Our most recommended things to do in Pinnawala

From Colombo: Kandy and Pinnawala Full-Day Trip

1. From Colombo: Kandy and Pinnawala Full-Day Trip

Benefit from pickup at your hotel in Colombo, and then relax in air-conditioned comfort on the journey to Kandy. Visit the Temple of the Tooth on arrival to see the sacred tooth of Buddha, a symbol of status that proved the worthiness of the ancient kings of Sri Lanka. Admire the beautiful architecture of the palace and look at the golden figurines in the shrine. ''Pinnawala'' You never miss the elephant gathering in river Then, explore some of the ancient crafts by traditional artisans, including gems, wood carving, and batik. Watch craft demonstrations and buy souvenir gifts before lunch at a local restaurant at your own expense. Continue to the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya, and go for a stroll in the 147-acre grounds. See over 4,000 different species of plants, including an exclusive collection of orchids, spices, and medicinal plants. Learn the history of the 19th-century gardens, and see famous plants such as the cannonball tree, giant fig tree, and 40-meter tall Burma bamboo.

From Kandy To Pinnawala Tour By Tuk Tuk Pinnawala Sri Lanka

2. From Kandy To Pinnawala Tour By Tuk Tuk Pinnawala Sri Lanka

🟢Start @8.45 in Kandy ➾ (18km) Kadugannawa View Point ➾ (22km) Pinnawala ➾ (29km) Geragama Tea Factory ➾ (6km) Royal Botanical Garden ➾ (4km) Spice Walk ➾ (5km) Kandy City View Point ➾ (100m) Gem Museum ➾ (600m) Kandyan Culture Dancing ➾ (1km) Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic ➾ (1km) Drop-off Your Hotel 🔚 🛑 Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage , is a captive breeding and conservation institute for wild Asian elephants located at Pinnawala village, 13 km (8.1 mi) northeast of Kegalle town in Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. Pinnawala has the largest herd of captive elephants in the world. In 2023, there were 71 elephants, including 30 males and 41 females from 3 generations, living in Pinnawala. The orphanage was founded to care and protect the many orphaned unweaned wild elephants found wandering in and near the forests of Sri Lanka. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC). On 31 August 2021, a 25 year old elephant named Surangi gave birth to twin male baby elephants at the orphanage. It also marked the first instance of the birth of twin elephants in Sri Lanka after a gap of 80 years since 1941.

Kandy, Pinnawala day trip from Bentota, Kalutara beach

3. Kandy, Pinnawala day trip from Bentota, Kalutara beach

Your one-day tour starts from Beach hotels on the west coast like Bentota Beach and Kalutara Beach and then relax in air-conditioned comfortable vehicle on the journey to Pinnawala elephant orphanage. The drive lasts around 2 hours. Later explore the spice/herbal garden with an indigenous plantation that produces spices such as cardamom, nutmeg, vanilla, cocoa, cinnamon and many hundreds of other spices and herbs. Later visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic to see the sacred tooth of Buddha, a symbol of status that proved the worthiness of the ancient kings of Sri Lanka. Admire the beautiful architecture of the palace and look at the golden figurines in the shrine. At Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage we guarantee that you witness a big herd of elephants that are in different ages. Then, explore some of the ancient crafts by traditional artisans, including gems, wood carving, and batik. Watch craft demonstrations and buy souvenir gifts before lunch at a local restaurant at your own expense. Continue to the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya, and go for a stroll on the 147-acre grounds. See over 4,000 different species of plants, including an exclusive collection of orchids, spices, and medicinal plants. Learn the history of the 19th-century gardens, and see famous plants such as the cannonball tree, giant fig tree, and 40-meter-tall Burma bamboo.

From Colombo: Full-Day Pinnawala and Kandy Tour

4. From Colombo: Full-Day Pinnawala and Kandy Tour

Start your journey at 0600 hrs from Colombo and proceed to Kandy, pausing at Pinnawala for a visit to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. This is the home for young elephants who have been displaced from their natural habitat at Pinnawala village in the Sabaragamuwa province of Sri Lanka. Now housing 70 elephants, Pinnawala is home to the largest group of captive elephants in the world. Next, visit Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya, renowned for its variety of ornamental, decorative & medicinal plants, more than 4000 species. This garden is best known for its collection of orchids, the largest in Asia. Thereafter, visit the Temple of the Tooth, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, built in the 16th century as the place of veneration and protection for Lord Buddha’s sacred tooth. Walk through the beautifully embellished passageways and elaborately painted halls. Lounge among delicately carved pillars and be amazed by the beautiful golden statues. Followed by a lunch break at a location of your choice. Finally, you will begin your journey back to your hotel in Colombo at approximately 1830 hrs. En-route, you will stop at Ambepussa (restaurant of your choice) and have dinner.

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What people are saying about Pinnawala

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 2 reviews

Really good experience! At one of the attractions we should have visited, there was a really long queue and too many people, so our guide was good at coming up with a lot of other options we could see if we wanted. All the experiences were quite exciting! Our guide also found some great eateries along the way with really nice views each time. He was good at assessing when he was needed as a guide and when it was better for us to be alone and she stayed close by (eg at the restaurants). On the slightly long drive, he was also good at explaining what we saw when we looked out the windows and in general what Sri Lanka was like.