Sri Lanka · Wildlife

9-Hour Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Tour from Colombo

9 Hours Round trip from Colombo Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
02 Watch elephants bathing in the river
03 Experience feeding elephants
04 Learn papermaking using elephant poo

Embark on a full-day tour from Colombo to Pinnawala and visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, home to a long-running elephant care and captive breeding program. Spend time engaging with adorable baby elephants while learning how the orphanage works to simulate a natural habitat for the herd. Watch the elephants bathe in the river and discover the papermaking process using elephant dung during this wildlife-focused experience.

Watch the elephants bathe in the river and discover the papermaking process using elephant dung during this wildlife-focused experience.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 9 Hours

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

Cities Colombo, Pinnawala

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Full Day at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Start your tour with a visit to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. In 1978, the National Zoological Gardens of the Department of Wildlife took over the orphanage, and a captive breeding program was launched in 1982. Since the program's inception, over 20 elephants have been bred here.

The orphanage aims to simulate a natural habitat for these elephants. However, there are some exceptions: the elephants are taken to the river twice a day for a bath, and the mahouts and volunteers still bottle-feed all babies less than three years of age.

After spending the day engaging with the elephants, return to your preferred location.