Brothers Palitha and Bandula Rathnayaka are both certified forest guides, so staying here makes it easy to maximise your time. The rooms at their home are fairly basic, but there’s good home cooking and a lovely private garden. Day trips to the Sinharaja Forest Reserve cost Rs 4000 per person and include transport, guiding and lunch (but exclude park entrance fees).
Trips are also open to nonguests, and overnight stays in forest bungalows are possible (with advance notice). The same family also has smart chalets that sleep four (US$100 to $120 including breakfast) a short way up the road.