Bliss absolutely perfect!

The house itself, Niyagama House, is stunning. Designed and built by Elke and her husband and finished in 2012 it is set in gorgeous tranquil grounds with a big outdoor pool and is an Oasis of calm. You can really feel the love and attention that has gone into building this place and it is a very relaxing and comfortable setting.

Elke & the team here have a really great attention to detail both in the rooms (with little extras like fresh fruit bowl, free herbal teas and hot water, shampoos, soap, face wash, conditioner, lotion, towels etc. The rooms and whole house were beautifully furnished with four poster beds, eco showers that were of a high quality, lounge areas, book exchange and pool side.

The food menu was varied with Sri Lankan and Western options and I thought was reasonably priced for the quality.There was a lot of fresh food and the philosophy (no processed sugars, no funny stuff) was great. The free breakfast included was really excellent, with lots of options and I highly recommend trying the Sri Lankan breakfast which changes every day.

Knowledgeable and friendly team that are helpful with planning activities. They also provided me a free room upgrade and organised a complementary late check out (11PM!) as I booked my airport transfer through them.

Its about a 20-30 min tuk tuk (about 8-10 GBP return fare) to either Galle or Unawatuna beach if you want to get out and away to explore and its definitely worth doing so.

The location. Helpful staff.

Yoga classes

I honestly didn't imagine how amazing Niyagama House would be. The web searches did not do justice to the architectural and natural beauty at Niyagama. Arriving there, my friendly welcome and every detail of my stay was immaculate - from the freshness of the foods (a different daily menu of nutritious local and western foods), to the rare wildlife (copious birdlife and uninvasive monkeys), to the uplifting yoga and the loving kindness with which owner Elke provides in all of her meditation and teachings. I felt very lucky to have found this little gem amongst the tea plantation, close to Galle but well away from the hustle and bustle of other tourist destinations. Only really a beginner to yoga, I felt the classes were friendly to people at all levels and my repertoire of styles was expanded during my stay. I connected with my inner child during a session of aerial yoga (shivasana in a swinging hammock - so good!) and felt extreme relaxation after my yin yoga sessions, hatha and some vinyasa flow. I was priviliged to have had a private session of Self Compassion meditation with Elke and I will carry this experience with me in difficult times. I also tried some beautiful ayurvedic therapies during my stay (turmeric wrap and oil massages) which were fabulous. Honestly the list of great experiences goes on... I will be taking a group of girlfriends back hopefully in the not too distant future. Thanks to all who I met at Niyagama for a truly special stay.

What a beautiful place. My partner and I ended our Sri Lanka trip at Niyagama house and thought it was absolutely perfect - the location and architecture of the place is stunning.

I highly recommended this for anyone looking for a retreat - to relax after a bit of travelling and biking, to sit by a pool, to eat delicious food, practice yoga, meditation and take some great skills home with you to continue practicing feeling grounded and at peace with yourself. The owner/teacher Elke is full of great knowledge and wisdom.

My partner had no experience in yoga and he still was able to enjoy it at his own pace and feel supported by the teacher.

We hope to return one day to Niyagama house.

Everything, the yoga, the staff, the food, the service, the location. 10 out of 10

Everything at Niyagama house was just perfect - the standards are so high and lots of little extras delighted us at every turn; little flowers on the towels by the pool and complimentary pink coconut waters as part of our yoga package to name just a couple. Everything was spotlessly clean, the food was delicious and beautifully presented and the service was just perfect. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.