Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

About Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage was established in 1975.  Presently about 93 elephants have made their home here. This place has become  a sanctuary and conservation facility for indigenous Asian elephants and is situated in the Sri Lankan village of Pinnawala, 13 kilometers northeast of the town of Kegalle.  Visitors come here to interact and have a close encounter with the elephants who live here. There are various unique activities that make this place more interesting.

Guided tour of the orphanage Pinnawala offers a guided tour where visitors learn about the animals, history and the facilities available. You could get a clear idea about the measures taken to conserve elephants and their daily routines.

Watching the elephants take their baths in the river – As they are taken to the river’s edge for their regular showers, spectators can observe and enjoy the view. This is a great chance to get close to the elephants and watch them play in the water. 

Baby elephants bottle feeding Visitors can buy a bottle of milk and give it to the newborn elephants, this would be an enjoyable and unique experience.

Take memorable photos with the elephants. Who wouldn’t love a picture standing next to these magnificent gigantic creatures? A famous activity of tourists here is paying to snap pictures with the elephants.

Make sure to visit the Pinnawala Zoo! This zoo has an open air setting.  Chital, Wild boar, Purple faced leaf monkey, Sri Lankan leopards  and sambar are some of the animals that live here apart from the elephants.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage has a lot to offer its visitors as you explore and learn you will learn about the animals behavior and interact with them. This would be a first time experience to many.

Visitors are also expected to follow the rules and guidelines of the orphanage to ensure the safety of the animals. The orphanage also has a museum and an education center in order to provide knowledge and more insight  on elephants.

Timings at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Pinnawala is not just about providing a sanctuary for elephants, it even makes the experience of the visitors memorable through various activities. Listed below are the scheduled times for them all.

• Open time to visitors is at 08.30 am.
• Bottle feeding of milk for baby elephants is at 09.15 am.
• Elephants leave for their morning baths at 10.00 am.
• They return from the river at 12 pm in the afternoon.
• Bottle feeding of milk for baby elephants takes place in the afternoon from 1:15 pm.
• The elephants leave for the for the river again at 2 pm
• The herd returns back from the river at 4 pm
• Bottle feeding for elephants take place again at 5 pm
• Ticket counters close at 5:30 pm
• Finally the orphanage closes at 6 pm for the public.

Prices at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Entrance fee for the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage varies based on the age and nationality.

The charges are as follows:

For Sri Lankan nationals: Adults – LKR 250 and Children – LKR 100

For SAARC nationals: Adults – USD 10 and Children – USD 5

Other nationalities : Adults – USD 15 and Children – USD 7.5

Where is Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage located?

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is situated in a rural village known as Pinnawala.  It is situated about 90 kilometers away from Colombo. The elephants at the orphanage have access to a natural habitat and can wash, play and enjoy the water because of the orphanage’s location on the banks of the Maha Oya river.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage depends on your interests and what you want to see. The orphanage is open to visitors throughout the year. Sri Lanka is known for its tropical climate and constant rainfalls. The best time to visit the orphanage is typically between December and March during the dry season. Since rainfall is less during this season, the weather is generally warm and mild. Wet season normally lasts from May to September. This could cause difficulty in traveling due to frequent downpours and excessive humidity.

The orphanage is known to be crowded during the peak seasons. If you are looking forward to traveling during a time where there is less crowd then the months of April, October and November are the best time to visit. Keep in mind that the weather might not be the best during these months.

Reaching Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

It is easy to reach the orphanage by road. You could either book a taxi or  self drive, the journey would be comfortable and convenient when traveling by personal or hired vehicles. It would take about two to three hours to travel from Colombo which also depends on traffic during the journey.  Visitors also have the option of taking the train from Colombo to Kegalle, which is the station closest to the orphanage. They can then take a cab or tuk-tuk to the orphanage from Kegalle.

People from all over the world are interested in this sanctuary. Following the visit to the orphanage, Pinnawala’s message of conservation has reached thousands, if not millions, of people. Take the chance to learn about these asian elephants. Interacting with them would be a unique experience. Observing their behavior and being a part of their daily routines is exciting to all who have experienced it.  An opportunity to visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage should not be missed by a traveler who is enthusiastic about the island’s wildlife. Visitors will get