Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Home to over 85 retired, rescued or orphaned elephants; the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is one of Sri Lanka’s most important wildlife sanctuaries, as well as a popular tourist attraction in its own right. Set up in 1975, the orphanage now boasts the largest herd of captive elephants in the world, spanning three generations and including a number of babies born within the orphanage. 
Visitors are welcome at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and tours and workshops not only offer the chance to support the sanctuary’s work, but to get up close to the magnificent elephants. Exploring the 25-acre site, visitors can watch the herd roaming freely through the coconut palms, splashing and rolling as they bathe in the Maha Oya River and tucking into their daily feeds of rice bran, maize and greens. With the environment set up to mimic the elephant’s natural lifestyle, it’s the ideal place to learn more about the fascinating animals, and it’s even possible to ride one of the elephants or help bottle-feed the babies.