Gurubeula, within the Matara district is an estate that comprises 21 acres of fertile land in the ecological wet zone of Sri Lanka. Within the estate are farm nurseries, organic farms, a forest plantation and free range animal farms. In and around the Estate one can witness many species of endemic flora and fauna, as it is based in the foothills of the Morawaka Mountain.
Gurubeula Estate can be booked for ‘Green Tours’ where interested groups can witness biological diversity and sustainable farming techniques that go hand in hand with nature. Along the winding quaint paths of the estate one can witness a miniature natural waterfall fed with springs from the mountain and ponds teeming with aquatic fauna and flora.
For nature watchers, travellers and long stay guests, Gurubeula Estate has two luxurious rooms built to overlook fertile paddy-fields and the looming Morawaka Mountain. Accommodation here boasts luxuries to make our guests feel at home while the gorgeous view would take your worries of everyday mundane life away and replace them with a sense of serenity and peace. Should you plan a conference or any other gathering, we have a conference room with all the amenities to conduct them with ease.
The 'Sithsuwa Gimanhala' restaurant at Gurubeula can cater to our guests delicious home-cooked meals to excite the taste-buds. Our menu offers a variety of Western and Sri Lankan dishes cooked in hygienic conditions with care and love, a testament to Southern Sri Lankan comfort and hospitality. It is a point of pride that the fresh ingredients used for the food you order are all sourced from organic plantations within the Estate itself. Meat and other animal sourced food products are all procured from farms that foster free range animal husbandry.
Within the Estate you can find a quaint traditional Sri Lankan Bungalow that is over a century old. It boasts a 'Meda Midula', an open garden in the middle of the Bungalow that is a traditional Sri Lankan architectural norm. This is among many other traditional architectural features one can witness within the homely dwelling.
While walking the halls of this age old home, one can bear witness to portraits of the heirs and their families who lay claim to the estate previously.
The first in the line of Abeywickrama’s who owned the estate and bungalow was Late Mr. D.H. Abeywickrama , 'Vidana Arachchi' of Morawaka Village, or the Village head. It is now owned by his Grandson, Mr. Sathis Abeywickrama of the third generation. The Abeywickramas have always lived as one with nature and fostered qualities that empowered sustainable living and agriculture. While 5 acres of the estate is cultivated, the rest is cultivated forest land boasting over 3500 wood trees such as Ebony, Kumbuk, Nandun, Mahogany, satinwood etc.
Gurubeula Estate employs over 75 individuals in their staff who live within the Morawaka town and suburb area. One of the main objectives of hiring locally is to provide employment and income for the villagers seeking employment. Our corporate social responsibility work provide scholarships for children within the village so that they gain access to better education. Our estate pays the highest price per litre for milk to local cattle farmers from whom we buy fresh milk that goes into all our milk products available at “Sithsuwa Gimanhala”. This action helps grow the local farming economy while offering incentive for local farmers to step out of their bounds.
Gurubeula Estate is open for field visits and tours for school children and university students so that they can learn the art of living as one with nature. All are welcome to contact Gurubeula Estate to get information regarding sustainable organic farming and animal husbandry.
More than a century ago, mixed crops were cultivated over 300 acres of fertile land which belonged to Gurubeula Estate. Coconut, rice and various spices were among these planted crops. Later on, the estate was divided among the ten children of Late Mr. D.H Abeywickrama and Late Mrs. Angelina Abeywickrama. Today, the Gurubeula Estate Bungalow and the central cultivated land belongs to the current owner Mr. Sathis Abeywickrama,Grandson of Late Mr. D.H Abeywickrama.