Live Like a Local at Tamarind Gardens, Digana

Walkers Tours has established a ‘Live Like a Local’ experience with sustainability at its core. Its essence is to give back to the community whilst giving visitors an insight to rural Sri Lanka. The home of our project is the village of Digana, located 20 kilometers outside the Hill Capital of Kandy. Overlooking the Victoria Reservoir, the construction of this quaint and unique property is nearing completion. Most of the building and even the fittings are made by village craftsmen. Designed to reflect typical Sri Lankan village houses, the eight rooms at Tamarind Gardens will consist of an en suite bathroom, mosquito net and a pedestal fan.

The property is home to a working farm which includes cattle, goats and poultry. Vegetable and fruit gardens on the property contribute to the fact that all meals are prepared with home grown produce, whilst meat is sourced from the local village. Other services like laundry, maintenance and housekeeping are outsourced to villagers in the vicinity to ensure that the community directly benefits through tourism. Guests are given an unforgettable opportunity to immerse themselves in typical village life. They are encouraged to volunteer in several activities like assisting in the preparation of meals, growing fruits and vegetables and caring for livestock.





Digana is situated at the border of the dry-zone, with harsh conditions for cultivation for crops – often the only means of making a living for these villagers. The difficult environment contributes to local community needing to struggle for survival and Walkers Tours firmly believes that supporting them in any way is critical.

As a result, many projects have been introduced to help create some form of financial stability to villagers. These include helping to build chicken coops or goat pens and donating water storage tanks to ensure that families have access to clean, safe water.

This exciting new project will give visitors an enriching experience. Here, they can take a break from fast paced metropolitan life and strike a balance between having a great time and being considerate to the planet and its people.