Located in the Kegalle district, about halfway between Colombo and Kandy, Pinnawala is synonymous with its renowned Elephant Orphanage. Established in 1975 to protect and care for orphaned and unweaned wild elephants found wandering in the forests, it has now grown into one of Sri Lanka’s most beloved tourist attractions. Watching the massive herd march down to the Maha Oya river for their daily bath is an unforgettable wildlife experience.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
The main sanctuary. Visitors can observe the elephants being fed, and if you time your visit right, you can watch baby elephants being bottle-fed milk by their caretakers.





