Udawalawa Elephant Orphanage
Udawalawa Elephant Orphanage
4.5
8:45 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
8:45 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
8:45 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
8:45 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
8:45 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
8:45 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
8:45 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
8:45 AM - 6:00 PM
About
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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12 within 5 kms
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7 within 10 kms
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
281 reviews
Excellent
167
Very good
76
Average
22
Poor
7
Terrible
9
Matthew P
Brighton and Hove, UK744 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
Fantastic place providing sanctuary for a huge number of baby and young elephants who have lost their parents. The place is open for peple to come and see the elephants being fed 3 times a day and once they've had their milk the refreshed elephants undertake all manner of antics playfully jostling with each other over the grain food that's left out for them. Essentially by visiting this place you are helping to fund this much needed facility and you'll certainly leave with a huge smile on your face.
Written 23 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
darrenaforster
Milton Keynes, UK10 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
We had a great time visiting the Udawalawa Elephant Sanctuary. They care for baby elephants that are orphaned and look after them until they are old enough to be released into the wild. The sticks they use are to avoid human contact and so the greedy elephants do not eat all the food. This helps them to adjust to life in the wild. We saw no abuse as per other reviews - quite the opposite, lots of very happy endangered elephants that would probably not be alive if it were not for the work done by the sanctuary. People simply do not bother to read the signs to understand why sticks are used and assume this is abuse.
I would highly recommend this excursion if in Udawalawe. Entry price is only $5USD plus tax of 15% (note, this is charged in LKR when buying tickets so bring this currency with you). There is a shop next door where you can also buy formula milk as food for the baby elephants - this is also recommended as the centre relies on such generosity and visitors to continue rehoming orphaned elephants.
I would highly recommend this excursion if in Udawalawe. Entry price is only $5USD plus tax of 15% (note, this is charged in LKR when buying tickets so bring this currency with you). There is a shop next door where you can also buy formula milk as food for the baby elephants - this is also recommended as the centre relies on such generosity and visitors to continue rehoming orphaned elephants.
Written 21 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah M
Dubai, United Arab Emirates7 contributions
Apr 2023 • Friends
It was extremely sad to see the handlers very hardly hit and harshly poke the baby elephants with a stick when they would be a bit naughty. They weren’t even hiding this, I cant imagine how they treat them when people are not watching. surely this is not how you guide and treat elephants when they are not listening. I could see the fear in their body reactions as soon as the stick went up!
I don’t recommend anyone to go there!
I don’t recommend anyone to go there!
Written 24 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
J&R
Scotland, UK31 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
Absolutely disgusted by the behaviour of staff today. Witnessed this man in blue punch a baby elephant in the face and later hit another face with metal jug.
I also would question why there are so many elephants, some very large in their care?
I also would question why there are so many elephants, some very large in their care?
Written 14 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DuncanTCH
East Greenbush, NY1,272 contributions
Feb 2022
A visit to the Udawalawa Elephant Orphanage is not only completely entertaining and delightful, it also supports the excellent work that the orphanage does. This venue is exceptionally popular with the locals, so make sure that you arrive 30+ minutes before feeding time if you want to get a seat closest to the enclosure. There are about 30-40 younger elephants that attend the feeding and it's amazing to see how they all interact with each other...just like humans...some pushy, some quiet and waiting their turn, some demanding, some vocal. Completely entertaining. Also spend some time viewing the exhibits before/after the feeding show to see all of the great work this organization does. NOTE: you will not get to feed the elephants yourself as some other reviews have implied. Instead, you watch the professional handlers care for and feed elephants in various groups (based upon age/size). Definitely a must see experience!!
Written 3 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andrew S
Sheffield, UK786 contributions
Apr 2022 • Couples
Such a fantastic experience, they do such good work here at the orphanage for the poor elephants who have lost their parents, it is such fun to see them running up to the feeding stations for their milk, taking there turn, there are many characters amongst them - this is a must see while you are here!
Written 26 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kelly S
London, UK96 contributions
Mar 2022
We really enjoyed watching the young elephants running towards the milk feeding hut and then enjoying the greens in front of us. It felt good to help contribute to taking care of orphaned elephants
Written 25 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kevin S
Pontypridd, UK6,243 contributions
Jan 2022
500 Rupees per person to enter this feeding show represents quite a fun half hour of entertainment. Elephants are waiting behind a gate 100 metres away from the seated viewing area and released in groups of four, youngest first. They start walking, and then usually break into a little trot to the feeding station 50 metres ahead of them nearer the people. The feeding station is on the right as you view. Once fed they start moving past the viewing platform to eat out of large blue tubs on the floor and the next four elephants come from behind the trees for their feed. And so it goes on, four elephants drinking in turn, first four, then 8, 12, 16 eating out of the tubs on the far left until about 40 or more elephants have had their drink feed and are all around the tubs eating.
The ethics of are they all recovered orphans from the wild, how often do some get released back into the wild, how many older elephants unable to feed themselves are looked after, can be debated. For me it seems a worth-while exercise , worth supporting and just enjoy elephants interact with each other.
The ethics of are they all recovered orphans from the wild, how often do some get released back into the wild, how many older elephants unable to feed themselves are looked after, can be debated. For me it seems a worth-while exercise , worth supporting and just enjoy elephants interact with each other.
Written 16 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ine F
Huissen211 contributions
Jan 2022
Nice place where they do a really good job in rescueing young orphan elephants. I visited one that my daughter adopted 4 years ago. With all the details I had, the caretaker got permission to show her to me from a distance ofcourse, but I got all possible moments to make pictures and videos from her. It is always fantastic to see them grow and develop so that the can be released when the time is there to do that in a safe way.
Written 9 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
charithapriyanga
Boralesgamuwa, Sri Lanka29 contributions
Jan 2022 • Family
I called the center on day prior and came to know it has
1. 10.30 am
2. 2.30 pm
3. 6 pm feeding time
Best to join that time.
Enough parking space. Have to take a ticket 50 for 2 adults and child.
Have a skeleton of a elephant and picture museum as well.
Infront there are some souvenir shops.
1. 10.30 am
2. 2.30 pm
3. 6 pm feeding time
Best to join that time.
Enough parking space. Have to take a ticket 50 for 2 adults and child.
Have a skeleton of a elephant and picture museum as well.
Infront there are some souvenir shops.
Written 25 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
chaminda m
Colombo, Sri Lanka5 contributions
Whats the time of elephant feeding time on the day for looking toverist?
Udawalawe safari jeep tours
Udawalawa, Sri Lanka11 contributions
9.00am, 12.00pm, 3.00pm and 6.00pm
I. Kaarfald
Oslo, Norway7 contributions
Jeg hadde tenkt å dra til Pinnawala, da man visst kan komme tett på elefantene der, men har lest at de ikke har det så bra, bl.a. at de har lenker på det meste av tiden. Er det ikke slik i Udawalawe? Hvordan er det med dette ellers i turistområdene på S.L., jeg leser at svært mange elefanter lever i fangenskap, å se en lenket elefant ville føles ekstremt plagsomt, av samme grunn går jeg aldri inn i en zoo.
I. Kaarfald
Oslo, Norway7 contributions
Oi, jeg så kanskje spørsmålet ditt litt sent da. Nei, jeg dro ikke til dette stedet, men jeg var på elefantsafari i Udawalawe, og det var kjempebra! Jeg så veldig mange elefanter, mange små flokker som alle hadde en elefantbaby med seg. :) Jeg valgte morgensafari, så jeg måtte stå opp midt på natten, men det er ok. Og turen tok bare noen få timer, som passer meg bra, jeg ville ikke orket en hel dag i en slik bil. En gang kom vi svært nær en flokk som holdt til rett ved veien, men de var ikke redde, de er nok for vant til safarijeepene som kjører der flere ganger om dagen. Jeg har en videosnutt på FB: goo.gl/7wXQdV
Jeg så for øvrig ingen elefanter i lenker, enda jeg dro Negombo-Udawatuna-Kandy-Colombo, men du kan si jeg prøvde unngå å se det(!), jeg vet jo det er mange av dem. Derimot var det vanskelig å ikke legge merke til hvordan de behandlet andre dyr der nede, slik som hunder som ble sparket og mishandlet, det var trist å se. :(
Stanislava H
Rimavska Sobota, Slovakia16 contributions
Thinking about holiday in Sri Lanka, where we are going with two children I would like to ask if it is necessary to travel with travel agency (with think it could be too demanding for children to see all places planned by travel agency, also it is more expensive) Is it easily possible to get to such a places like 9 arch bridge or elephant orphanage, some tea plantation, or other sightseeing by train / rent a car ? Is it safe and easy to travel by train? What about roads and traffic signs? Also what about beaches? Is it safe to find some lonely, not crowded beach? Thank you very much
Yohan
Colombo, Sri Lanka48 contributions
Yes, it is better to ask from a travel agency. There are some agencies offer good price. Contact Nefelibata Travels via email or whatsapp 0094770422666
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Frequently Asked Questions about Udawalawa Elephant Orphanage
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