Pinnawala

Pinnawala sits on the old Kandy road, about two hours from Colombo and an hour from Kandy, so it is an easy stop on the way up to the hills. The elephant orphanage here was set up in 1975 to care for young elephants found orphaned or hurt, and it now looks after a herd of all ages.

Most people come for the river. At set times in the day the herd is walked down to the Ma Oya to bathe, and you watch from the bank while the elephants wade, drink and roll in the shallows. Ask your driver for the bathing times, as they can shift, and bring a hat.

This is a managed setting, not the wild, and some travellers like to weigh that up before choosing it. If you would rather see elephants roaming free, Udawalawe is the better fit, and we are glad to talk it through. With young children an hour or two here is plenty.