Elephant Watch Hut -  "Be Herd"

A Botakanda Concept!

Botakanda means Wild Elephant in the spoken language of the "Indigenous" Aboriginal People of Sri Lanka.

Yes, there is a chance you will see wild elephants but there’s no guarantees so come here with the right mindset !

Elephant Watch Hut -  "Be Herd"

Our Final Goal Giving Solar powered lamps to village families without electricity whose children have no access to read or write properly while using kerosene oil lamps. " Sri Lanka or Any Part of the World" ​Elderly villagers and wild life staff when they go out in the night - a basic solar torch can make the difference from getting bitten from Poisonous reptiles. Thats how important it is.​ No electrified fencing for blocking the movement of the wild elephants.​ Give a solution for kerosene lamps . ​​
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Buddy - Nickname Mongoose
My name is Buddy.
 I am the concept designer & interface of Elephant Watch Hut which is a Community project Social Enterprise where guests become an extension of the village community where they can sample a truly natural experience of Sri Lankan village life.  
I have  no doubt that our team at Elephant Watch Hut in Habarana will do their best to make your stay  comfortable in spite of the language barrier. Pls note that I am based in Colombo & not in Habarana.  
Thank You !

We recommend our guest's to book at least 2 nights so that you can take some time to share with the local experiences !

Elephant Watch Hut -  "Be Herd"

Watch Hut 104 - Wild Honey

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Just switch off.

Design Concept

These are built by villagers on the tree to chase away the wild elephants from eating their crops. Our design & idea's are based on the dream of the farmer who lived before with his family up on the tree. Watch Hut 101.  We have  individual   Outdoor Toilet, Shower & Hot Water Powered with LPG gas for Watch Hut 101,102 & 103.
Attached  Toilet, Shower & Hot Water Powered with LPG gas only in Watch Hut 104.
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Origin of Watch Hut 101 .
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Front view from Watch Hut 104.
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Udari 101 - Local Teak Floor.

Category

Hotel - No
Standard - Basic
Type - Watch Huts 
​No of Watch Huts - 4

3 Watch Huts are built on Ceylon Oak tree & 1 3 Feet above ground.
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Outdoor Local Breakfast.
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Waterhole for the Elephants & for you.
Personally for me its a pool that's how i feel it !
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The water container " pool " cylinder trough shown here is made of concrete  & filled with fresh lake water without any chemicals. Got this idea by observing a black robin bird taking a bath in one these cylinders on the roadside.
This trough is visited sometimes by wild elephants too. to can quench their thirst.
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​As per booking.com & tripadvisor do not have in their drop down list "trough or pond"  i have selected Swimming Pool or Pool. 

​The main reason is for you as guests to switch off from and chill out overlooking the wonderful landscape rather than thinking whether ist a pool, trough or a waterhole etc etc.

Elephant Watch Hut -  "Be Herd"

Before booking read info given below.

Cost of Living in Sri Lanka !

Pls note Sri Lanka is no more a cheap destination & due to lots of infra structure developments Islandwide  the cost of living prices also have changed but not our cultural values.

​Its a New Sri Lanka ! ​

Project Costs & other Expenses.

Approx. project cost - Land & Watch Huts - approx. 49.208 $

Average Daily Wages.

Average daily pay for outsourced  worker per day in SL is 10 to 14 US $ per day without meals.
We have to manage all these only with 4 Huts with this income.
Some months we have losses or Zero Profit !

Costs & Running Expenses.

Costs include - Commissions, Fees for Tripadvisor, Booking Engine, OTC, Little Hotelier Channel Manager, Booking
Transaction Fees via Banks, Maintenance of Web Site,   , Wifi, Mobile Phone,  Team Members on Site, Reservation &
Account Staff based in Colombo, , Daily wages for Staff, Repairs, Bon fire logs .
Extra  Weekly damages caused due to wild Elephants Breakages etc etc has to be paid. 
​Wild Elephants don't have credit cards. They are smart !

Rates

Price Range - Udari : 74 / Dahaa : 82 & Wild Honey : 130 US $

 ​Profit

74 /80 Rate Watch Hut  Category   Profit - approx. USD $ 7 - 9  & 130 $ Range USD 12 $ .
​Sometimes also Zero !
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View from 101 Udari to 102 Dahaa.
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Private Balcony 102 Dahaa.

Elephant Watch Hut -  "Be Herd"

Main Power Source - Solar

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Solar Torch
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Watch Hut Lighting.
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Mobile Phone Charger.
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Cool Box with emergency light & mobile phone charger.

All Watch Huts Include

1.Solar Torch x 2
2.Reading Lamp x 1
3.Mobile Phone Charger x 1 
4.Emergency Square Shape Lamp x 1
5.Cool Box x 1
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Pls note iPad,Tabs Camera Batteries cannot be charged but near by there is a place. Contact Rani or Kumari from EWH.

WIFI - Yes Free

Available for 2 Hours in the evening from 19:00 Hrs. to 21:00 Hrs.

Mobile Phone  - Yes 

Not a  Smart Phone.

Elephant Watch Hut -  "Be Herd"

​Pro's & Cons

Natural Sounds & Other Sounds.

Wild Life.

Built in the middle of nature. Be aware of Natural sounds from birds,crickets,frogs, wild elephants & specially peacocks. Sometimes if you hear the deer barking which is very rare may be there is a leopard in the vicinity.

Train tooting ...

In the middle of the Night & early morning the Colombo Batti Night Mail train will toot the horn & as these engines which still running  are more than 50 years  they produce a vibrating sound. 
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​The reason to toot the horn is to chase the wild elephants which are standing on the track to cross over to the villages to attack the banana or rice plantation.

Local Singing & Music.

There are 2 other local accommodations catering to the locals in the vicinity & usually  Sri Lankans love to sing and play the Dolki or in worst cases a boom box. Its called baila. Might end up very late.... 
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​These songs are sung with a lots of feelings. Click Here

Road Sounds.

A gravelled Jeep track is just behind the watch huts which is sometimes used during daytime and in the night. 
​This same gravel road track is also used by wild elephants too.

Reduction of sound.

If you do not want to hear the sounds of Nature or Local music we provide you with brand new ear plugs. ​​

Electrification of Fences Nearby - Solar Powered.

Farmer's close by use fences to stop wild elephants encroaching fertile land.
We in fact grow maize and other crops whenever possible for our Big Brother's to peacefully enjoy the full Board meal on FOC Basis & pass through  to the other side although  ​
​We also allow the wild elephants to pass through peacefully even though they  kick the water motor sometimes.
Unfortunately people from the village think i am crazy.

Meals.

All Meals are Fresh and Outsourced from Village Families where the total  income goes directly to them.

Alchohol & Beverages.

No alcohol  is sold here.  We don't have the required liquor license Permit. 
For any  other beverages, soft drinks or water bottles take a Tuk Tuk go to Cargills Supermarket in Habarana . However be aware monkeys love coke pls store them in the Cool Box provided at the Watch Huts.

Communication's Option's.

English is not spoken by our team in Habarana except for a few words,
Pls use your communication skills to understand each other. 
English - Sinhala word  list and talk.
​In cases if you have difficulties pls call us .

Select Contact List from the Watch Hut Phone 

​Dial 1 English  
Dial 2 French
Dial 3 German

Thanking Our Guests for all the support given for us - Ayubowan - Vanakkam.

Elephant Watch Hut -  "Be Herd"

Connecting the strength of the villagers by offering local experiences.

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Elephant Watch Hut -  "Be Herd"

Local Village Activities.

All these activities depart on schedule time & not on Individual basis.

We recommend our guest's  to book  2 nights to spend some time to share Local Experiences..

All Activities mentioned below are offered by our Team @ No Extra Cost.

 Guest's Booking Watch Huts - 101.102 or 103.
​Select  only 1 Activity per day from the list given below during your stay.

1. Visit a farmer Close by. - 30 Minutes with a cup of tea.
2. Village Walk - Transport Tuk Tuk with a local - 1 Hrs .
3.Spotting Wild Elephants on a 4x4 Jeep on the Trinco Habarana main Rd. Aprox : 30 Mns.
4. Lake Walk - 30 Minutes - Free if Wild Elephants are not around.
5.Spicy jungle chilly & onion Sambal with a Coconut Roti.

For Guest's Booking Watch Hut -104 Wild Honey.

Select 2 activities per day only.

1.Visit a farmer Close by. - 45 Minutes with a cup of tea.
2. Lake Walk - 30 Minutes - Free if Wild Elephants are not around.
3. Village Walk - Transport Tuk Tuk with a local - 2 Hrs .
4. Spotting Wild Elephants on a 4x4 Jeep on the Trinco Habarana main Rd. Aprox : 1 Hrs.
5.  Bird Watching  with a local - 2 Hrs 30 Mns.

Choose more activities - Cooking Lessons Option's - Be the chef !

6. Local Dhal Curry & Coconut Roti.
7. Spicy jungle chilly & onion Sambal with a Coconut Roti.
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Birds eye View.
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Just read a Book or take the Binocular.

Our VillageTeam.

Rohitha - Gal Anda
Rani Akka
Rohitha - Gal Anda
Ranbanda - Civet Cat - Freelance
Priyantha - Pundith
Kumari Akka
Rani
Hemanthaya - Jungle Tuk Tuk
Lokka - Ataya
Lokka - Atson - Freelance

Elephant Watch Hut -  "Be Herd"