Meet the gentle giants of Sri Lanka with Kura’s Pinnawala Day Tour. Starting from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), this private tour takes you to the home of Sri Lanka’s elephants, where you can watch the herd feed and bathe in the river, then add a spice garden and a taste of village life on the way.
Tour Highlights
- Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage: Visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, established in 1975 to care for orphaned and injured elephants. Watch feeding time, including baby elephants being bottle-fed.
- River Bathing: See the herd walk down to the Maha Oya river for their daily bath, one of the most memorable wildlife sights in Sri Lanka.
- Pinnawala Open Zoo: Explore the Pinnawala Open Zoo, where animals such as leopards, deer and birds live in spacious, natural enclosures.
- Traditional Village: Experience rural life in a traditional village, with a walk through paddy fields and a home-cooked Sri Lankan lunch (optional).
Enroute Visits
- Spice Garden: Stop at a spice garden to learn how cinnamon, pepper, cardamom and other Sri Lankan spices are grown and used in Ayurveda and cooking.
- Cashew Village (Pasyala): Stop by the roadside cashew sellers on the Kandy road for freshly roasted Sri Lankan cashews.
Travel Details
- From BIA to Pinnawala: The journey from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) to Pinnawala takes approximately 2 to 2.5 hours, covering a distance of about 85 km. Pinnawala is on the way to Kandy, so it can easily be combined with a Kandy visit.
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KuRa – Chaminda KuruwitaFounder · English speaking · replies personally
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KuRa – Chaminda KuruwitaFounder · English speaking · replies personally