Want to live in Sri Lanka with a view of elephants? We know how

Sri Lanka is an exotic country characterized by beautiful nature. In Sri Lanka it is quite normal to meet peacocks, monkeys or elephants on the road. However, we discovered a place that took our breath away.

Just imagine. After an arduous journey by plane, train and taxi, you arrive at your hotel. There you will be greeted by friendly staff, offered a welcome drink and handed the keys to your room. Cross the lobby to the corridor and you’ll see a view of the river. You get a little closer and you can’t believe your eyes. There are 50 elephants bathing in the river that flows just a few metres from your window. Just like that. In the wild they enjoy a sunny day. Sounds incredible doesn’t it?

This is what the Pinnawala Orphanage in Sri Lanka is all about. Let’s share some practical information about it, so you can experience it when you visit this beautiful country.

This is how elephants enjoy bathing in the river.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

The Elephant Orphanage in Pinnawala is one of the most exotic tourist attractions in Sri Lanka. It was opened in 1975 as a home for 5 abandoned baby elephants, but today it is home to more than 90 elephants.

When you visit this orphanage, you can watch dozens of elephants bathing in the river and learn about their lives and the care they need. For those who want to make their visit even more enjoyable, there is the option to pay for individual bathing with the elephants and feeding them.

Entrance and opening hours to Pinnawala

The entrance fee to the orphanage is around 9€ for adult tourists, children up to 3 years old can enter for free. We write tourists because in Sri Lanka, the rule is that locals can go to all the attractions for a fraction of the price. Here, for example, an ordinary Sri Lankan will pay about 50 cents to enter.

The orphanage is open every day from 8:30 to 18:00. However, the best time to visit is sometime between 9:00 and 13:00, as this is when there is a good chance that most of the elephants will be bathing in the river. There are also several restaurants and shops throughout the complex where you can buy some souvenirs. The restaurants also offer lucrative views of bathing elephants.

Accommodation in Pinnawala

In addition to someone deciding to visit the orphanage during normal opening hours, there is a second option. There are several hotels on the premises of the orphanage, which offer unique accommodation with beautiful views. And we took advantage of this opportunity.

We stayed at the Grand Royal Pinnawala Hotel, where we paid €42 per night for a room for two with breakfast included. Compared to accommodation in European countries, it’s a really small amount of money for the experience you’ll get. However, as far as accommodation in Sri Lanka in general, this was one of the most expensive we had.

GrandRoyal Pinnawala Hotel offers cosy and clean rooms, buffet breakfast and the best part – a swimming pool overlooking the elephants! The advantage of living directly in Pinnawala is that you have unlimited access to the orphanage, for which you do not pay. Another bonus is that you don’t have to be with the crowds, but you can enjoy the view in peace from the balcony of your hotel.

View from the pool directly on the elephants.

Our tip: If you’re staying right in Pinnawala, you might hear locals talking about how the elephants won’t be bathing the next day due to the bad weather. However, this is mainly because they want to entice you to pay more to bathe and feed the elephants individually. Elephants swim in the river almost every day, so don’t be fooled and see for yourself.

How to get to Pinnawala

Unless you have a private chauffeur for your Sri Lankan adventure, the easiest way to get here is by train. We travelled here from the capital Colombo by direct train to the Rambukkana stop. The trip took about 2 hours and cost us about 1€. From here you can get to Pinnawala by tuktuk or taxi. We contacted the hotel prior to our arrival and they arranged a private transfer from the train station in Rambukkana directly to the hotel for 6€.

You can also get to Pinnawala by bus or train from Kandy, or you can pay for a taxi or tuktuk, which will cost you around 15€. We spent 2 nights in Pinnawala from where we then continued by train to Kandy where our next adventure awaited us. You can read about our journey on the iconic train from Kandy to Ella here.

A summary of practical tips at the end:

The cheapest way to get to Pinnawala is to take the train from Colombo or Kandy to Rambukkana station and then take a tuktuk from there.
The best time to visit is between 9:00 and 13:00, as this is when most of the elephants bathe.
You will pay 9€ to enter Pinnawala.
If you don’t want to pay the entrance fee and want to enjoy the elephant views to the fullest, book your accommodation directly in Pinnawala.
Don’t believe the locals who will tell you that elephants won’t bathe because of bad weather.