The 15 Best Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Visits in Kandy

1.Pinnawala Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 331 reviews · 8 hours · from $15Our pick

Travel from Kandy to Pinnawala by tuk-tuk or air-conditioned minivan with a flexible English-speaking guide such as Danushka, Saman, Terence, or Channa. See elephants, temples, tea country, gardens, viewpoints, and local workshops, then tailor the stops to your interests.

“We had an awesome trip with Terence. He is so kind, helpful, extremely caring and knows so much about his country and culture. We started the day with the temples in Kandy and then went to the elephant’s orphanage, also having interesting and informative workshops along the way. He takes care of everything and makes sure the guests feel comfortable and happy. We fell in love with Sri Lanka thanks to his trip!”

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2.Kandy to Pinnawala Orphanage and Ambuluwawa Guided Day Tours

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 144 reviews · 1 day · from $16

Set out from Kandy with an English-speaking guide such as Ramzan, Dhanu, Akila, or Sanath. Visit Ambuluwawa Tower, Pinnawala, a tea factory, botanical gardens, temples, and craft workshops in one long private day. You can adjust the pace, but several entrance fees cost extra.

“I had a great day with Sanath Samarakoon, he is a fantastic driver with a fun sense of humour. He was flexible with what sights I wanted to see, or miss. And even stopped to buy me some Sri Lankan snacks to try throughout the day. I thoroughly recommend booking him through his facebook page. Only downer was the Pinnawala Orphanage which felt a bit rushed and expensive for the amount of time I was there.”

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3.Kandy to Pinnawala Guided Day Tours by Local

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 16 reviews · 1 day · from $14

Spend a full day in a private tuk tuk or car with a local English-speaking guide such as Akila or Ramzan. Visit Pinnawala or Millennium Elephant Foundation, a tea factory, Royal Botanical Garden, temples, craft workshops, Kandy viewpoints, and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

“It was a wonderful day with our driver Ramzan! We have chosen together the stops for the day at the beginning of the tour and after the tour started! He is amazing and very kind, for lunch he brings us in a fantastic local restaurant where we had the best lunch of our time in Sri Lanka! We recommend this tour for everyone, it is vary value for the money and with this tour you can see all the places in Kandy and around. If you have to choose a driver, you have to choose Ramzan! Thanks for all!”

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4.From Colombo or Negombo: Pinnawala, Kandy & Tea Factory Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 15 reviews · 8 hours · from $46

Travel with an English-speaking driver, often Janaka, from Colombo or Negombo to Pinnawala, Kandy, and the hill-country tea area. Expect elephants by the river, the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandy views, tea tasting, spice and craft stops, and a long day on the road.

“The trip was great! Janaka our driver was very helpfull, saw as all the places and explained everything in detail. Great experience, definitely recommended”

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5.Pinnawala Day Tour from Kandy (Private tour )

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · 1 day Top rated

Travel privately from Kandy to Pinnawala with an English-speaking guide and flexible stops at a spice garden, gem museum, tea factory, craft workshops, and Lanka silk gallery. Guides such as Shanuka and Nilanka tailor the day to your pace, with cultural shows and some entries extra.

“We had a great day tour with Ranweli tours. Seeing the elephants in the river was absolutely amazing - Nilanka looked after us really well, and pointed out all the sights, stopped when we wanted to take pictures or feed monkeys and even bought us red bananas and king coconut to try! He really wanted us to enjoy the tour and Sri Lanka. He even arranged onward transport for us with his company at a very good price. We would throughly recommend Ranweli tours to anyone wanting to tour Sri Lanka.”

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6.Pinnawala Elephant Safari Private Guid Tuk Tuk Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 13 reviews · 8 hours · from $24

Ride from Kandy with a private guide, usually Lesley or Dimithu, to Pinnawala, Peradeniya gardens, tea stops, temples, and city viewpoints. You can feed elephants, see them in the river, taste local fruit, and shape the day around your interests in a small group of up to three.

“Lesley was a fantastic guide! He is a kind, caring, and affectionate person who took care of me throughout the tour. He stopped several times to show me every detail and make sure I fully understood what I was seeing. He recommended typical places to eat, and we were able to have an authentic experience. He was always punctual and managed time efficiently. For each place visited, he provided a clear and detailed explanation, demonstrating great professionalism. I highly recommend Lesley as a guide and his tour”

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7.Kandy & Pinnawala & Tea Factory Full Day Tour From Negombo

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 11 reviews · 14 hours · from $49

Leave your Negombo hotel in a private air-conditioned vehicle for a packed 14-hour trip to Pinnawala and Kandy. You can visit an elephant foundation, tea factory, botanical garden, Temple of the Tooth, museums, craft workshops, and Kandy viewpoints with an English-speaking guide such as Tharak.

“We had a very good experience and enjoyed our trip very much. Our driver-tour guide was very helpful and knowledgeable which made our experience unforgettable. We visited Pinnawala which also includes a zoo. This let us see other animals from Sri Lanka besides the elephants. In addition, we visited an interesting tea factory and Kandy downtown. A great tour and a nice way to spend a different day in Sri Lanka.”

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8.Pinnawala Day Tour with Top Rated Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 8 hours · from $13Best value

Spend eight hours with a small group and an English-speaking guide such as Dinesh, Sanjeewa, or Roshan. Ride by tuk-tuk from Kandy to Pinnawala, watch elephants by the Maha Oya River, visit tea, temple, spice, craft, and viewpoint stops, and shape the day around your interests.

“I had a great day. Roshan spoke easy-to-understand English. It was good that he could speak a little Japanese. He was friendly and kind to my daughter. It was good that they were flexible when I wanted to return to the hotel on the way. Thank you for the fun tour.”

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9.From Kandy To Pinnawala Private Day Tour via Ambuluwawa

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 8 reviews · 10 hours · from $17

Spend 10 hours with a private English or Sinhala-speaking driver visiting Kandy’s temples, Ambuluwawa Tower, Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, a tea factory, and a cultural show. Drivers such as Terence, Channa, Ashan, and Tharanga are available, with tuk-tuk and van options.

“Giornata bellissima e piena di emozioni. Abbiamo visitato posti stupendi grazie a Channa, il ragazzo che ci ha portate in giro e ha pensato per noi un tour completo, sempre disponibile ad ascoltare le nostre richieste e a farci le foto (tutte molto belle!)”

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10.Kandy, Pinnawala Private Day Trip From The West Coast Beach

★★★★★★★★★★3.3 · 6 reviews · 1 day · from $199

Travel by private air-conditioned vehicle from a west coast beach hotel to Pinnawala and Kandy. You will see elephants, visit the Temple of the Tooth and Peradeniya gardens, tour a tea factory, and stop at spice and craft centers. English guiding is provided, with Viray named by one booking.

“Ich war das 1.Mal in Sri Lanka. Ich habe eine Tour mit deutschsprachigen Guide gebucht. Konnte er aber nicht. Sprach nur English. Der Guide hatte kein Benehmen, wollte alles von mir bezahlt haben. Empfand ich komisch, da ich doch nicht zusätzlich die Kosten für den gebuchten Guide übernehmen wollte. Die Tour über diesen Anbieter, sein Name ist Viray ist nicht zu empfehlen, da er nette Menschen aufnimmt! Lieber über einen andern Anbieter buchen! Dann braucht man sich nicht ärgern!”

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11.Ambuluwawa Tower & Pinnawala & Kandy Day Tour From Colombo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 15 hours · from $80

Travel by private air-conditioned vehicle from Colombo with an English-speaking guide such as Ranganath. Visit Ambuluwawa Tower, a tea factory, Kandy’s Temple of the Tooth, Pinnawala, and optional gardens, crafts, and dance, with the freedom to skip stops that do not interest you.

“Sites visited was good, was able to skip activities that I was not interested in and the guide Ranganath was very accommodating.”

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12.Ambuluwawa Tower & Pinnawala & Kandy Day Tour From Negombo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 15 hours · from $69

Leave Negombo early in a private air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide such as Tharaka or Thanaka. Climb Ambuluwawa Tower, visit Pinnawala, tour a tea factory, see Kandy’s Temple of the Tooth, and fit in gardens, crafts, and dance.

“I had an amazing experience on the Ambuluwawa Tower & Pinnawala & Kandy Day Tour from Negombo, and a big part of that was due to our driver, Tharaka. He was an incredibly smooth and skilled driver, making the journey not only comfortable but efficient. With so many activities packed into the day, Tharaka expertly navigated the routes, ensuring that I arrived at each stop on time. The tour itself was wonderful, with highlights including the heartwarming visit to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, the stunning views from the Ambuluwawa Tower, and the serene beauty of Kandy's Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. I also enjoyed the peaceful stroll through the…”

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13.Kandy privet day tour with pinnawala and Tea plantation

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 4 reviews · 1 day · from $47

Travel by private air-conditioned vehicle from selected Sri Lankan towns to Pinnawala, Kandy’s Temple of the Tooth, Peradeniya Gardens, a tea factory, spice garden, and cultural dance show. An English-speaking guide accompanies the day, with flexible plans and hotel pickup included.

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14.Pinnawala & Tea Factory & Kandy Full Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 15 hours · from $47

Travel from Negombo to Kandy in a private air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide. Visit Pinnawala, a tea factory, the Royal Botanical Garden, the Temple of the Tooth, Kandy viewpoints, and optional craft stops. Several entrance fees are extra, so budget carefully.

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15.Kandy To Pinnawala Day Tour by Tuk Tuk

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 8 hours · from $42

Join Roshan in a private tuk tuk from Kandy for an eight-hour day linking Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, tea and spice stops, city viewpoints, a Kandyan dance show, and the Temple of the Tooth. The route is flexible, but entrance fees, food, and some cash-only tickets cost extra.

“Roshan was really amazing, one of the best persons we came across in Sri Lanka! He spent the whole day with us and stopped at very beautiful places among the way to our tour, helped us throught the day with everything we needed and even did a very complete and interesting description on the history and culture of Sri Lanka! The tour was also very complete! We definitely recommend this tour and are very grateful to have found such an amazing guide to show us around Kandy”

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