Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Day Tour by Tuk-Tuk from Kandy

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage was set up in 1975 by Sri Lanka's Department of Wildlife Conservation to care for young wild elephants found orphaned or abandoned in the forests. It lies in Pinnawala village, about 13 kilometres northeast of Kegalle, on the banks of the Maha Oya river, and has since grown into a captive breeding centre with the largest herd of captive Asian elephants in the world. In 2023 it cared for 71 elephants from three generations.

During your visit you can watch the herd moving through the grounds and, at set times, walking down to the river to bathe, as well as the young elephants at feeding time. In 2021 the orphanage saw the birth of twin male calves, the first twins born in Sri Lanka in eighty years. The entrance ticket is bought on the day unless you choose the option that includes it.

Kadugannawa viewpoint and the road from Kandy

From Kandy the route climbs west towards Kadugannawa, the mountain pass on the old road between Kandy and Colombo, about eighteen kilometres from the city. For centuries this steep, forested pass protected the Kandyan kingdom from armies on the coast, and the road that crosses it today was cut in the early nineteenth century. The viewpoint looks out over layers of green hills, rock outcrops and valleys, and is one of the best photo stops on a Pinnawala day trip from Kandy.

Travelling by tuk-tuk makes this part of the day memorable: the three-wheeler is open to the air, so you feel the cooler mountain breeze and see village life up close as you pass roadside stalls, paddy fields and spice gardens. From the pass it is about another twenty kilometres to Pinnawala, and the full journey takes around an hour and a half each way.

Ceylon tea factory and wood-carving workshop

On the return towards Kandy the tour stops at a working tea factory. The Kandy region grows mid-country tea, and inside the factory you follow the leaf from the moment it arrives fresh from the estate through withering, rolling, oxidising, drying and sorting into grades. It is the simplest way to understand why Ceylon tea is known around the world, and you can usually try a cup at the end of the visit.

A little further on, a family wood-carving house shows how local craftsmen turn blocks of timber into masks, elephants and decorative panels using hand tools passed down through generations. The traditional masks are linked to Sri Lankan folk dances and healing rituals, and the carvers explain the meaning of the designs. Both visits are short and relaxed, and there is no obligation to buy anything in the shops.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya (optional)

Just outside Kandy, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya are among the finest tropical gardens in Asia. Their history goes back to a royal pleasure garden of the Kandyan kings, and they were laid out as a botanical garden in 1843. Covering around 147 acres in a loop of the Mahaweli River, they hold thousands of plant species, including a famous avenue of royal palms, an orchid house, spice trees and a giant Javan fig tree whose canopy spreads over a huge lawn.

The gardens are an optional stop on this tour, with the entrance fee paid on the spot. If you have time, an hour here is a peaceful contrast to the busier parts of the day. Many visitors ask about Peradeniya Botanical Garden opening hours: they open daily from early morning until late afternoon, so it fits well into the return leg from Pinnawala.

Kandy: Bahirawakanda Buddha, Asgiriya and the city viewpoint

Back in Kandy, the tour visits the sights that frame the old royal capital. The white Bahirawakanda Buddha statue sits on a hilltop above the city and can be seen from almost everywhere in Kandy; the visit is optional, with a small entrance fee. Asgiriya is the seat of one of the two great chapters of Buddhist monks that have traditionally guarded the Sacred Tooth Relic, and its stupa is a quiet, respected place.

The route also includes a gem museum, where you learn about the sapphires and other stones mined in Sri Lanka, and the Kandy city viewpoint above the lake, the classic panorama of the Temple of the Tooth, Kandy Lake and the surrounding hills. Remember to remove shoes and hats at religious sites, and to cover your shoulders and knees.

Kandyan dance and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (optional)

If you wish to end the day in the city, the tour can include two optional evening experiences. The Kandyan cultural dance show starts at 17:00 and presents the drums, acrobatic dances and colourful costumes of the hill country's traditions. Afterwards the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic holds its evening ceremony at 18:30, when drummers play and worshippers bring flowers to the shrine that houses Sri Lanka's most revered Buddhist relic.

The temple, the last royal palace complex of the Kandyan kingdom, is the heart of the Sacred City of Kandy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Entrance tickets for both are paid separately. After the evening ceremony your driver drops you back at your hotel in Kandy. If you prefer a shorter day, you can skip the optional stops and return earlier.