Sri Lanka holiday: Day 7-9, Elephant orphanage, Temple of the Tooth, and a jungle walk

---

Day 7 of my Sri Lankan holidaydidn’t quite match the previous days in terms of excitement, although this may be because I’m much more interested in visiting the historic sites in Sri Lanka and learning about its history.



We first visited the elephant orphanage in Pinnewala which looks after a few dozen orphaned wild elephants. Some may find this enjoyable, but seeing some of the elephants with chains around their ankles and how some of the keepers wanted tips for people to touch the animals made me think twice. I’d much prefer to see animals in the wild and leave what are meant to be sanctuaries behind closed doors so there’s not a possibly perceived conflict between animal welfare and profit. Maybe I’m being unfair, but personally this didn’t sit right for me.



After making our way back to Kandy we got to watch a cultural show which included lots of traditional Sri Lankan dancing, music and performances which was interesting to watch!



Day 8 was a highlight for me, with us first visiting the temple of tooth which is said to house the world famous tooth relic. Weather it does or not, who knows, but the temple itself it a stunning place to visit with the unique red roofs, white washed walls and rich interior. The tooth relic is kept in boxes decorated with gemstones sitting on a throne. The area is quite touristy so expect some crowds. Next we moved onto the Royal Botanical Gardens and then some time to walk around Kandy on our own. The weather was great so this made for a relaxing conclusion to another great day.



Next stop was a jungle walk after we drove our way through the beautiful countryside which was filled with lush tea plantations. Take some comfortable footwear! The walk through the rain forest is a worthwhile experience with the various sights, sounds and smells that are unique to the jungle. Some people may find the walk a bit too challenging, but that said – much of the holiday involves a lot of walking so probably isn’t suitable for someone who thinks they’d struggle.



On day 10 we got to experience what many people associate with Sri Lanka – tea plantations!

---