Located 175 kilometres away from the bustling city of Colombo, the resort is ideally located in Lenawa of the picturesque Kumbukkadanwala village in Sigiriya. As you turn off the main Dambulla-Wewala road leading to the village, only the trained eye will be able to spot the almost inconspicuous and unpretentious signboard of the resort. You have arrived!

WildGrass is conveniently situated just 15 minutes drive from the famous Sigiriya rock fortress and the Dambulla cave temple and 5 minutes away from the mysterious “Kaludiya Pokuna”, known for its caves and ruins of ancient rock temples. 

It is also strategically located to serve as a central point for those wanting to make day trips to visit the historical cities of Anuradhapura, Kandy and Polonnaruwa. Trincomalee, as well as the unspoilt beaches of Nilaveli and Kalpitiya are also within reach of the resort.

 

Directions from Colombo

       Print Directions 

Take A1 highway from Colombo, direction Kandy.
Go 60 km approx.

Turn left at Ambepussa to A6 direction Kurunegala - Trincomalee.
Go 89 km approx.

Turn right at Innamaluwa junction (road where T B Tennekoon Foundation
is and Dambulla police station is located)
Go 1.2 approx

Turn right into Dambulla-Matale road.
Go 200 m approx.

Turn left into Dambulla-Wewala road direction Kandalama.
Go 3.5 km

Take left bifurcation (direction Kandalama)
Go 900 m

Take left bifurcation (direction Amaya Lake)
Go 9.2 km, passing the bund of the Kandalama tank and Amaya Lake hotel.

Turn left at WildGrass main signboard
Go 500 m

Turn left again at 2nd WildGrass signboard
Continue 1.1 km until you reach the resort.

 

History

The name "Kumbukkadanwala" was derived during the time of King Valagamba, from the surrounding forest of "Kumbuk" (Terminalia Arjuna) trees that were felled at this village, some of which had fallen into a hole (‘Wala’ in sinhala). 

History relates the story of how the pregnant wife of one of the King’s mahouts gave birth to her baby whilst out with the elephants that had been sent to extricate these Kumbuk logs. The newborn infant was bathed in the pond (a neighbourhood tank) in which one of the elephants was mired, which was thereafter named Lenawa, from the Sinhala words "Le" meaning blood and "Nawa" meaning bath. Village lore has it that this pond still exists and that elephants get entrenched here even to this date. Consequently, the name 'Kumbukkadanwala' was given to the area. 

The early settlers of Kumbukkadanwala, Lenawa and the surrounding areas  were the 'Veddah' community - the original inhabitants of Sri Lanka - but with the invasion of the Dravidians, the aborigine Veddahs and Sinhalese left this area after having hidden their treasures in mountain caves, some of which  serve as one of the boundaries of this resort.