PINNAWALA

When leaving for a one day tour of Pinnawala about 6.00 in the morning we arrive at the town called Dankotuwa after passing Maoya in Kochchikade. It is in and around Dankouwa that the tile and brick industry is carried out in a large scale. Dankotuwa Porcelain Factory occupies a prominent place for its high quality porcelain products which are in great demand. Bricks and tiles manufactured in Dankotuwa are bought by people arriving at Dankotuwa from all corners of Sri Lanka. While going through Makandura after passing Dankotuwa you will see the lovely rice fields and thereafter at Giriulla there are massive plantations of pineapple where you may take photographs and have a taste of the delicious fresh pineapples straight from the plantations or taste beli (slime apple), wood- apple, mango, ripe jak, banana or cadju. We continue our journey through rice fields and rubber estates until we reach Pinnawala where the largest elephant orphanage in the island is located. The site of the orphanage is calm and quiet with the river slowly flowing by on the left-hand side of the orphanage. This orphanage was established in year 1975 by the government of Sri Lanka. The major task carried out here is providing projection and shelter to injured and lost elephants and rareing orphan elephant calves that have lots their parents. These babies are fed, bathed and rared with love an care and when the time comes, they are released into the jungle to live on their own in their natural surroundings. The baby elephants are fed with milk three times a day, at 9.15 a.m., 1.15 noon and at 5.15 p.m.
