Ethical elephant experiences in Sri Lanka - which sanctuaries don't offer rides?
I want to see elephants but refuse to support places that offer riding or bathing shows. Any truly ethical options?
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4 Answers from travellers
The best ethical options are wild elephant safaris in national parks (Minneriya, Kaudulla, Udawalawe, Yala) where elephants are free and you observe from a distance. For 'sanctuary' experiences, 'Elephant Transit Home' in Udawalawe is excellent - they rehabilitate orphaned elephants and release them. You can watch feeding times from a viewing platform. Avoid any place that offers riding, bathing with tourists, or 'elephant shows'.
We did the Elephant Transit Home and it was wonderful. No riding, just watching the babies being fed and learning about the rehabilitation work. Much better than the commercial 'elephant orphanages'.
National parks are always the most ethical. The elephants are wild and behaving naturally. The 'sanctuaries' that charge high fees for bathing experiences are usually not great for the animals.
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