The Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo, is the closest international airport to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. Once here, it is about a 2.5 hours’ drive to the orphanage itself.

Pinnawala is a nursery, orphanage and breeding ground for elephants. The first national survey of Sri Lanka's wild elephants, conducted in 2011, showed that this Indian Ocean island had an elephant population of more than 5,800—slightly higher than previous estimates. And the elephant population is continuing to grow here due to the care meted out to the animal. You can see the mahouts leading the herd of playful giants to the water, bathing them, feeding them etc. Special care is meted out to disabled animals.

Arrive here in the morning—there's a restaurant within the grounds—and over a cup of home-grown tea, watch the elephants as they stomp around in the Oya river, often letting out jets of water from their trunks. There can be a few better ways to start the day than grabbing breakfast at Pinnawala; so, don’t miss.