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Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Day Tour

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Sri Lanka

Book and enjoy one day private day tour from Colombo to visit one of most popular tourist attractions in Sri Lanka, the Elephant Orphanage Pinnawala, located about 100 km – 3 hours drive from the city of Colombo towards Kandy. Departing early would be ideal if you’re planning on spending some quality time with the elephants.

More Details – Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Private Day Tour Itinerary ( From Colombo and Return)

  • 6:00 am:  pick up from any hotel in Colombo and drive to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
  • 8:30 am:  arrive at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
  • 9:00am to 12:15pm  tour of the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
  • 12:30 pm  head towards Colombo
  • 2:30 pm  drop off at your hotel in Colombo

NOTE: Time may be change depend on traffic and weather conditions.

Day Tour Price

  • Transport Cost :  USD 100 per private tour in an A/C car or van with an English speaking chauffeur-guide Vehicle Options: Car (up to 2 persons): Toyota Axio, Prius Hybrid, Premio/Honda Fit Shuttle or similar Van (3 to 6 persons): Toyota KDH/Nissan Caravan or similar
  • Entrance ticket fee for Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage :   US$ 16 / EUR 15 / GBP 12)  per foreign adult and US$ 8 / EUR 7 / GBP 6 per foreign child of age 03 – 12 years are applicable.

Elephant Sanctuary Sri Lanka

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

Exploring Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage: A Complete Guide

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is a popular tourist attraction in Sri Lanka. It is a haven for orphaned and injured elephants. The orphanage provides care and shelter to these majestic creatures and is open to the public for viewing. This article is a complete guide to exploring the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.

History and Importance 

The Sri Lankan Department of Wildlife Conservation opened the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in 1975 as a safe place for elephants who had lost their parents or been hurt. The first batch of five baby elephants was brought to the orphanage that year. Since then, the orphanage has successfully bred and raised over 100 elephants, making it one of the world’s most extensive captive elephant breeding programs.

Initially, the orphanage faced many challenges in funding and management. Still, it gradually gained popularity as a tourist attraction, and today it is one of the most visited places in Sri Lanka. The orphanage has also played an essential role in elephant conservation efforts, as it has contributed to the breeding of elephants in captivity and helped to reduce human-elephant conflict in the country.

Sri Lanka is home to the largest population of Asian elephants in the world, with approximately 7,500 individuals. In recent years, however, the Sri Lankan elephant population has faced many problems due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and conflicts with people. In addition, the orphanage conducts research on elephant behaviour, nutrition, and reproduction, which has helped improve captive elephants’ management and welfare.

The orphanage also raises public awareness about the importance of elephant conservation and the threats facing Sri Lanka’s elephant population. Teaching people about the orphanage’s work and the problems elephants face in the wild, the orphanage helps people understand and support efforts to protect elephants in Sri Lanka and worldwide.

Activities at the Orphanage and Near

Visitors can do various things at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage that allow them to observe and interact with the elephants safely and responsibly. Some of the most popular activities include:

Watching the elephants bathe in the river:  Visitors can watch as they are led to the river for their daily baths. This is an excellent opportunity to observe the elephants up close and see them playing in the water.

Daily at: 10.00 am – 12.00 pm and 2.00 pm – 4.00 pm

Bottle-feeding the baby elephants:  Visitors can purchase a bottle of milk and feed it to the baby elephants, which is a fun and memorable experience.

Daily at: 09.00 am – 09.45 am and 12.00 pm – 1.45 pm

Touring the orphanage:  Visitors can take a guided tour of the orphanage and learn about the facility’s history, the work being done to conserve the Sri Lankan elephant population and the daily routines of the elephants.

Learning about elephant behaviour and conservation:  The orphanage has a museum and education centre that provides information about elephant behaviour, biology, and protection, as well as the challenges facing the Sri Lankan elephant population.

Photographs with the elephants:  Visitors can take pictures with the elephants for a fee, a popular activity for tourists.

Visit Pinnawala Open Zoo: The Pinnawala Open Zo o is the first zoo in Sri Lanka to be held in an open-air setting. It is also the second zoo to be opened in Sri Lanka, following the Dehiwala Zoo. The Sri Lankan and global zones comprise the zoo, located on a plot of land that is a total of 44 acres in size and divided into two areas. The Purple-faced Leaf Monkey, Chital, Sambar, and wild boar are among the most popular animals in the zoo, along with the African Lions, Sri Lankan Leopards, Asian Elephants, and Asian Elephants. The park’s most vast space dedicated to animal observation is the leopard inclosure.

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

Best Time to Visit

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is open to visitors year-round, but the best time to visit depends on your preferences and what you want to see. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Weather:  Sri Lanka has a tropical climate with high humidity and frequent rain. The dry season runs from December to March, generally considered the best time to visit the orphanage. During this time, the weather is sunny and warm, with little rain. On the other hand, the wet season runs from May to September, with heavy rains and high humidity, so visiting during this time can be more challenging.

Crowds:  The orphanage can get crowded with tourists, especially during peak travel seasons. If you prefer to avoid the public, visiting during the off-season months of April, October, and November is best. However, remember that the weather may not be ideal during these months.

Elephant behaviour:  The orphanage elephants have routines and behaviours, and some activities may be more visible at certain times of the day. For example, the elephants are typically bathed in the river early in the morning, so if you want to see this activity, it’s best to arrive early in the day.

Location and Accessibility

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is located in the village of Pinnawala, about 90 kilometres from the capital city of Colombo in Sri Lanka. The orphanage is situated on the banks of the Maha Oya river, which provides a natural habitat for the elephants and allows them to bathe and play in the water.

The orphanage is easy to get to by road. People can drive themselves or take a taxi. The journey from Colombo takes approximately 2-3 hours, depending on traffic conditions. Alternatively, visitors can take a train from Colombo to Kegalle, the nearest railway station to the orphanage. From Kegalle, visitors can take a tuk-tuk or taxi to the orphanage.

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

Admission Fees and Opening Hours

Admission fees for the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage vary depending on your age and nationality. As of 2023, the costs are as follows:

Sri Lankan nationals: Adult LKR 250 / Children LKR 100

SAARC Nationals: Adult USD 10 / Children USD 5

Other Nationals: Adult USD 15 / Children USD 7.50

Visiting Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and Pinnawala Zoo (Combo Tickets)

Other Nationals: Adult USD 20 / Children USD 10

NOTE: Only accepts payments in the currency of Sri Lanka . ( Source ) 

The admission fee includes access to the orphanage, the education centre, and the opportunity to watch the elephants bathing and feeding.

The orphanage is open to visitors from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm daily, and visitors are encouraged to arrive early to observe the elephants’ bathing routine in the morning. However, remember that the elephants’ schedules vary, so it’s always best to check with the orphanage for the most up-to-date information.

It’s worth noting that the orphanage strongly emphasises responsible and ethical tourism, and all visitors are expected to follow specific rules and guidelines to ensure the safety and well-being of the elephants. For example, visitors cannot ride the elephants or engage in activities that could harm or stress them.

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  • From Colombo Start Time: 07:30
  • From Negombo Start Time: 07:30
  • From Kandy Start Time: 08:30

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pinnawala elephant orphanage

Pinnawala Day Tour

Attractions.

  • Meet our Company representative (Driver or Guide)
  • Travel to Pinnawala
  • Visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, this is the first elephant Orphanage in the World
  • Visit food feeding to Baby Elephants
  • Get a chance to feed the foods to Elephants
  • Interact with the Baby Elephants
  • Visit the Elephants bathing in the river
  • Lunch at Pinnawala
  • Visit the Tea Factory and Tea Making Process
  • Visit Millennium Elephant Museum (Optional)
  • Visit the Ayurveda Herbal Spice Garden
  • Drive back to Hotel or Airport

Pinnawala Day Tour Itinerary

Stop at: visit pinnawala elephant orphanage.

  • Meet the representative of Sri Lanka Vacation Tours (Driver/Guiide) and Travel to Visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage .
  • Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is an orphanage, nursery and captive breeding ground for wild elephants .
  • Pinnawala was established by the Sri Lanka Department of Wildlife Conservation in 1975 to feed and provide care and a sanctuary to orphaned baby elephants who were found in the wild without their mothers.
  • Experience feeding foods to elephants and interact with baby elephants .
  • You can walk to the river side to the where you can see the Baby Elephants and Big Elephant Bathing and enjoy on the river .

Stop At: Visit Tea Factory and Tea Plantation

  • After visiting Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, you will travel to visit Tea factory .
  • Sri Lanka becomes synonymous with the world’s finest tea . One of the most famous countries to produce tea and is one of the most fabulously enjoyed beverages in the world .
  • You can get the unique opportunity to visit one of the tea factories at Pinnawala, where you will learn about and be a part of the plucking and manufacturing process of high-quality tea in Sri Lanka.

Stop At: Visit Herbal Spice Garden

  • Sri Lanka’s spices are world-renowned and they are one of the country’s riches.
  • Visit a spice garden at Pinnawala, where the fresh aroma of cinnamons , pepper , cardamom , nutmeg , and mace overwhelm the senses and the visitors are provided an insight into an age-old industry of spice production, which attracted many European and Asian merchants to the ports of ancient Sri Lanka.
  • After visiting att the attractions at Pinnawala you will drive back to your hotel located Colombo, Negombo, Kandy or We can drop you off to Colombo Airport to Colombo Port.

Pinnawala Tour Inclusions

  • Pickup and drop off to selected hotel or Airport
  • Clean & Air-conditioned Luxury Private Tourist Vehicle Car, Van or Coach
  • Private Tourist Driver cum Guide
  • Entrance Fees at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
  • Lunch at Local Restaurent & Refreshment
  • Mineral Bottled water through the tour
  • Government Taxes & Service Charges

Tour Exclusions

  • Driver, Guide: Gratuities/Tipping
  • Other meals Breakfast or snacks
  • Alcohol & any other beverages
  • Any Private Expenses
  • Other entrance tickets for activities not mentioned above inclusion section

Tour Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be receive at the time of booking
  • Group discount available
  • Make your booking in advance complete with your hotel details

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Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

At a distance of 41 km from Kandy and 92 km from Colombo, Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is an orphanage, nursery and captive breeding ground for wild Asian elephants located at Pinnawala village in Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. It is one of the popular attractions to visit in Kandy as part of Sri Lanka tour Packages .

History and Mission

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage was established in 1975 as a rescue and rehabilitation center for orphaned elephants. Its primary mission is to provide care, protection, and a nurturing environment for these majestic creatures. Over the years, the orphanage has played a vital role in the conservation of Sri Lanka’s elephant population and has become a popular tourist attraction.

Elephant Care and Rehabilitation

At Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, the well-being of the elephants is of utmost importance. The dedicated team of caretakers and veterinarians work tirelessly to ensure that the elephants receive proper medical attention, nutrition, and love. The orphanage provides a safe space for the elephants to roam freely, socialize with each other, and engage in natural behaviors.

Daily Activities

Visiting the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage offers a unique opportunity to witness the elephants’ daily routines and activities. One of the highlights is the bathing ritual in the nearby river. With great excitement, the elephants march down to the water, where they playfully splash and cool themselves. It’s a joyous sight to see these magnificent creatures enjoying their time in the water.

Elephant Feeding

Another fascinating aspect of the orphanage is the feeding sessions. Visitors have the chance to observe the caretakers feeding the elephants with bottles of milk and large amounts of fruits and vegetables. It’s a heartwarming experience to witness the bond between the caretakers and the elephants as they interact during mealtime.

Educational Opportunities

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage not only provides a delightful experience for visitors but also serves as an educational platform. The orphanage aims to raise awareness about the conservation of elephants and their natural habitat. Informative displays and presentations offer valuable insights into the challenges faced by these magnificent creatures and the importance of their protection.

Souvenir Shopping

Before you leave the orphanage, make sure to visit the souvenir shops. Here, you’ll find an array of elephant-themed items, including handmade crafts, clothing, and artwork. By purchasing these souvenirs, you contribute to the orphanage’s efforts in caring for the elephants and supporting the local community.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage 6 1

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Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

Top ways to experience Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and nearby attractions

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

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24hours online

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage: The Complete Guide

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Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage – Guide, Time Table, Tickets, Bathing Times & Hotels

Planing to visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage? The Sri Lankan Elephant is considered as a prestigious animal and it has been a part of our culture and tradition since the olden days. Moreover they hold a symbolic, traditional and economic importance as the tourists are attracted to Sri Lanka to witness them in their natural habitats and also elephants are used as a symbol of prosperity in various traditional and religious ceremonies of the country.

This gigantic animal once lived in the massive forests of this country in herds of 12-20 with the oldest female or the matriarch in the lead, sadly now given the development programs, the humans have entered in to their habitats and the elephants are pushed to live in smaller and compact areas. The Sri Lankan elephant is now an endangered animal as their population is decreasing rapidly.

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is the only place is Sri Lanka that functions as an orphanage, captive, nursery and a breeding ground for the elephants in need, and also this is the home for the homeless elephants who needs special care.

This article will focus on the Pinnawala Elephant orphanage and give a guideline for the tourists who wish to visit this peaceful sanctuary of the beautiful elephants.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Time Table

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

If you are planning to visit Sri Lanka in your next vacation and if you have the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in the list of places you wish to visit, the first thing that you would want to know would be the time schedules and their program.

The Pinnawala elephant orphanage time table is laid down as follows for your convenience.

  • 08.30 am – Opens for the visitors
  • 09.00 am – 09.45 am Fruit feeding
  • 09.15 am – 09.45 am Milk feeding
  • 10.00 am – 12.00 pm Herd to the river
  • 12.00 pm – 01.45 pm Fruit feeding
  • 01.15 pm – 01.45 pm Milk feeding
  • 02.00 pm – 04.00 pm Herd goes to the river
  • 05.00 pm – Milk feeding
  • 05.30 pm – Ticket counter closes
  • 06.00 pm – Closes for the day

The programs for each day is carried out according to the above time table and you could visit the orphanage at the time of the event that you that you wish to participate in or you may also spend your entire day at the orphanage with the elephants.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Tickets

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

The purpose of the Elephant orphanage is to help the orphaned baby elephants and also the adult elephants by providing them a helping hand, thus it should be noted that we at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage charge an entrance fee. The funds collected from the tickets will be used solely for the purpose of uplifting the lifestyle of the orphaned elephants and for the maintenance of the orphanage.

The ticket are priced at a very reasonable rate and can be laid down as follows;

Sri Lankans

  • Adults LKR 100.00
  • Children LKR 30.00 (3-12years)
  • Children LKR 20.00 (In school uniform)

Overseas Visitors

  • Adults LKR 2500.00
  • Children LKR 1250.00 (3-12 years)

SAARC Visitors

  • Adults LKR 700.00
  • Children LKR 350.00 (3-12 Years)

To buy tickets or to arrange Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage tour contact Olanka Travels .

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Bathing time

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

The bathing time is a beautiful and a heartwarming sight to witness. You will be able to see the entire heard been guided to the river by their foster fathers at the orphanage to have their daily bath to keep the clean and chilled in this warm weather. Amongst other heart filled moments you will also be able to enjoy baby elephants having a dip and playing in the water.

The time schedule of the Bathing Hours is as follows;

  • 10.00 am to 12.00 Noon
  • 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm

Hotels near Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

Luck Uyana Cabana in Pinnnawala

This is situated in the close proximity to the orphanage, only a 0.1kms away. This has air conditioned rooms with free Wi-Fi and so many other facilities. Moreover it also has a pool where you can enjoy after a busy day at the orphanage.

Hotel Elephant Bay

This hotel is situated right opposite to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage thus you can just cross the road to see the elephants and enjoy their company. The hotel room comes with a balcony so that you could enjoy scenery and maybe also get a glimpse of the bathing elephants in the Ma Oya River.

Hotel Elephant Park

This hotel has a spacious place which can accommodate around 300 people at the same time. They offer exclusive meals upon your request and the hotel overlooks the Ma Oya River where the Elephants are brought in for their bath.

Hotel Pinnalanda

This is considered as one of the best and the finest hotels in Pinnawala. You can relax and enjoy in this beautiful place situated in the river bed of Ma Oya while witnessing the wonderful sight of elephants walking in the line to the lake and them bathing in the river.

How to get to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

The Elephant Orphanage is situated in the Village of Pinnawala hence giving its name, Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. The village is so popular for the orphanage so much so that the name Pinnawala is synonymous with elephants amongst the locals of Sri Lanka.

Pinnawala is a village situated in the Kegalle District of Sri Lanka in the Central Province. The closest main city to Kegalle is Kandy which is about 40kms away and you can reach the orphanage in about an hours’ time. If however you are planning to get to the orphanage directly from the Bandaranayke airport it will take about two hours for you to reach your destination as it is situated 75kms away from the airport.

You can either call a taxi or hire a vehicle or use public transport such as the bus or the train. We will list down the train timetables from Colombo to Pinnawala for your convenience as follows;

Trains from the Colombo Fort to Pinnawala

Daily – 17.20 Train number – 9264

Monday to Friday and Saturday – 16.10, 16.35 & 18.31 Train numbers – 9262, 9263 & 9265.

Contact us for more Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage inquires. 

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

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Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage & Kandy Day Tour

From: $ 32.00

Tour Kandy, Sri Lanka’s second largest city, and Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage with Trusted Tours. A day of peaceful magic with elephants up close and the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, then in to the busy and thriving city.

Tour starts at 07:00 a.m.

Pick up from your hotel and proceed to Pinnawala.

Our First visit will be Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.

Visit Peradeniya Botanical Garden.

Visit Temple of Sacred Tooth Relic*

Bahirawakanda Temple

30 to 60 minute boat ride in the longest river of Sri Lanka.

Visit Kandy View Point.

Visit gem crafters, wood carvers and batik makers working with traditional tools and materials.

One hour Cultural dance show*

Drop off at your hotel or area in Kandy.

Want to customise this tour? No problem! Just contact us to design your perfect day.

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Maximum 5 people

*Note: Due to their variability some admission prices are not included. The most recent prices are below:

  • Pinnawala elephant orphanage – $ 18 per person   ( below 12 years half price )
  • Peradeniya botanical gardens (admission 1100 rupees)
  • Temple of the tooth (2000 rupees)
  • Kandy Museum (600 rupees)
  • Cultural dance program – $ 6 per person

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BLUE ELEPHANT TOURS

Visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage – A Must-See Attraction in Sri Lanka

If you’re planning a trip to Sri Lanka, one attraction that you won’t want to miss is the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. Located just a short distance from the city of Kandy, this unique and memorable destination is a must-see for any visitor to the island.

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is home to over 90 elephants, including babies, juveniles, and adults. These majestic animals have been rescued from various parts of the country, and they are given a safe and caring environment in which to live and thrive. The orphanage is also a breeding ground for elephants, and many baby elephants have been born here over the years.

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

One of the best things about the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is that it offers visitors the opportunity to get up close and personal with the elephants. You can watch them being fed, bathed, and taken for walks, and you can even interact with them and feed them yourself. This is a truly unique and unforgettable experience, and it’s something that you won’t find at many other zoos or wildlife sanctuaries around the world.

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

In addition to the elephants, the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage also has a small museum and gift shop, where you can learn more about the history and conservation of elephants in Sri Lanka. There are also plenty of photo opportunities throughout the orphanage, so be sure to bring your camera.

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

Overall, the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is a must-see attraction for any visitor to Sri Lanka. If you’re planning a trip to the island, be sure to add it to your itinerary. And if you’re looking for a hassle-free and enjoyable vacation experience, we recommend booking your trip through Blue Elephant Tours. Our experienced team of travel experts can help you plan the perfect itinerary, including a visit to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and many other unique and memorable experiences. Contact us today to start planning your dream vacation in Sri Lanka.

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Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

About this destination.

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is a renowned wildlife sanctuary located in the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. Established in 1975, it is situated approximately 90 kilometers northeast of Colombo, the country’s capital. The orphanage is dedicated to the rehabilitation and conservation of Asian elephants and has become a popular tourist attraction in Sri Lanka.

The main objective of the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is to provide a safe and nurturing environment for orphaned, abandoned, or injured elephants, with the aim of ultimately reintroducing them back into the wild. The center’s efforts are crucial, considering the declining elephant population due to habitat loss, human-elephant conflicts, and poaching.

At the orphanage, visitors can witness firsthand the daily routine of these magnificent creatures. One of the highlights of the experience is observing the elephants bathing and playing in the nearby Maha Oya River. The sight of these gentle giants frolicking in the water is truly awe-inspiring and offers a unique opportunity for visitors to interact with the animals.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage also functions as a breeding center to encourage the reproduction of elephants in captivity. The successful breeding program has contributed significantly to the preservation of the species, ensuring a stable population in the future.

The orphanage has earned global recognition for its dedication to elephant conservation and is often cited as one of the most successful elephant rehabilitation projects in the world. Additionally, it has played a significant role in raising awareness about the plight of Asian elephants, drawing attention to their conservation needs.

While the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage attracts a large number of tourists annually, it has faced criticism from animal welfare organizations in the past. Some have raised concerns about the captive environment and the impact on the elephants’ natural behavior. However, the management continually strives to improve conditions and has made efforts to address these concerns.

In conclusion, the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is a vital institution in Sri Lanka’s conservation efforts. By providing a home and care for orphaned and injured elephants, it contributes significantly to the preservation of these majestic creatures. While it remains a popular tourist destination, its primary purpose is to raise awareness about the need to protect and conserve Asian elephants for generations to come.

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Kandy market, peradeniya royal botanical gardens, polonnaruwa sacred city, little adam’s peak, tour of colombo, anuradhapura, minneriya national park, sigiriya rock fortress, coconut tree hill mirissa, nuwara eliya, temple of the tooth, pigeon island boat ride, ramboda falls, yala national park wildlife safari, kosgoda turtle hatchery.

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Kandy City & Pinnawala Ellephant Orphanage - Day Tour

Pinnawala elephant orphanage, sri lanka was set up in 1975 by the department of wildlife of the country. this orphanage was set up in sri lanka to give shelter and to take care of baby elephants. the pinnawala elephant orphanage remains open for the visitors from 8.30 in the morning to 4 in the evening. the elephants are taken out from the orphanage to graze for a couple of hours in the morning. then they are taken to the nearby ma oya river. in the noon the elephants are fed. then again the animals are again taken to the river and they are brought back to the orphanage. kandy is the the second largest city in the country after colombo. it was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of sri lanka. the city lies in the midst of hills in the kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. kandy is both an administrative and religious city and is also the capital of the central province. kandy is the home of the temple of the tooth relic (sri dalada maligawa), one of the most sacred places of worship in the buddhist world. it was declared a world heritage site by unesco in 1988. peradeniya botanical garden consist of nearly 150 acres dedicated to the flora of sri lanka with a spectacular arboretum that includes many endemic trees. there are over 110 endemic plants, as well as major collections of palms, bamboo, cacti, flowers and orchids in a delightful orchid house. there are more than 200,000 dried and preserved specimens in the herbarium, collected during the 180 years the gardens have been in existence. there is also a biotechnology laboratory engaged in the mass propagation of ornamental, rare and endemic plants, a striking feature is the avenue of royal palms (roystonea regia) begun in 1905. in the medicinal herb garden grow some of the herbs used in ayurveda medicine..

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06:30 hrs: Meet your driver & proceed to Kandy (Approx travel time 04 hrs) 09:30 hrs: Visit Pinnawela Elephant orphanage 10:15 hrs: Watch Elephants bathing in the river 12:00 hrs: Optional visit to a Spice garden en route & proceed to Kandy 13:30 hrs: Visit the Sacred Temple of Tooth Relic 14:30 hrs: Visit Peradeniya botanical garden 15:30 hrs: Return to Colombo

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Visting Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage: Know The Facts

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

Yesterday I visited Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage as part of my organized tour of Sri Lanka. It was a last-minute addition to our itinerary and I was actually slightly terrified of visiting as had read so many negative blog posts from some of the world’s top bloggers, all telling people to avoid this apparently “cruel” place. I decided I needed to see it with my own eyes, interview some staff there and make a balanced decision based on their knowledge and of course what I saw throughout the morning. I quickly discovered that many bloggers were so fast to come to a conclusion about this place that they didn’t bother to really understand what the centre is trying to achieve, or to listen to the answers to their questions.

READ NEXT:  Where to go on a wild elephant safari in Sri Lanka

Yes, there are problems that need addressing, which I’ll cover later, but they are NOT the problems you think they are.

The one thing this visit taught me the most was the true power of travel bloggers and influencers.  A few select bloggers have severely negatively impacted this elephant sanctuary, with some international tour companies even deciding to cross Pinnawala off their list of must-visit places in Sri Lanka.

Were these harsh and damning opinions and blog posts true? Did the bloggers with such strong opinions ask the right questions to staff members? More importantly, did they even wait to listen to the answers. I’m not going to tell whether it’s right to visit or not, that’s a decision for you to make, but  I am going to present the facts  and what my general impression of Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is now that I have visited myself.

READ:  World Elephant Day: How to help elephants while you travel

This IS a conservation project

I strongly believe Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage should be viewed as a conservation project, as their aim at the end of the day is to protect Sri Lankan elephants, a species that are considered endangered and at risk of becoming extinct.

With the rise of social media and how fast people make travel decisions after reading something online or watching a viral video, it is more important than ever for Pinnawala to address problems and find solutions for issues that tourists may have when visiting.

Why does Pinnawala rely so heavily on tourists? The orphanage cares for almost 80 elephants. Each of these elephants eats over 100 – 150KG of food a day and 40 litres of water. The baby elephants need to be fed milk 5 times a day! That is a LOT of milk and insane amount of food – mainly consisting of grass, leaves and plants. Can you imagine how much money it costs to run a place like this? Tourist dollars are important to help pay for this massive daily food bill, and to pay for staff to work with and care for the elephants.

And yes, they really, really do care for and love these elephants.   Just listening to them talk about the elephants in their care, how they truly understand these incredible animals and know their needs, made me realise just how much they want to protect them.

FACT : The Sri Lankan E lephant  is considered to be an  animal  that is in immediate danger of becoming  extinct  as populations have been declining at a critical rate. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is helping to stop this rapid level of decline by saving as many elephants as possible. Their facility, as 26.5 acres, will soon be too small to cater to so many grown elephants. When this happens they will either expand or open up a second orphanage nearby.

FACT : Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage DOES NOT ALLOW tourists to ride elephants. I was worried because I saw photos on Instagram tagged at the sanctuary but it turned out that is a private operator, that privately owns some elephants, operating in the same town. NOTE: Both keeping your own elephant and elephant rides are not illiegal in Sri Lanka. Yet.

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage – Your Questions Answered

Why do the large elephants look distressed.

In many of the blog posts I read that told people NOT to visit Pinnawala, they talked about the elephants looking like they were very distressed, shaking their heads up and down and flapping their ears. I wondered the same myself, until the curator of Pinnawala explained it to me.

Male elephants go through what is called a “musth period” for between 1 and 5 months each year. This is when they produce 60 times more testosterone than normal! The very high levels of testosterone mean that the elephant has a lot of extra energy, is often agitated and can get aggressive. Even the most placid and seemingly calm elephants can get very violent towards humans and other elephants during this period.

In the wild, they start fighting other adult elephants and often kill them. This actually happened just a few weeks ago in another part of Sr Lanka, where a male elephant killed another in Yala National Park. So in other words, yes the elephants do look distressed, but no more so than when they are in the wild.

In Africa, there have been cases of rogue wild elephants during the musth period attacking native villages and also attacking and killing other animals such as rhinoceroses without provocation.

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

This male elephant was quite distressed an at first I was worried. The curator explained that it is in musth period, with 60 times as much testosterone as usual. This is why for a few months every year, all large males are kept separate from the herd.

Why are some elephants chained?

Some of the larger elephants are chained for three reasons.

1. The elephant is new to the orphanage and must be trained.

Most of the elephants in the orphanage are baby elephants that have been abandoned by the herd. However, Pinnawala also takes in old, injured and abused elephants. If an adult elephant is injured or becomes blind, they take it in to care for it. They also sometimes take in elephants that were previously illegally owne d by private people in Sri Lanka. It is illegal in some cases to keep an elephant at your private residence so when someone is exposed, Pinnawala adopt the elephant and often nurse it back to good health. These elephants are used to being on their own, so when put in with large herd of 60 strange elephants it can become agitated and aggressive. They are chained when with the herd (such as bathing time) to stop them injuring anyone else.

If you do let these elephants back into the wild, having lived with humans for most of their life and been fed each day by humans, they will go straight to the nearest human settlement looking for food and will either injure people or injure itself.

2. The male elephant is in a Musth Period (READ: horny as hell)

As explained about the distressed looking elephants, male elephants need to be chained up for between 1 and 5 months a year to protect others and protect themselves. Yes, that does seem like a very long time, but what other options are there? They can and do kill each other during this period.

3. To control the head female elephant

When they bring the herd down to be bathed, you will notice that the Queen Bee of the herd, the head female elephant, is chained to the river bed. This is because the entire herd follow what the female does, so if she makes a run for it and plans to stamp on a nearby crowd of tourists, you can be sure the entire herd will follow. if she goes into the very deep water, the entire herd will follow. And the baby elephants sometimes drown when this happens, as was the case with one baby ele in Pinnawala back in 2011.

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

The large herd of elephants during bath time at Pinnawala

Aren’t the chains sore?

According to the curator, the chains are actually not sore. Considering the size of these elephants, the chains do not feel heavy and do not cause pain. It would be similar to us wearing a light, gold chain. it does not feel heavy.

Is there no alternative to chains?

They have tried some alternatives, like rope or cloth, but they caused the elephants more harm than good. When wet that rub off the skin of the elephants feet, and unlike chains, there is no air circulation holes so altogether it is not a comfortable experience for the elephants.

Why do the Mahouts use bull hooks?

First of all, bull hooks REALLY aren’t as scary as they look. We got to hold one and the pointy bit is not actually pointy at all, but rounded at the end. This is used to push certain pressure points on the elephant’s body, to help control them. It is not to harm them or hurt them, but to help direct them to walk in a certain direction or to help when bathing them.

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

Should all elephants not just be LEFT in the wild?

The fact remains, would all the elephants, be it abandoned babies, injured adults and abused and rescued elephants from temples or private homes not just be better off in the wild? Let nature do its thing!

They say out of the 80 elephants in the orphanage, maybe about 20 would have made it in the wild and survived, if left there. The other 60 would not be here today, either unable to fend for themselves, unable to find food or killed by one of the stronger elephants or a predator.  So which is better? You can have 80 live elephants help in a sanctuary, where they are cared for, fed 5 times a day and have 26.5 acres to wander. Or you can have just 1/4 of that elephant population in the wild, probably much happier, roaming free.  I don’t know the answer, but it’s an interesting question. Also, thanks to their large size, elephants are top of the food chain in Sri Lanka bar one fast and hungry animal – the tiger! Tigers generally stay away from adult elephants but often target baby elephants, especially those abandoned by the herd.

Why do the mahouts ride the elephants?

I think at this stage everyone and their aunt knows that it’s bad to ride elephants. There have been so many awareness campaigns, blog posts and articles written and videos shared, that is is a dying tourist activity and one no self-respecting blogger or travel influencer would go near. That said, loud and clear, riding elephants doesn’t always have to mean the worst. Sri Lanka have been working with elephants for thousands of years, and do this day mahouts and the training of elephants is still seen as an ancient skill. Mahouts train elephants in many ways, and one way is for them to bond with he elephant and for the elephant to feel their presence. In order to this, they say sitting on the elephant brings them closer and makes the elephant react better to what the mahout wants it to do. I believe, as with everything, there is often more to what we see than first meets the eye.

What needs to be fixed?

I think the main problem with Pinnawala is the lack of education about what the centre is doing, and why they do what they do. This lack of information is leading to people leaving the elephant orphanage unsure of what they have seen and often with negative feelings. Information boards are needed to educate visitors and guides are needed to give talks to groups, explain why certain elephants are tied up and separated from the herd, why they can’t be released back into the wild. To talk about the injured animals and what the centre is doing to help them, and probably much much more.

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

Should you visit?

That’s up to you. Just do us all a favour and read both sides of the story before you decide to visit. If you want to help a great conservation project, aimed at rescuing and caring for elephants, then I believe Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is a great place to visit. Be sure to find some staff and ask lots of questions, they will answer you as best they can.

If you are against going to a zoo, going to a wildlife park or any sort of centre that takes wild animals away from their natural habitat, then it’s probably best not to visit. You can go on  an elephant safari  in many places in Sri Lanka, such as Yala National Park or Habarana, and see these beauties in the wild.

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

Last updated on October 13th, 2023 at 01:06 pm

pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

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Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

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PINNAWALA ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is a sanctuary located in the Sabaragamu..

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pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is situated northwest of the town of Kegalle, halfway between the present capital Colombo and the ancient royal residence Kandy. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Wildlife Department in a 25 acre coconut property adjoining the Maha Oya River. The orphanage was originally founded in order to afford care and protection to the many orphaned Elephants found in the jungles of Sri Lanka.

In 1978 the orphanage was taken over by the National Zoological Gardens from the Department of Wildlife . A captive breeding program was launched in 1982. Since the inception of the program over 20 elephants have been bred here. The aim of the orphanage is to simulate a natural habitat to these elephants. However, there are some exceptions: the elephants are taken to the river twice a day for a bath, and all the babies less than three years of age are still bottle fed by the mahouts and volunteers.

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Each animal is also given around 76 kg of green matter a day and around 2 kg from a food bag containing rice bran and maize. The orphanage which boasts to have the largest herd of captive elephants in the world is very popular and visited daily by many Sri Lankan and foreign tourists. The main attraction is clearly to observe the elephants bathing which is quite a spectacle.

Pinnawala (Pinnawela) Elephant Orphanage is located in the village Pinnawala in the district of Kegalle at a distance of 90km from Colombo.

Reaching Pinnawala (Pinnawela) Elephant Orphanage

Pinnawala (Pinnawela) Elephant Orphanage can be reached via the A1 Colombo – Kandy main road. A turn off at the 82 km post at Kegalle leads you to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. The closest railway station is at Rambukkana 2km away from the village of Pinnawala.

History of the Pinnawala (Pinnawela) Elephant Orphanage

In the very beginning, in 1972, the orphanage was located at the Wilpattu National Park. Subsequently the orphanage was shifted to the National Holiday Resort at Bentota Beach in the south-western coastal belt and then to the Dehiwala Zoo, 11km south of Colombo. In the year 1975, the Department of Wildlife of Sri Lanka set up its present home: Pinnawala (Pinnawela) Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawala, Kegalle. Since then it never turned back on an orphaned elephant: it welcomed all and expanded from 4 orphaned elephants to a gang of no less than 109.

The purpose of Pinnawala (Pinnawela) Elephant Orphanage

The primary purpose of the orphanage has been to provide a lifeline to the orphaned baby elephants and adult elephants lost in the wilderness. In many occasions the mother of the orphaned baby elephant had been killed or there have been accidents of baby elephants falling into pits and losing out to the herd. There were also instances the mother elephant had fallen into a pit and died leaving the baby elephant lost in the jungle. There are instances of adult elephants being killed by farmers to protect their paddy fields and crops resulting in baby elephants being orphaned.

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage was launched to provide the best possible opportunity to the sad victims of such situations. Captive breeding at Pinnawala (Pinnawela) Elephant Orphanage

The elephants at the Orphanage aren’t subjected to any form of stress, abuse or threat at all and are supported by a team of employees numbering to over 100 including a group of mahouts.

The free movement of the herd within the enclosed land of the orphanage affords the elephants opportunities to mate. In 1984, the first baby elephant of Pinnawela was born. Today some of these orphans enjoy the good fortune of seeing their third generation too born at the orphanage.

Moreover, today, with the help of local and foreign elephant experts, the Orphanage has commenced a scientific captive-breeding programme for Elephants. Since then the orphanage has become one of the most successful captive breeding programmes for Asian elephants.

Decimation of the Elephant Population by the British Colonialists

Prior to the invasion of the British in Sri Lanka in 1815, an estimated 30,000 elephants lived on the island. In the 1960s, following nearly a century of game hunting and jolly slaughter by the British colonialists, the elephant population was close to extinction. The tragedy of decimation of the elephant population prompted the Government of Sri Lanka to initiate the Pinnawala (Pinnawela) Elephant Orphanage. The good news is elephants are still not extinct and the number of elephants living in Sri Lankan wilderness exceeds 3,000.

Times to visit the Orphanage The centre opens at 8.30 in the morning and closes at 6pm daily. Bottle feeding is at 9.15am, 1.15pm & 5pm and bathing times at the river is at 10am and 2pm.

The bathing hours are followed up by the feeding hour at the main center of the orphanage. Baby elephants are bottle fed. Selected visitors have a chance of Bottle feeding milk to the baby elephants.

The Success Story of Pinnawala

The success story of Pinnawala has drawn the attention of animal activists and scientists from all over the world. A considerable number of books and research articles on Pinnawala have been published in several languages. The elephants of the Pinnawala herd have been filmed, videoed and photographed thousands of times by professionals, and millions of times by amateurs. The message of conservation from Pinnawala has been passed on to thousands, if not millions of people, after their visit to the orphanage.

Daily features of Interest 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

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Russian Children's Welfare Society

Our goal is to enable orphanages to meet basic needs, and to promote comprehensive programs that help orphans grow to be healthy and independent adults. 

Orphanage for children with special needs in Shatura, Moscow Region

The Orphanage of Shatura provides 1st to 9th grade education to 182 students with special needs. Living conditions at the school had not been improved since its establishment in the 1960s. In 2017, RCWS sponsored the installation of 27 new windows in the classrooms and children’s bedrooms in the orphanage. In 2018, RCWS sponsored the replacement of 36 remaining old windows with new, insulated windows, totaling $11,919. We are thrilled that during this cold winter the small residents at the Orphanage in Shatura are living and studying in a much warmer and healthier environment because of the new windows. 

In 2019, RCWS provided funding in the amount of $15,111 to equip the school at the orphanage with computers and multi-media equipment to help children with special needs to learn and better comprehend information through visual elements.

In September 2020, RCWS awarded $7,056 to the Orphanage in Shatura to renovate and upgrade 3 bathrooms, making them more accessible and comfortable for children with disabilities, as well as meet the requirements of the Department of Sanitation.

Over 30% of children at the Shatura Orphanage require wheelchairs to move around. The Orphanage needed assistance to expand its doorways and install the new doors, allowing children in the wheelchairs to move freely in the facility, attend classes and interact with other children. In 2021, RCWS allocated $10,429 to install 28 doors and 18 doorways to better accommodate the children with special needs at the Shatura Orphanage.

In 2022, RCWS awarded $8,878 to improve the Orphanage’s facility and create more homelike environment, including renovation work - to put new wallpaper, lay linoleum, and paint the ceiling.

In addition to financial support, every year starting December 2016, the RCWS Moscow team and volunteers have been delivering Christmas gifts to children living at the Orphanage in Shatura.

Pervomaiski Orphanage for children with special needs, Kostroma region

Pervomaiski the only orphanage in the Kostroma region for children with special needs and currently houses and provides education to 83 children ages 4 to 18. The children there have serious mental and/or physical disabilities so it is the objective of the orphanage to assist with social adaptation, to help the children to have a more positive attitude and outlook on life, provide medical care, and to engage the children in sports and other activities.

In 2018 a total of 31 windows were replaced thanks to the RCWS support, which will improve insulation, making the living facilities warmer and healthier for children.

In 2019, RCWS provided $11,503 to fund the complete renovation of the orphanage’s living facilities including putting down new floors and repainting walls and ceilings.

Due to COVID-19 outbreak, the orphanage required funding to purchase the disinfectants and personal protective equipment to prevent the spread of coronavirus (3 caregivers got infected with COVID-19 but thanks to the proactive rules and guidelines, the virus did not spread to the children). In 2020, RCWS provided $3,312 towards the requested protective equipment to stop the spread of COVID-19. 

In 2021, RCWS awarded $8,130 to the Orphanage to install 26 new windows.

Krasnogorodsky Orphanage, Pskov Region

The Krasnogorodsky Orphanage, established in 1988, currently houses 103 children between the ages of 6 and 20 with various health issues. The city center of Pskov is located almost 160 kilometers from the orphanage. In the past RCWS sponsored a new car for the orphanage to drive the children to the city hospital for treatment, check-ups and prophylactic procedures.

In 2018, RCWS provided funds ($7,062) to establish the Vocational Training Center to provide professional job training to the students, improve carpentry and plaster-painting workshops by acquiring vocational training equipment and supplies to motivate students. This Center helps to prepare students to live independently and teaches them carpentry and painting/plastering skills. 

In 2021, RCWS provided $5,220 towards the project "Home Kitchen" to teach children independent living skills, how to cook and calculate food budget, introduce to a profession of a chef as a possible future trade, and basics of healthy eating. RCWS assistance was allocated to purchase furniture, appliances and consumables for equipping the kitchen and dining room at the Orphanage.

In 2022, RCWS allocated $5,000 towards the project "Learning to live independently", focused on helping students with special needs, left without parental care, to develop skills important for independent life, social integration, communication with others. RCWS aid covered purchase of furniture, equipment, kitchen utensils, etc. The program includes psychological and pedagogical support of students, providing them with accommodation in a two-room apartment located in the orphanage. This project allows children to feel independent, since soon they will have to take care of themselves, solve numerous problems, buy food, cook, wash clothes, organize their leisure, etc.

Potma Orphanage for children with special needs, Mordovia

In 2018 RCWS received a request for help from the Potma Orphanage for children with severe disabilities.  Lost in the woods of Mordovia, the Orphanage needed to upgrade their territory and roads near the facility to allow kids to go outdoors in their wheel-chairs. This renovation was completed in the fall of 2018 and included the construction of pedestrian roads, a parking area, the greening of the territory, and upgrading the recreational areas. We are happy to report that thanks to the RCWS and our donors’ support ($10,000 in direct donations) the territory outside the Potma Orphanage has become much more accessible for the children who can now enjoy the fresh air, moving and playing outside.

The orphanage urgently needed to replace its roof which leaked and let cold air into the building. In 2019, RCWS provided $20,000 to replace the roof before the onset of winter.

In 2020, RCWS awarded $17,340 to the orphanage to build an outdoor playground and a summer house to allow children spend more time outside, which will have multiple health benefits. With a cozy place outdoors, constantly bedridden children with special needs would be able to enjoy fresh air throughout the year. In addition, the RCWS funding will cover the requested  protective gear, non-contact thermometers and disinfectants to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In 2021, RCWS granted $18,955 to the Orphanage towards the exterior façade insulation and repairs. The Orphanage building’s walls had multiple defects allowing the cold air to enter the building facilities during the cold winter months.

In 2022, RCWS granted $9,862 to the Orphanage towards the linens and non-perishable foods, such as sugar, salt, vegetable oil, groats and juices.

Opochka Specialized Orphanage, Pskov Region

The RCWS recently helped the Opochka Specialized Orphanage in Pskov acquire agricultural equipment to increase the yield of the orphanage’s garden and empower the 98 students living on the grounds with practical skills. Most of the children at the orphanage have suffered from a lack of love, family, warmth and recognition and Opochka offers them a family-like atmosphere that forges camaraderie amongst the teachers and children. 

In 2019, RCWS provided $7,600 to Opochka Orphanage to help fund “Steps to a future profession,” a project that aims to create opportunities for children’s vocational training and socialization. RCWS’s grant allows the orphanage to obtain tools and equipment crucial for creating the vocational training workshops that will prepare children for future independent life, help them find employment, and teach them to provide for themselves and their future families.  

In 2021, RCWS allocated $6,730 towards the project "Practice-oriented platform" to improve children’s communication and computer skills, equip the classroom with multifunctional furniture and digital equipment to facilitate remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. RCWS aid covered ergonomic modular furniture helping to transform the room for various tasks, an interactive whiteboard, a projector and a computer to navigate the online education.

In order to store medication for children, the orphanage needs to purchase a refrigerator. Some furniture is missing in the children’s living room (sofa, TV), which will help to create a home like environment and make it more comfortable for the children. In 2022, RCWS provided $5,147 to improve conditions of the living /group rooms at the orphanage where children spend a lot of their time.

Pytalovo Specialized Ophanage/Center for Special Education #2, Pskov Region

The Pytalovo Specialized Orphanage currently houses 57 children, ages 4 to 19, who are deaf or have hearing impairments of varying degrees that warrant specialized approaches with regard to their education and development. The RCWS has supported the orphanage since 2006, sponsoring the specialized equipment to improve children's education, their speech and pronunciation, spark their motivation to study and offer corrective education and development.

Recently, the orphanage requested assistance to purchase a speech therapy system “Speech Kaleidoscope” to improve children’s ability to cover the school program, better communicate and adapt. The “Speech Kaleidoscope” equipment will be installed in the speech therapy room and used in individual sessions with children who are deaf or have hearing loss. In addition to children at the orphanage/ Center for Special Education #2, at least 50 other children from the region who are hearing impaired will use the “Speech Kaleidoscope”. in 2020, RCWS approved $6,035 towards the "Speech Kaleidoscope" equipment. 

Dudinsk Orphanage, Taymyr Island, Krasnoyarsk region

It is the northernmost orphanage in Russia, serving orphans and children left without parental care. In 2021, RCWS provided $7,867 to purchase 10 new computers and multimedia equipment to facilitate online education programs.

Orphanage “Pechora Center Assisting Children Left without Parental Care”, Pskov Region

The Orphanage “Pechora Center Assisting Children Left without Parental Care” currently houses 60 children ages 3 to 18 years old.

In 2021, RCWS provided $5,322 to help equip the training apartment “My Home”. At the training apartment children will learn how to live in a household, how to cook and use appliances, host their guests, manage their time, gain social skills, etc. Teachers monitor the students living at the training apartment.

In 2022, RCWS allocated $5,000 to equip 5 groups of students with technical means to improve distance learning and computer literacy of children, covering the cost of 5 computers, 3 printers and presentation remotes.

Orphanage “Velikie Luki Center Assisting Children Left without Parental Care”, Pskov Region

In 2021, RCWS awarded $5,375 towards the “Agricultural Basic Skills” project at the Orphanage to prepare children for independent life in rural areas. Currently, 90% of the students at the Orphanage are teenagers, who upon graduation will live in the rural area.

Pushkinogorodsky Orphanage, Pskov Region

Currently, 85 children study at the Pushkinogorskiy Orphanage, of which 52 students live at the orphanage. The Pushkinogorodsky Orphanage is the only institution in the Pskov region that offers treatment to children who have been exposed to tuberculosis.

In 2017, RCWS sponsored the art workshops and vocational training programs to encourage creativity and learn professional skills among 143 children residing at the Pushkingorodsky orphanage.

Students, who live at the orphanage, have limited opportunities to develop skills necessary in everyday life. In 2022, RCWS allocated $5,000 to equip a living room at the orphanage allowing children to obtain independent living skills, practice different tasks of everyday life, learn how to use home appliances, improve socialization of students.

Bobrovsky Orphanage for Children with Special Needs, Pskov Region

Bobrovsky Orphanage for children with special needs currently houses 70 children between the ages of 4 to 19. Only 3% of children at the Bobrovsky Orphanage are visited by their parents twice a year.

RCWS supported the orphanage since 2007. For example, in 2009 RCWS awarded $7,193 towards the project “Clean Water”, improving the quality of water at the Bobrovsky Orphanage facility.

Majority of the children at the orphanage have serious speech impairment issues, require constant supervision and care, and often are unable to live independently. The Orphanage requested funding to create a “Training Apartment” to teach children independent living skills, how to cook, proper hygiene, cleaning the apartment, accepted norms of behavior, social adaptation, etc. The space will include a foyer, living room, kitchen, art workshop room, and a bathroom. All the rooms have been renovated. In 2020, RCWS provided $6,000 towards the furniture and necessary equipment to have the project “Training Apartment” up and running.

Opochka School and Orphanage, Pskov region

The Opochka Orphanage provides education and care to over 100 children. In addition to the main classes, children spend time in playrooms, learn to interact with their friends, watch movies, and read books. The playrooms at the orphanage were equipped a long time ago; the furniture was worn out and needed to be replaced. To create comfortable conditions for children, it was necessary to purchase new furniture, tables, carpets, etc.

In 2022, RCWS provided $5,000 to the Orphanage to replace furniture at the orphanage’s playrooms.

Vologda Center to assist orphaned children, Vologda Region

The Vologda Center main areas of activity include the housing and upbringing of orphaned children and children left without parental care; placing children into foster families; training programs for future foster parents; reintegration work with the child’s biological family.

In 2019, RCWS provided funding in the amount of $10,000 to cover the cost of replacing 35 old windows in the center’s two buildings in order to improve living conditions for the 72 children who live there.

Krasnogorodsky Orphanage “AgroSchool”, Pskov Region

Orphanages - Programs - Russian Children's Welfare Society

Solba Orphanage

The Nikolo-Solbinsky Orphanage (Solba) is a unique facility that provides girls with food, clothes and medical treatment as well as a progressive secondary education with an emphasis on health and the arts. Currently, 95 girls (from 6 months to 18 years of age) reside at the Solba Orphanage and this number continues to grow. The Solba, whose mission is to inspire and educate a rising generation of women to be spiritually and physically healthy and contribute to society, has governmental accreditation and is widely admired for its extensive arts program. The orphanage is located in the woods, a healthy environment where the girls eat naturally grown food supplied by Solba’s own farm.

RCWS has been supporting the Solba Orphanage since 2010. In 2015, RCWS awarded a grant for the purchase of art supplies, teaching materials, as well as funds to cover the orphanage’s heating and electricity costs. In 2016, RCWS awarded a grant to cover the costs of heat, electricity, boiler maintenance and office equipment. In 2017, RCWS sponsored the embroidery and sewing equipment allowing the Solba College to launch the sewing department. Currently, over 300 children are enrolled at the Solba College. Among the students are orphans that reside at Solba and children from low income families from local villages.

The objective of the Solba College is to provide their students with a profession and skills set that would allow them to have a job and a source of income in the future. Sewing and embroidery are very popular trade professions in Russia’s rural areas. In addition to college major, the sewing and embroidery equipment would allow to make clothing for the children at Solba, costumes for their theater and children’s choir. It would generate additional earned income from sales of ordered clothes and embroidery pieces to cover some of the Solba Orphanage on-going expenses (food, heating, etc). 

In 2019, RCWS provided two grants to Solba totaling $31,500 to fund electricity, gas, art supplies, books, and embroidery equipment including supplies and specialized computer software. The students were trained in the computer-aided design process and are now able to design unique embroidered pieces that they can sell to generate income to support the orphanage.

In response to the orphanage SOS request, in early 2020 RCWS provided an emergency  assistance ($15,000) to cover Solba’s electricity and heating  expenses to avoid the termination of services during winter due to accumulated debt.

Recently, the Solba established a Medical Center, which includes the offices of a physician, pediatrician, ENT, ultrasound, gynecologist, neurologist, dentist, and physiotherapist. In 2021, the Solba’s Medical Center received a license allowing it to provide medical care. The Solba’s Medical Center provides assistance and treatment free of charge to those who need it. In 2022, RCWS allocated $15,758 towards the physiotherapy equipment for the Solba’s Medical Center.

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"A very enjoybale day in Moscow. We had a very nice and knowledgeable guide Anastasia.(Nastia) She was very passionate about the City and we learnt so much in our brief four hours walk with her! Certainly this walking tour added a lot of value to our Moscow Holiday. A great idea to educate visitors about Russia and Moscow. The group was intimate enough to ask questions and stop for snacks etc..we thoriughly enjoyed it and would highly reccomend it.Carry on doing a great job!"

"I really enjoyed the tour, it was a great experience, very informative and fun. I will definitely tell everybody about that tour, keep it it is a fantastic idea!"

"Sorry I do not remember the names :( ... They were very talkative and very into everything. I think they both really love the city, and they made me feel like this to. They knew much about History, which was very informative! Great guides!!!"

"We partook of the fantastic Petersburg Free Tour. Due to our timing during the low season (shockingly not everyone is flocking to Moscow while the average temperature is 15F), it ended up being just us and Sonia, the afore-mentioned super-guide. She quickly ascertained the limited scope of our wanderings.."

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6 Days / 5 Nights Moscow Tour, Russia

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About the Destinations: The Moscow tour in Russia will take travellers on a wonderful journey through some of Moscow’s most well-known streets and areas. Along the way, one will also be able to visit landmarks and places of interest like Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow State University, the Sparrow Hills as well as Theatre and Pushkin squares, Boulevard Ring, The Armoury and the Tsar Bell. These iconic landmarks speak volumes of the rich and varied history of the city and the country of Russia. The well-informed guide will articulately guide you through each stop with informed snippets and anecdotes. The city of Moscow will come alive on this tour, giving you a ton of memories to take home. Duration of the Tour: 5N/6D Meal Types: Breakfast only throughout the tour Activities: Sightseeing and leisure activities Maximum Altitude: Most activities are centred in and the city limits with little exposure to high altitude areas or mountain ranges. Temperature Range: -10 to 23 degrees Celsius

Day 1 - Arrival in Moscow

Arrive in Moscow; start of the tour

Today is the first day of your Great Moscow Tour, so upon arriving in Moscow, get a transfer to the hotel. Checking-in into the hotel, spend the day relaxing and visiting local places in and around the hotel.

Day 2 - Moscow City Tour

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Moscow State University, Several other Landmarks

Today, after breakfast, visit some of the iconic landmarks of Moscow. The list includes Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, monument to Peter I, Moscow State University, Hill of Respectful Salutation, Sparrow Hills, New Arbat, Tverskaja Streets, Theatre, Pushkin Squares and  Boulevard Ring.

Catch a scenic view of the Kremlin from the Sifiyskaya embankment and the New Maiden Nunnery. Spend some time at the Old Arbat Street, where one can find sidewalk artists, cafes and shops. Enjoy some free time to explore the historical Red Square. Proceed to St. Basil’s Cathedral which is an enduring symbol in Moscow. Also, a visit to Tretyakov Gallery will expose tourists to the best Russian art collection in the world.

Day 3 - Tour to Kremlin

The Armory and other historical places in the Kremlin

Waking up today morning, visit The Armoury, which is a treasury museum. Some parts of this museum houses artefacts and other historical pieces of interest like gowns and thrones, gold and silver items created by Russian and European jewellers as well as the armour worn by knights.

In addition to all these, you will also get the opportunity to visit Cathedral Square, Assumption, Archangel’s and Holy Annunciation Cathedrals in addition to the Tsar Cannon, the Tsar Bell, Alexander garden and take a ride on the Moscow metro train.

Day 4 - Cultural & Religious Tour in Moscow

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts

Today, you will be visiting the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, which was destroyed in 1931, and was converted and used as a swimming pool for close to 35 years. Also visit Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts which is among the largest museums in the world and houses a large collection of famous antiques and Renaissance masterpieces. Spend the rest of the day exploring other places in the city.

Day 5 - Another Day of Moscow Tour

New Maiden Nunnery, New Maiden Cemetery

Today will be the last day of the great Moscow tour. On this day, you will be visiting the New Maiden Nunnery, a convent known for housing sacred relics while also serving as a safe house for exiled girls who come from noble households if they get pregnant out of wed lock. Also visit New Maiden Cemetery, the burial ground for a number of powerful Russian and Soviet politicians, World War II heroes, musicians, authors and actors. Spend the rest of the day indulging in some personal sightseeing.

Day 6 - Departure from Moscow

Tour Ends Here

After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, check-out and proceed towards availing an airport transfer to your respective destination.

Things To Carry

  • Do not carry valuables like jewellery or similar possessions
  • Consumption of alcohol or any other intoxicants during the tour
  • Usages of plastic bags are strictly prohibited
  • Avoid using earphones, as you may not be able to hear what the guide is saying during the course of the tour

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The epicenter of modern Russia, Moscow booms with shiny new skyscrapers, the bulbous onion domes of the tsars and politically-rich Red Square. Explore the metropolis with a tourHQ guide.

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Please note: I'm away from Moscow June 11-26, 2021. I am a native Muscovite but traveled ...

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Hi there! My name is Marina and I'm a licensed Moscow city guide.Moscow is like ...

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Greetings from Saint Petersburg. This is your private tour guide Ali in Saint Petersburg. I was ...

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IMAGES

  1. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Day Tour

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  2. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Tour

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  3. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Day Tour from Kandy

    pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

  4. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

    pinnawala elephant orphanage tour

  5. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Private Day Trip 2022

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  6. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Day Tour from Kandy

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  1. Pinnawala

  2. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage: Enjoying the river

  3. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage: baby elephants playing in the water

  4. Elephants at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Sri Lanka#shorts

  5. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka

  6. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Srilanka Tour

COMMENTS

  1. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Day Tour

    Private Day Tour Itinerary ( From Colombo and Return) 6:00 am: pick up from any hotel in Colombo and drive to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. 8:30 am: arrive at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. 9:00am to 12:15pm tour of the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. 12:30 pm head towards Colombo. 2:30 pm drop off at your hotel in Colombo.

  2. Exploring Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage: A Complete Guide

    The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is located in the village of Pinnawala, about 90 kilometres from the capital city of Colombo in Sri Lanka. The orphanage is situated on the banks of the Maha Oya river, which provides a natural habitat for the elephants and allows them to bathe and play in the water. The orphanage is easy to get to by road.

  3. Day Tour in Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, Sri Lanka

    Meet the representative of Sri Lanka Vacation Tours (Driver/Guiide) and Travel to Visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.; Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is an orphanage, nursery and captive breeding ground for wild elephants. Pinnawala was established by the Sri Lanka Department of Wildlife Conservation in 1975 to feed and provide care and a sanctuary to orphaned baby elephants who were found in ...

  4. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Private Day Trip 2024

    Your full-day tour includes round-trip transport from centrally located hotels. Day trip to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, led by a local guide. Watch Asian elephants bathe in the river. Bottle-feed a baby elephant by hand! Enjoy lunch at Elephant Bay Restaurant. Includes transport by air-conditioned vehicle from Colombo, Negombo or Mount Lavinia.

  5. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

    Top ways to experience Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and nearby attractions. 8 Days Private Tour Package with Driver and Vehicle. 4. 4WD Tours. from. $271.43. per adult (price varies by group size) 5 Day Multi-City Sightseeing Tour. 3.

  6. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Day Tour from Kandy

    US$ 60.00. Select options. Best Price Guarantee. All promotions. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is an orphanage, nursery and captive breeding ground for wild Asian elephants. Observe the largest herd of captive elephants in the world and get an opportunity to play with them and feed them. About the orphanage and how it caters to abandoned babies ...

  7. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

    Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. At a distance of 41 km from Kandy and 92 km from Colombo, Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is an orphanage, nursery and captive breeding ground for wild Asian elephants located at Pinnawala village in Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. It is one of the popular attractions to visit in Kandy as part of Sri Lanka tour ...

  8. The BEST Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Tours 2023

    Our most recommended Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Tours. 1. From Colombo: Kandy and Pinnawala Full-Day Trip

  9. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

    Elephant Orphanage. Dear visitor, A fantastic day from Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage (PEO) It is a great pleasure to hear you had a great time with the elephants on the riverside. Our main herd is on the riverside from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and visitors can observe our main herd including calves enjoying, bathing, grazing ...

  10. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage: The Complete Guide

    The Pinnawala elephant orphanage time table is laid down as follows for your convenience. 08.30 am - Opens for the visitors. 09.00 am - 09.45 am Fruit feeding. 09.15 am - 09.45 am Milk feeding. 10.00 am - 12.00 pm Herd to the river. 12.00 pm - 01.45 pm Fruit feeding.

  11. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage & Kandy Day Tour

    Tour Kandy, Sri Lanka's second largest city, and Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage with Trusted Tours. A day of peaceful magic with elephants up close and the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, then in to the busy and thriving city. Itinerary. Tour starts at 07:00 a.m. Pick up from your hotel and proceed to Pinnawala.

  12. Visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

    Overall, the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is a must-see attraction for any visitor to Sri Lanka. If you're planning a trip to the island, be sure to add it to your itinerary. And if you're looking for a hassle-free and enjoyable vacation experience, we recommend booking your trip through Blue Elephant Tours.

  13. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

    The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is a renowned wildlife sanctuary located in the Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. Established in 1975, it is situated approximately 90 kilometers northeast of Colombo, the country's capital. ... At Lush Lanka Tours, we are passionate about showcasing the natural beauty, rich culture, and enchanting ...

  14. Kandy city and Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Day Tour

    This orphanage was set up in Sri Lanka to give shelter and to take care of baby elephants. The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage remains open for the visitors from 8.30 in the morning to 4 in the evening. The elephants are taken out from the orphanage to graze for a couple of hours in the morning. Then they are taken to the nearby Ma Oya river.

  15. Visting Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage: Know The Facts

    Yesterday I visited Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage as part of my organized tour of Sri Lanka. It was a last-minute addition to our itinerary and I was actually slightly terrified of visiting as had read so many negative blog posts from some of the world's top bloggers, all telling people to avoid this apparently "cruel" place.

  16. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

    Elephant Orphanage. Dear visitor, A fantastic day from Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage (PEO) It is a great pleasure to hear you had a great time with the elephants on the riverside. Our main herd is on the riverside from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and visitors can observe our main herd including calves enjoying, bathing, grazing ...

  17. Home

    Discover the enchanting beauty of Sri Lanka with Pinnawala Tours. Immerse yourself in a world of breathtaking landscapes, vibrant culture, and awe-inspiring wildlife. Explore ancient ruins, relax on pristine beaches, and witness the majestic elephants of Pinnawala. ... Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is a sanctuary located in the Sabaragamu.. Read ...

  18. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

    The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is situated northwest of the town of Kegalle, halfway between the present capital Colombo and the ancient royal residence Kandy. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Wildlife Department in a 25 acre coconut property adjoining the Maha Oya River. The orphanage was originally founded in order to afford care ...

  19. Orphanages

    Orphanages. Our goal is to enable orphanages to meet basic needs, and to promote comprehensive programs that help orphans grow to be healthy and independent adults. Orphanage for children with special needs in Shatura, Moscow Region. The Orphanage of Shatura provides 1st to 9th grade education to 182 students with special needs.

  20. Moscow Free Tour

    Moscow Free Tour Meeting Point DETAILED DIRECTIONS FOR YOUR COMFORT: 1. Go to Kitay Gorod metro station (Purple Line (#7) or Orange Line (#6)). 2. Take the escalator up (not the stairs!) 3. Find the monument to Cyril and Methodius in the center of Slavyanskaya Square ( see how it looks).Our guide will wait for you in front of this monument with a big red umbrella saying "Moscow Free tour" 4.

  21. 6 Days / 5 Nights Moscow Tour, Russia

    The well-informed guide will articulately guide you through each stop with informed snippets and anecdotes. The city of Moscow will come alive on this tour, giving you a ton of memories to take home. Duration of the Tour: 5N/6D. Meal Types: Breakfast only throughout the tour. Activities: Sightseeing and leisure activities.

  22. Private Local Guides & Guided Tours in Moscow

    Tell us your destination, date, and group size. Our team of travel experts and guides will design a tailored itinerary just for you. Enjoy your trip with peace of mind knowing everything is taken care of. The epicenter of modern Russia, Moscow booms with shiny new skyscrapers, the bulbous onion domes of the tsars and politically-rich Red Square.