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Mandira Dickoya Bungalows

Our rating

8/10

Price guide

Highlights

- Historic, colonial bungalows
- White water rafting, nearby golf club
- Scenic train rides with waterfall views
- Visit Ella and climb Adam's Peak

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Overview

Once a tea planter’s residence in the early 1900s, Mandira Dickoya today comprises a series of 3 characterful bungalows set in four acres of lovely grounds on the Dick Oya Tea Estate in Sri Lanka’s breathtaking hill country. The property boasts exceptional views across magnificent slopes covered with tea plantations and landscaped gardens. Colonial and traditional in feel, the bungalows have pretty lawns, plenty of natural light, attractive ensuite bedrooms and communal dining rooms, along with many modern amenities which make for a comfortable stay.

Each bungalow houses either three or four bedrooms, all with ensuite bathrooms with hot and cold running water and heated towel rails. All bathrooms have walk-in showers and some have bath tubs as well. The bungalows can be booked out exclusively for groups, or guests can occupy individual rooms if they prefer, with use of the communal living room and outdoor terrace included. Sri Lankan cuisine is prepared by chefs and served either in the dining room or al fresco, and ‘English breakfasts’ are available in the mornings. Chefs might even cook an evening BBQ on the terrace on request. All food is prepared on the premises and many of the ingredients come from Mandira Dickoya’s own vegetable garden.

There are plenty of activities to enjoy in the area. Guests can trek or cycle around the tea plantations either by themselves or with an expert naturalist who will explain the history of the area and the art of tea picking. Excursions beyond the property include a tour of the nearby hamlet of Ella, including an optional visit to Adam’s Peak, a 2,234m high sacred mountain visited by pilgrims and tourists alike – there’s a demanding but rewarding 5,200 step climb to the spectacular views at the top. White water rafting is on offer just an hour’s drive away in Kitulgala. For keen golfers, the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club, founded back in 1889, lies at the foot of Mount Piduruthalagala and is surrounded by some of Sri Lanka’s finest tea gardens. Scenic train rides from Hatton through surrouding tea plantations, mountains and waterfalls are a delight – although note that they’re really for the purposes of scenic sightseeing rather than as a reliable mode of transport since delays are to be expected! The capital, Colombo, is some six hours away by car.

Children of all ages are welcome at Mandira Dickoya. Baby cots and extra beds are available and although there’s no swimming pool, many of the activities on offer are suitable for children. The climb up to Adam’s Peak, however, might be better suited to older children with stamina. Note that there is no babysitting service and parents are reminded to supervise their children at all times.

Suggested Itineraries for Mandira Dickoya Bungalows

What customers are saying after travelling with Tourdust

Average Rating

based on 513 reviews

(5.00/5)

  • Thank you, Lisa! Our trip was wonderful even with the weather disruption. We loved seeing so many different parts of the country, meeting people and experiencing the culture. The desert was surely a highlight for our boys and the creativity and artisanship of everything from food to crafts were a highlight for me. A special shout out to our guide and driver, they became a special part of our trip and we will forever be grateful for meeting them and learning from them. I cannot believe we had to wait three years for this adventure but it was certainly worth the wait! Thanks for all your help building the itinerary, modifying it and troubleshooting during our stay. Leslie B

    MissingLeslie B reviewing Luxury Desert Holiday on 01 March 2023

  • Hi Lisa and everyone at Tourdust,
    We've had a wonderful time on our holiday and wanted to pass our appreciation to you. Everything has been expertly planned and executed, allowing us to enjoy the holiday to its fullest. Special appreciation to Muhammed, Ibrahim, and Omar, our Atlas guide, cook, and muleteer, who couldn't have done more for us and were just generally wonderful and hardworking. Riad Hanane is a perfect base in Marrakech to complement the trekking as it's ina less touristy area of the medina, which we appreciated. The staff and accomodation was superb.Thank you again for a trip to remember!
    Bob, May, Grace, and Lucas

    MissingRobert B reviewing Marrakech & Mountains Family Trek on 20 February 2023

  • Hello Lisa. We came back from our trip two weeks ago now so I am sending this email much later than I wanted to. Nevertheless, what I wanted to say was thank you very much for helping us organise an amazing trip. Our days in Mafia Island to celebrate my 50th birthday were exactly what I wanted them to be: a fantastic time with the family doing activities that we all love and enjoy in a relaxing, unusual, beautiful place full of sun, surrounded by water, wildlife and friendly people. We swam with whale sharks, did a lot of snorkeling, had two picnics on a beautiful sand bank, watched the sunset over the sea, did a bird watching excursion and tried scuba diving.
    All merit to you because Pole Pole in Mafia Island was your recommendation. I never heard of Mafia Island before and didn't consider Tanzania to start with. It was an amazing place to stay: friendly, relaxed, beautiful, comfortable, with great food and fantastic service. Thanks not only for finding the place but also for your patience as we prepared the trip and I explored options and decided what I wanted. All went incredibly well (places, transfers, flights) and we had a very memorable time together that we will all remember forever - as we still do the safari trip to South Africa you organised for us 5 years ago.
    I cannot wait to plan another trip! I am already thinking about where and when. Hopefully no pandemic will get in the way this time. And I will come to you as my favourite travel agent.
    I copy in this message the Tourdust office because I want them to know how good you are and how much I appreciated the different trips you organised for us (including the trip to India for my parents that was cancelled due to Covid). I cannot thank you enough :o)
    Kind regards, Carol

    MissingCarolina O reviewing Relaxed Bush & Beach Family Holiday in Tanzania on 25 November 2022

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