Pinnawala Zoo
Pinnawala Zoo
3.5
Monday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Duration: 2-3 hours
Does not meet animal welfare
guidelines
Tripadvisor does not provide bookings for this experience because it does not meet our animal welfare guidelines.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
3.5
51 reviews
Excellent
12
Very good
15
Average
11
Poor
6
Terrible
7
Hasna_Haris
Mawanella, Sri Lanka148 contributions
Jun 2020
I went with my cousins for the first time. very calm and beautiful environment, but they still not finished their construction work I went their middle of 2019. they said that there isn't yet finished butterflies area and snake area and some more. we can see animals like leopards, deer and many more animals very closely. very beautiful place to relax, walk and enjoy with kids or family and everyone. as I remember there is no ticket for that we should submit national id card before entering into zoo. very peaceful and clean place. I went there 2019 June unfortunately I cant submit the exact date because its too late I was writing this review. we can spend time as much as we want. there is lots of path to walk. I don't remember exact opening and closing time. and there is a parking area for zoo so we can park our vehicles on there its safe also, there is no nearby any shops as I remember but I wish if there is more animals in that it will be an amazing place ever.
Written 23 May 2021
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.
dilan m
Sri Lanka44 contributions
Apr 2021 • Couples
It was our first time of visiting an open zoo. Place was quite nice. Only the thing was there were very less amount of animals. What we see is Still zoo is under development level. Hope to have a nice one in near future. Recommend.
Written 28 April 2021
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.
Hasna_Haris
Mawanella, Sri Lanka148 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
A very natural and calming place. You need to walk very long but it's worth it for walking. There are some vehicles for those who can't walk or go with their family. Not lots of animals but a nice and relaxing place not rushing at all. You can park your vehicle outside. I visited for the 2nd time.
Written 20 January 2024
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.
shefaashar
Mawanella, Sri Lanka49 contributions
Sept 2018 • Family
×The Pinnawala Iparenigama Theme Park is a brand new and unique theme park in Sri Lanka. It depicts traditional village life in the 17th and 18th centuries, and functions as a live folk museum. Some of the attractions are:
*The Indigenous Doctor’s House (Weda Gedara)
*The Headman’s House (Arachila Gedara)
*The Gypsy Family (Ahikuntaka Janawasa)
*The Paddy Field (Kuburu Yaya)
*The Lake (Wewa)
*Aquatic Plants
*The Head Farmer’s House (Maha Gamaralage Gedara)
*The Coffee Bar (Kopi Kade)
*The Potter’s House (Kubal Gedara)
*The Carpenter’s House (Wadumaduwa)
*The Blacksmith’s House (Kammala)
*The Weaving Center
*The Souvenir Shop
The Pinnawala Iparenigama Theme Park provides lots of entertainment to its visitors, both local and tourists, regardless of age.
×Pinnawala Open Zoo (also called Pinnawala Zoo) is a zoological garden in Pinnawala, Sri Lanka, which is situated closer to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. The zoo was opened for public on 17 April 2015. This is the first open-air zoo in Sri Lanka
*The Indigenous Doctor’s House (Weda Gedara)
*The Headman’s House (Arachila Gedara)
*The Gypsy Family (Ahikuntaka Janawasa)
*The Paddy Field (Kuburu Yaya)
*The Lake (Wewa)
*Aquatic Plants
*The Head Farmer’s House (Maha Gamaralage Gedara)
*The Coffee Bar (Kopi Kade)
*The Potter’s House (Kubal Gedara)
*The Carpenter’s House (Wadumaduwa)
*The Blacksmith’s House (Kammala)
*The Weaving Center
*The Souvenir Shop
The Pinnawala Iparenigama Theme Park provides lots of entertainment to its visitors, both local and tourists, regardless of age.
×Pinnawala Open Zoo (also called Pinnawala Zoo) is a zoological garden in Pinnawala, Sri Lanka, which is situated closer to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. The zoo was opened for public on 17 April 2015. This is the first open-air zoo in Sri Lanka
Written 23 May 2019
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.
yeshthara
Colombo, Sri Lanka72 contributions
Dec 2016 • Family
was there last weekend,decided to take my wife and daughter and we were really disappointed about the whole experience. It was amusing looking at the swans in the entrance! but kept on getting fed up not seeing many animals despite walking ridiculous distances! Zoo got only two big herds of deer and sambar deer , a few mouse deer , two leopards , one sloth bear , crocodiles ( spotted only two, there can be more) lots of domestic hen and roosters (!! :D) and lots of empty spaces! ( place is well kept though) , yes its a nice concept open zoo with a vision of becoming best zoo in time but we felt that they can do better.
Written 28 December 2016
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.
Global Traveler
Agra, India426 contributions
Jun 2018 • Family
Pinnawala Zoo is loctaed on Kegalle-Rambukkana Road, Rambukkana Sri Lanka which is actually on road breaking from colombo -kandy highway. It is very beautiful zoo, very well kept. Best way to see the entire zoo is to use the golf cart available for about Sri lankan rupees 1000. It has many animals and specially leopard pair is worth watching. Must Visit
Written 26 June 2018
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.
Subhendu M
New Delhi, India4 contributions
Jan 2017 • Family
Small zoo but nice collection of animals. Great place to visit if you have small kids. However, for adults, not a great place. Better to spend time at elephant orphanage
Written 5 January 2017
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.
Sujith NB
11 contributions
Feb 2019 • Family
We visited the zoo with our kids. There's nothing much to see except for 2 herds of deers, few horses, donkeys, a leopard enclosure, few bears - that pretty much sums it up. Just a waste of your time and money. Dehiwala zoo in Colombo is a much better option with its huge collection of exotic animals, birds, reptiles and what not and that too for comparable ticket charges.
Written 11 February 2019
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.
CharithaJD
Ratnapura, Sri Lanka109 contributions
Nov 2018 • Family
This place is a pretty cool place with well maintained gardens spreading over around 40 acres. Even though some of the animal habitats are still under construction, you can have a enjoyable walk around with your family through these well maintained gardens. The staff is friendly and helpful specially the one in charge of animal handling. Sanitary facilities are good and well maintained. An excellent place to have a little family outing if I may say. Tips to the travelers,
1. The cafeteria in the zoo is not in its best shape so better take some refreshments with you during the travel.
1. The cafeteria in the zoo is not in its best shape so better take some refreshments with you during the travel.
Written 21 November 2018
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.
vicstaar61
18 contributions
Apr 2018 • Couples
Along with other poor reviews of this elephant orphanage, I too witnessed an elephant chained and swaying in distress. It brought me to tears and all the guards would say is that he is mad. Who wouldn’t go mad being tied up like that, he couldn’t even move?!
The rest weren’t seemingly chained, although they do chain the males when taking them for bathing. The conditions were cramped for nearly 100 elephants and bathing time is supervised - they cannot go to bathe in their own time and are restricted in how long they can spend there, not to mention it is right in front of a hotel where everyone gets to stare. I am concerned this is simply a tourist attraction as people can pay to feed the baby elephants and keepers were riding them as well as using hooked sticks to move them along.
Of course I don’t know what conditions they were ‘rescued’ from though I am not convinced these elephants looked particularly happy. This is very heartbreaking, not at all what I was expecting and I left very upset. It’s difficult to recall any fond memory of this experience as all I can imagine is the pain of that chained elephant.
The rest weren’t seemingly chained, although they do chain the males when taking them for bathing. The conditions were cramped for nearly 100 elephants and bathing time is supervised - they cannot go to bathe in their own time and are restricted in how long they can spend there, not to mention it is right in front of a hotel where everyone gets to stare. I am concerned this is simply a tourist attraction as people can pay to feed the baby elephants and keepers were riding them as well as using hooked sticks to move them along.
Of course I don’t know what conditions they were ‘rescued’ from though I am not convinced these elephants looked particularly happy. This is very heartbreaking, not at all what I was expecting and I left very upset. It’s difficult to recall any fond memory of this experience as all I can imagine is the pain of that chained elephant.
Written 8 May 2018
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.
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