Awarded TIME 100 World’s Greatest Places 2026 , Aarunya Nature Resort is a nature-led mountain retreat in Sri Lanka, where striking design, rich biodiversity, and sweeping Knuckles views come together beautifully.
Aarunya Nature Resort takes its name from a Sanskrit phrase meaning “first rays of the sun,” and it truly is as much nature as it is resort. The property, built by skilled village carpenters, sits on 10 mountaintop acres of ancestral land owned by architect and founder Nath Rankothge. At a new bamboo-clad Nature Research Pavilion, visitors can work alongside naturalists and Ph.D. students on habitat mapping, reforestation, and biodiversity research, and can contribute to studies focused on protecting species such as the endangered Moorer’s Shrub Frog. But it’s not all work. Rankothge drew inspiration from traditional ambalama resthouses for the minimalist design of the original nine villas, each carefully positioned to frame views of the Knuckles Mountain Range.
From outdoor bathtubs and plunge pools, guests can spot hanging parrots and scarlet minivets moving through the canopy. Last year, Rankothge added the Sol Sanctuary villa, designed around the Hindu Sri Yantra, a sacred geometric grid symbolizing the cosmos and the divine union of masculine and feminine energies. Strategically placed ceiling apertures transform the space into an observatory, morphing it with shifting light throughout the day. In 2026, Aarunya will also expand its wellness offerings with natural therapies that incorporate estate-grown spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg.
