Our story

Who runs this place

A twenty-six-bed hostel run by the people who live in it. What our guests said, and how we photograph the place.

The terrace under its green roof: two people seen from behind at a long timber table, benches, a hanging chair and the valley past the railing.

Who runs it

Beyond Nomad is run by Sithara Wimalasooriya, who lives here, and by the people who work alongside him.

When you send a message to the number on this site, it reaches this household. There is no agency in between and no call centre.

That is him on the right of the photograph, on the terrace, on an ordinary afternoon. The dog in front is Sando.

RepliesUsually thirty minutes to two hours, between 7:00 and 22:00 Sri Lanka time. Longer if we are with guests, or if you write late at night.

Ask usWhatsApp or +94 77 342 5595.

Four people standing at the terrace railing under the green roof, the ridge across the valley behind them and Sando the dog in the foreground. Sithara Wimalasooriya is on the right.
Sithara, on the right, and Sando.
The ridge across the valley at sunset, layered hills going back into haze.
The gap, at the end of the day.

About these photographs

Every photograph of the hostel on this site was taken here, on the property, by someone standing in the room you are looking at. Nothing is stock. Nothing is a render. Nothing was shot at a different hostel and captioned as ours.

We have not removed anything from them either — not the overhead cables, not the laminated notice taped to the wall, not the plastic chair. The place has cables and notices and a plastic chair. You will see them when you get here, so you may as well see them now.

The photographs on the Ella guide are of the town, not of us, and they are labelled that way.

Where a photograph has a guest in it, you are looking at their back, or at someone too far away to recognise. That is not a style choice. We do not have written permission to publish anybody’s face, so we don’t.

The approach to the hostel: a concrete drive climbing past trees to the building, with the green roof above.
You walk up to this place. It does not hide it.
A dog standing on the covered deck outside the building, beside a table and chairs.

What guests said

Three of them, in the words they were written in. The link goes to all of them, including the ones we did not choose.

  • 4.9/5Google
  • 9.3/10Hostelworld
  • One of the best hostels in Ella! Amazing mountain views, super clean rooms and incredibly friendly staff.

    Sarah · Germany
  • The rooftop café is beautiful and the breakfast was delicious. Highly recommended!

    James · Australia
  • Very peaceful atmosphere, comfortable beds and perfect location. We will definitely come back.

    Maria · Spain

Read our reviews on Google

Come and see whether any of that is true

Everything on this site can be checked against the place itself, which is the only test that counts. Tell us your dates and a person will answer.

LKR 7,500Per dorm bed, per night, in all six dorms. Breakfast is in the number.

Ask us anythingWhatsApp or +94 77 342 5595.

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