Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

The Pinnawala orphanage is the first ever animal orphanage that was dedicated to the care and protection of the majestic beasts that are elephants. Established by the Sri Lankan Department of Wildlife Conservation in 1975, the priority of the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage has always been to feed, nurture and house orphaned baby and adult elephants found lost in the wilderness. In most of these scenarios, the mother of the baby elephant has been killed or there have been accidents of elephants falling into pits, injured and lost out of the herd.

In 1978 the orphanage was taken over by the National Zoological Gardens, and a captive breeding program was launched in 1982. Today the orphanage prides in having the world’s largest herd of captive elephants.

The orphanage is visited daily by both Sri Lankan and foreign tourists who indulge themselves with the activities the orphanage offers, which includes bottle feeding baby elephants and the spectacular sight of observing elephants bathe.


Daily schedule at the Pinnawala Orphanage

08.30 hours – Open to visitors

09.15 hours – Bottle feeding

10.00 hours – Herd leaving to the river

12.00 hours – Return from the river

13.15 hours – Bottle feeding

14.00 hours – Herd leaving to the river

16.00 hours – Return from the river

17.00 hours – Bottle feeding

17.30 hours – Ticket counters close

18.00 hours – Close to public


Pinnawala Entrance Ticket Fees

Foreign Adult – approx. USD 16
Foreign Child – approx. USD 8




Written By: Kavisha Perera