Sri Lanka is a truly incredible place for wildlife-loving families, and is particularly famous for its many national parks where you can see majestic Asian elephants up close. There’s no better way for you and your family to experience and learn about these fascinating creatures, however, than taking a day trip to Sri Lanka’s world-famous Elephant Transit House.
Located on the western border of Udawalawe National Park (giving the elephant calves plenty of space to roam around) the center is dedicated to taking in, looking after, and rehabilitating orphaned baby elephants. Looking after elephant calves is no easy feat, as the hungry babies require feeding every three hours, and while you won’t be able to interact with the animals yourselves, children of every age will love watching and photographing the baby elephants being fed milk from the viewing platform.
The best thing about this visit is that it can be coupled with a safari in Udawalawe National Park, where your kids can look out for leopards, crocodiles, buffalos, and a whole host of wildlife and birdlife!
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Families of all ages will enjoy a trip to the Elephant Transit Home, but children under the age of 6 might have a harder time seeing the calves from the public viewing platform, especially when the center is busy.
The center is open all year-round, and milk feeding takes place three times a day at 12 PM, 3 PM, and 6 PM. It’s usually recommended to avoid weekends and public holidays though, when the center receives a higher number of tourists than usual.
Tickets to the visitor centre and viewing platform to see the elephants being bottle-fed are modestly priced, and cost approximately $5 for adults and $2 for children.
Just comfortable clothing and your cameras!