A treat for the whole family the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is home to a large number of Asian elephants. A captive breeding ground and nursery the orphanage offers visitors a chance to interact with these gentle creatures. If you opt to stay at any one of the Colombo airport hotels the orphanage is easily accessible in a matter of 2 hours. Located in close proximity to the airport is The Gateway Hotel Airport Garden Colombo, a luxurious resort located within a lush coconut estate.
This hotel sits beside the blue waters of the Negombo Lagoon and boasts many modern facilities for the business and leisure traveller. A 110 well-appointed room’s offer maximum comfort while day trips to the Pinnawala orphanage are just one of the fun activities on offer here.
The Pinnawala orphanage manages a very successful captive breeding programme offering the right balance of natural environment and health care the orphanage has seen over 84 births. The 60 odd elephants here are quite accustomed to human visitors. Feeding time is a major spectacle, where the bottle fed baby jumbos enjoy some pampering from the curious visitors who are encouraged to have a go at feeding the calves. Feeding time is a definite treat for the whole family, and is always at a scheduled hour as such you should ensure you arrive on time.
Bath time too is quite an event, taking place daily at 10 am and 2 pm. The adult elephants are herded to the nearby ‘Maha Oya’ (river) for a refreshing respite. Be amongst the hundreds of visitors who clamour to watch these docile creatures frolic and bathe in the refreshing river. Make sure to take along the camera for unforgettable shots of the elephants being scrubbed and bathed by their mahouts.
Pinnawala is a sleepy village located in the Kegalle district about 80kms from the Katunayake Colombo Airport. Well adapted to the visitors who throng the orphanage the area is a hive of souvenir shops, selling a range of interesting memorabilia and local handicrafts.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.
