|
|
|
|
|
Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage Excursion, Sri Lanka
|
| Region: hill-country | Location: Kegalle | | | Other regions: ancient-cities | capital-colombo | south-coast | west-coast | Before the arrival of the British in 1815 an estimated 30,000 elephants lived on the island. In the 1960s, the elephant population was close to extinction. Today, their number is around 3,000. This prompted the Sri Lankan government to create an orphanage for elephants that had lost their mothers or herds. Pinnawela elephant orphanage has existed since 1975 and has grown to become one of the most popular attractions of Sri Lanka.
At this orphanage you will find elephants of all ages which are abandoned or otherwise unable to fend for themselves due to being injured. They are looked after until such time as they are ready to work or be freed back to the jungle. Pinnawela elephant orphanage is regarded as the biggest herd of captive elephants in the world. Among the elephants is one that lost a foot when it stepped on a mine. Another is blind and is totally reliant on humans.
The unique feature is that one can feed the baby elephants with bottles of milk and watch whilst the elephants are bathed twice daily in a river located across the orphanage. |
| Conservation | The sanctuary grounds cover 24 acres of lush forest. For the large elephants in the orphanage is also a breeding place, twenty elephants were born since 1984. It currently is home to approximately 84 elephants.
Some 110 people are employed to care for the herd feeding them with leaves from palm trees. About 14,000 kg of food are needed every day. The Pinnawela elephant orphanage is financed by the government and by charging visitors to see the animals. |
| Location | | Pinnawela elephant orphanage is situated about 80 Km northwest of Colombo, near the town Kegalla, halfway between the present capital Colombo and the ancient royal residence Kandy in the hills of central Sri Lanka. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Wildlife department and was primarily designed to afford care and protection to baby elephants found in the jungle without their mothers. |
|
| Tours to the Kegalle Region, Sri Lanka |  | Sri Lanka Mini Cultural Heritage Tour and Beach Holiday | from £1029 | | Discover the cultural heritage of Sri Lanka inclding Polonnaruwa Ancient City Tour, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Dambulla Cave Tour, The Royal City of Kandy Tour, Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage with time on the beach to relax at the end of your trip. |
|  | Sri Lanka Mini Colonial Tour and Beach Holiday | from £1009 | | Discover the colonial past of Sri Lanka in this unique tour while staying at some of the finest colonial style hotels. Tour includes The Royal City of Kandy Tour, Nuwara Eliya Tour, Capital Colombo Tour and Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage plus time on the beach to relax at the end of your trip. |
|  | Sri Lanka Mini Cultural Triangle and Wildlife Tour and Beach Holiday | from £1059 | | Discover the world renowned Cultural Triangle and the wild life of Sri Lanka in this tour while staying at some of the finest hotels. Tour includes Anuradhapura Ancient City Tour, Polonnaruwa Ancient City Tour, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Dambulla Caves, The Royal City of Kandy Tour, Peradeniya Botantical Gardens, Minneriya National Park, Negombo Village Tour, and Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage plus time on the beach to relax at the end of your trip. |
|  | Sri Lanka Mini Central Highlands Tour and Beach Holiday | from £1089 | | Marvel at the spectacular scenery, history, archaeological sites, tea plantations and so much more in this very special mini tour incorporating all the best highlights that Sri Lanka’s highlands has to offer. You will be staying at some of the finest hotels that gives the spirit of this holiday but still retain the modern comforts. |
|  | Sri Lanka Luxury Heritage Tour and Beach Holiday | from £1439 | | Discover the cultural heritage of Sri Lanka with luxury inclding Polonnaruwa Ancient City Tour, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Dambulla Cave Tour, The Royal City of Kandy Tour, Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage with time on a luxurous beach to relax at the end of your trip. |
|  | Sri Lanka Royal Kingdom Tour and Beach Holiday | from £1059 | | Discover the cultural past that dates back to the 5th century BC and the proud history of Sri Lanka. This unique holiday will take you to the most prominent historical ancient royal kingdoms in Sri Lanka give time to experience Sri Lanka's charming people, culture and diverse landscape. You will be staying at some of the finest hotels that give the sprit of this holiday but still retaining the modern comforts. |
|  | Sri Lanka England 1st and 2nd Test Discovery Tour and Beach Holiday | from £1459 | | Come and watch England taking on Sri Lanka this March and April at Galle and Colombo and also, discover Sri Lanka’s culture, history, wildlife and its people. Watch BOTH Test Matches live from the Galle International stadium in Galle on March 26th 2012 and Colombo R. Premadasa International stadium in Colombo on April 3rd 2012. Experience the breathtaking sceneries of the stadiums and carnival atmosphere of Sri Lankan cricket while staying at some of the best cultural, wildlife and beach resorts in Sri Lanka. |
| | Sri Lanka England 2nd Test with Discovery Tour and Beach Holiday | from £1059 | | Watch England taking on Sri Lanka 2st Test Match live from the stadium at Colombo on April 3rd 2012. Experience the breathtaking scenery and atmosphere of Sri Lankan Cricket, as well as discovering Sri Lanka, Perl of the Indian Ocean. Discover its culture, history, wildlife and its people while staying at some of the best resorts in Sri Lanka. |
|
|
| - Relevant Cities
- Relevant Excursions
- Relevant Hotels
- Sri Lanka Kegalle Maps
Excursions of the hill-country Region, Sri Lanka |  | Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage | Kegalle | hill country | | Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage is home for nearly 84 young and old orphaned elephants. Feed the baby elephants and watch them play and plod down to the river for their daily bath. | | |
|  | Royal City of Kandy Tour | Kandy | hill country | | Kandy is Sri Lanka's last royal kingdom and is a World Heritage site. The tour will take you to the Temple of the Tooth Relic, a magnificent golden roofed temple, Kandy Museum, Kandy Dance show, Botanical Gardens, Market Place and gem & jewellery shops. | | |
|  | Nuwara Eliya Tour | Nuwara Eliya | hill country | | Nuwara Eliya is at the heart of the southern hill country, Sri Lanka’s highest town and a favourite hill station during British colonial period. Nuwara Eliya is renowned for its perennial spring-like climate, carpets of lush green tea, 18 hole golf course, Little England, Victoria Park and more. | | |
|  | Singharaja Rain Forest | Sinharaja | hill country | | Sinharaja Rain Forest’s biodiversity makes it one of Sri Lanka’s seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Sinharaja Rain Forest is a great location for general wildlife enthusiasts and a must for bird watchers. | | |
|  | Horton Plains | Nuwara Eliya | hill country | | Horton Plains is one of the most popular and a unique natural attraction in Sri Lanka. It is located 2000m high plateau 28km south of Nuwara Eliya and its known for its beautiful landscapes, rare plants, animal life and World’s End where the plains comes suddenly to an end. | | |
|  | Adams peak | Ratnapura | hill country | | The 2,243 m (7,360-ft) high summit is situated in the middle of a wildlife sanctuary called Peak Wilderness. According to Buddhist history the footprint at the summit of the mountain is of Lord Buddha, left during his third visit to Sri Lanka. | | |
|  | Peradeniya Botanical Gardens | Kandy | hill country | | Peradeniya Botanical Gardens is the foremost of its kind in Sri Lanka in both size and splendour. It was created by the Kandyan King for the enjoyment of the aristocracy. Today the gardens have an orchid house, spice garden, Japanese garden, picturesque lake filled with water lilies and more. | | |
|  | Kandy Evening Cultural Dance Show | Kandy | hill country | | In the late evening be escorted to a performance of the energetic traditional Kandyan Cultural Dance show, accompanied by tumultuous drumming and climaxes with the amazing fire-walking show. | | |
|  | T20 Super Eight Day 1 Matches | Kandy | hill country | | | | |
| | T20 Super Eight Day 3 Matches | Kandy | hill country | | | | |
| | T20 Super Eight Day 5 Matches | Kandy | hill country | | | | |
| | Ella Gap | Ella | hill country | | Ella Gap offers one of the most spectacular vistas in the south of Sri Lanka through a narrow cleft in the hills down to the plains below. This road which was opened in 1968 plunges 2,500 feet down from the crisp mountains to the warm coast. The whole route is amazing but none more than Ella Gap. | | |
| | Rawana Ella | Ella | hill country | | The spectacular 25m-high Rawana Ella waterfall cascades from an oval-shaped concave rock outcrop is known to be one of the widest waterfalls in Sri Lanka. Its main drop is 30 feet in height and the grandest aspect of the Rawana Ella waterfall is its wild look amidst the wilderness. | | |
| | Belihuloya | Ella | hill country | | Belihul Oya is a very picturesque little hamlet of untouched wilderness, bordering two streams - Weli Oya and Kosgam Oya. The region is famous for its biodiversity | | |
| | Wilpattu National Park | Ella | hill country | | Wilpattu is one of the oldest National Parks in Sri Lanka, spanning from the northwest coast inland towards the ancient capital of Anuradhapura. The park consists of willus (Natural lakes), dry-lowland forests, scrublands, open grasslands and the coastal belt. | | |
| | Knuckles Mountain Range | Kandy | hill country | | The Knuckles Mountain Range is located towards the North East of the City of Kandy and offers one of the most breathtaking climbs among the Sri Lankan hill country. The region is a paradise for all outdoor mountainous activities. | | |
| | Canoeing at Samanala Wewa | Belihul Oya | hill country | | If you are visiting Belihuloya, Canoeing at Samanala Wewa is a must. The still calm waters of the Samanala Wewa reservoir are perfect for canoeing. | | |
| | Trekking at Belihuloya | Ella | hill country | | Thanks to the untouched wilderness of Belihuloya and the two streams that surround the borders, Weli Oya and Kosgam Oya, it is a great place for trekking. | | |
| | White water rafting at Kitulgala | Kitulgala | hill country | | Kitulgala is one of Sri Lanka’s main rafting locations. Come and experience White Water Rafting in the picturesque Kelani River, covering 4 minor rapids to 5 major rapids. | | |
| | Belilena Cave | Kitulgala | hill country | | Belilena cave situated in the forests of Kitulgala is a very large cave, in which the 12,000 year old skeletal remains of the prehistoric man have been found. Trek through the forests in order to reach the cave. | | |
| | Train Journey to hill country | Ella | hill country | | Arguably there is no better way to experience Sri Lanka’s incredible hill country than to take to Sri Lanka’s iconic rail network that dates back to the period of British colonial rule that is still as charming as it was then. | | |
| | Highlands Tea Plantation and Tea Factory | Nuwara Eliya | hill country | | Drive through the stunning highlands of Sri Lanka, you will realise why Sri Lanka is one of the world's largest exporters of tea and is where the renowned standard of ‘Ceylon Tea' comes from. | | |
|
Hotels related to Kegalle Region, Sri Lanka |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0208 099 9651
