A small charity sanctuary near Pinnawala caring for a handful of rescued working elephants, with an ethical, hands-off visitor experience.

Overview

The Millennium Elephant Foundation is a charity set up to rescue and care for captive Asian elephants, spread over a green 15-acre estate a few kilometres from Pinnawala. Home to a small number of elephants, it offers a quieter, more intimate alternative to the main orphanage, with walking tours, an elephant museum and an emphasis on the welfare and history of Sri Lanka's working elephants. Visitors can watch the animals bathe and learn about their care rather than ride them.

History

The site opened to the public in 1979 as the Club Concept Elephant Bath, founded by Sam Samarasinghe on the family's Samaragiri estate, and later became a registered charity focused on the welfare of rescued and retired captive elephants.