• Sri Lanka is one of the finest destinations in the world for a wellness retreat — and still genuinely underrated for it. The country offers an extraordinary combination of ancient healing traditions, dramatic natural landscapes and a pace of life that actively encourages you to slow down. Ayurvedic medicine has been practised here for over 3,000 years. The landscapes move from coastal lowlands to misty highland tea country to jungle-covered plains within a few hours — and each environment does something different to the nervous system. For a wellness tour in Sri Lanka that goes beyond a single resort, the country rewards you in ways that few destinations can. We've been running small group wellness retreats in Sri Lanka since 2015 and have never stopped being surprised by it.

Itinerary varies by retreat — some move through multiple locations, others are based in one extraordinary place for the full week. See individual retreat pages for what's included.

Yes — Sri Lanka is a welcoming and safe destination for women travelling solo, and our retreats are specifically designed with solo travellers in mind. Over 70% of guests on our Sri Lanka wellness retreats travel solo, and many tell us it was the solo travel experience they'd been waiting years to find. You travel as part of a small, curated group of women — maximum 12 — with Courtney present throughout every day, from your first pilates session to your last sunset in Galle. You are never navigating alone, never in an unfamiliar situation without support, and never responsible for logistics. Holistic Escapes has been running wellness tours in Sri Lanka since 2015 without a single safety concern.

Our Sri Lanka wellness retreats run in May and October — both excellent times to visit. May sits in Sri Lanka's shoulder season: warm throughout the country, occasionally lush in the south (Galle), and mostly clear and dry across the cultural triangle (Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella). October is arguably the most beautiful month to be in Sri Lanka — the landscape is intensely green from the previous monsoon, temperatures are warm, and the crowds are minimal compared to peak December. Both departure dates are carefully chosen based on a decade of experience running retreats in Sri Lanka, and represent the sweet spot between good weather, comfortable temperatures and the kind of spaciousness that makes a wellness experience feel genuinely restorative rather than rushed.

No experience is needed. Our Sri Lanka wellness retreats are designed to welcome complete beginners and experienced practitioners equally. Morning pilates sessions are mat-based and sequenced by Courtney around exactly where you are in the journey — energising without being overwhelming, and always adaptable to every body in the room. Evening yoga sessions focus on restorative and yin practices that require no prior experience to access deeply. Guests consistently say that Courtney has a rare ability to make pilates feel immediately achievable while still delivering something that leaves you feeling genuinely stronger and calmer. If you've been curious about pilates but haven't known where to start, a wellness retreat in Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful places to begin.

Yes — and many guests do. Our Maldives Pilates & Ocean Retreat runs the week immediately after the Sri Lanka departure ends, making the transition completely seamless. From Colombo you fly directly to Malé (approximately 1.5 hours), transfer by speedboat to a private island resort, and spend three, five or seven more nights with ocean pilates, restorative yoga, house reef snorkelling and the kind of stillness that only comes from being genuinely surrounded by water. A combined Sri Lanka and Maldives wellness escape is two weeks that most guests describe as the best decision they've ever made. Many tell us the Maldives days are the ones they think about most when they get home. If you're already making the journey from Australia, Europe or the UK, extending into the Maldives adds very little in flights and an extraordinary amount in experience.