Welcome to
THE ELEPHANT FREEDOM PROJECT
in Sri Lanka
Come visit us and experience a magical elephant encounter which is suitable for everyone.
You will see truly happy elephants!
You can follow our 2 elephants, Kumari and Menike, for a half day or even longer.
They are free to do what they want and go where they like!
To keep a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere for the elephants we have a limit on the number of visitors.
For this reason
we ask you to book in advance.
You can find us in Kegalle, between Kandy and Colombo and only 2 hours away from the airport.
MORNING ACTIVITY
- From 9:00 until 13:30
- Spend approx 3 hours together with our elephants, even in the river
- Lunch and tea are included
Admission fee 43 EURO per person
(+2 EURO service charge)
children from 0 - 1 are free of charge, children from 2 - 17 get a 50% discount
AFTERNOON ACTIVITY
- From 13:00 until approx 17:15
- Spend approx 3 hours together with our elephants, even in the river
- Lunch and tea are included
Admission fee 43 EURO per person
(+2 EURO service charge)
children from 0 - 1 are free of charge, children from 2 - 17 get a 50% discount
STAY 1 NIGHT
The project offers great A/C accommodation onsite at the family home for 20 EURO per person per night (+2 EURO service charge), including dinner and breakfast.
All rooms have attached bathrooms with Western style toilets and refreshing typical Sri Lankan cold showers. There is wifi in the living area, a TV, a homely seating area and veranda. It's a nice place!
You can select to stay the night when making the booking for the activity.
If you book the morning activity you can stay the night before and if you book the afternoon activity you can stay the night after.
STAYING LONGER
If you’d like to stay a bit longer and help out at the project, you’re very welcome. The minimum stay is two days and two nights, but people often stay for longer -sometimes a few days, sometimes a few months.
You’ll be staying with our family and team, spending time with the elephants, helping with day-to-day activities, and getting to know the local area and people. It’s a great way to experience everyday life in Sri Lanka.
The Elephant Freedom Project is a relaxed, family-friendly place. We do our best to make everyone feel at home and comfortable during their stay.
We’ve welcomed guests from 9 months to 85 years old -it really is for everyone!
TRANSPORT
You can reach the project by bus/train/tuktuk.
From the airport or Negombo takes about 2-2.5 hours.
From Kandy about 1.5 hours.
If you like more comfort and less hassle we would love to arrange transport by AC car/van for you.
ABOUT US
Founded by Tim and Ananda, the Elephant Freedom Project is a small, family-run sanctuary, now almost entirely women-run. We provide refuge for elephants rescued from riding and logging, guided by welfare-first principles.
Elephants are not pets. For safety, mahouts may carry an ankus when elephants are outside the enclosure; however, it is never used. In Sri Lanka, elephants cannot be bought and must be rented under strict regulations to prevent their return to riding camps.
Our elephants are currently chained at night, and we are actively working toward building a secure night enclosure so they can soon live chain-free. Transparency and continuous improvement are central to our ethical approach.