The nearby Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is famous, but over the years it has become incredibly crowded and arguably over-commercialized, leaving many parents searching for a more ethical interaction. The Millennium Elephant Foundation (MEF), located just down the road in Kegalle, is the answer.
MEF is a family-run non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing captive working elephants. They are pioneers of animal welfare in Sri Lanka and strictly forbid elephant riding.
What Kids Love Most
- The Elephant Walk: Instead of sitting on their backs, families book an “Elephant Walk.” An expert guide takes you and your kids on a beautiful, slow 30-minute stroll through the sprawling 15-acre estate, walking right alongside one of the rescued elephants. It is a deeply humbling and magical experience to walk beside an animal of that size.
- Bathing the Elephants: After the walk, the elephant enters the shallow river on the estate. Kids are given coconut husks and are allowed to enter the water to help scrub and wash the elephant’s thick skin while it happily sprays water everywhere.
Parent Tips
Bring an entire change of clothes for the kids (and perhaps yourself), as the river washing segment practically guarantees you will get soaking wet and slightly muddy. Support the foundation further by buying souvenirs from their shop, which are made entirely from recycled elephant dung paper!
