Elepath Lodge Pinnawala-Stay Where Elephants Walk to Bathe

I absolutely loved how close this property is to the place where the elephants bathe. You can literally enjoy your breakfast while watching elephants make their way to the river..it’s such a beautiful and unforgettable experience! The receptionist was amazing as well. We arrived quite late at night, but he welcomed us with a huge smile and made us feel incredibly comfortable and well taken care of. Such warm hospitality made our stay even more special.

It’s not just about the property itself, but a quick tip for anyone traveling by personal car: please be mindful of the routes and narrow alleys leading to the property. Many of the roads are quite steep, making it difficult for cars to climb up or come back down. Some stretches are also very narrow, so larger cars may have trouble getting through. It’s definitely worth checking the route beforehand!

This was in a prime location for elephant viewing. They start the parade during breakfast whilst you’re seated downstairs - they just march straight past a few metres away, and the herds are brought up and down past the hotel all day till 4pm (check the orphanage web page for the times, it’s like clockwork). You can stand on the balcony, sit in the cafe part or just stand out front. The hotel was simple but clean, AC worked, showers decent (so many water outlets!), breakfast was good. Staff lovely of course. If you arrive earlier than 4 - call the hotel and they will tell you the back road in (to avoid the elephants on the Main Street). You may be told you cannot access the area till after 4pm. Also avoid anyone here who tries to get you to go to a herb garden. It’s a scam. Beware of being asked for a tip to have your photo taken with an elephant. A keeper may line you up for it then ask for a tip. This is not allowed and should not be encouraged. Tell them you have no cash on you and they should walk away. They do have a bunch of elephants to get back to the orphanage after all.

Beds a bit hard.

Comfortable , clean and good staff

TV didnt work Not enough plug points in the room

Good value for money but avoid the elephants. They are not well looked after or as suggested on photos. Room was comfy and air conditioning was great.