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Kandy
Colombo to Kandy
Colombo to Kandy
The Henerathgoda Botanic Gardens near
Gampaha, off the Colombo–Kandy road about
30km northwest of Colombo, are where the
first rubber trees planted in Asia were grown.
Some original plantings dot the 37-acre gar-
dens, together with 400 other plant varieties.
About 50km from Kandy is Cadjugama,
famous for its cashew nuts. Brightly clad sell-
ers beckon passing motorists with nuts they’ve
harvested from the surrounding forest. At
the 48km post is Radawaduwa, notable for
woven cane items.
Kegalle, 77km from Colombo, is the
nearest town to the Pinnewala Elephant
Orphanage. Several spice farms that are
open to visitors can also be found around
here. Nearby is Utuwankandu, a rocky hill
from where the 19th-century Robin Hood–
style highwayman, Saradiel, preyed on travel-
lers until the British executed him.
At Kadugannawa, just after the road and
railway make their most scenic climbs – with
views southwest to the large Bible Rock – is
a tall pillar erected in memory of Captain
Dawson, the English engineer who built the
Colombo–Kandy road in 1826.
Cadjugama, Kegalle and Kaduganna-
wa are on the A1, easily accessible by bus
between Colombo and Kandy. Catch a train
to Kadugannawa and the Henerathgoda
Botanic Gardens at Gampaha.Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage ZOO
(adult/child Rs 2500/1250; h8.30am-6pm)
Initially created to protect abandoned or
orphaned elephants, this government-run
elephant orphanage near Kegalle is one of
Sri Lanka’s most popular attractions, but
today some people think it seems to have
largely lost sight of its original aims and is
more a zoo than anything else. Some people
love the place and the opportunity it gives
to get up close and cuddly with elephants,
but many more find it an out-and-out rip-
off with no conservational value whatsoever.
There are around 80 elephants here of all
ages. The creatures are largely well looked
after, but conservationists have expressed
some concern over the amount of contact
elephants have with the public and the fact
that the facility has been used for breeding,
contrary to its status as an orphanage.
The elephants are controlled by their ma-
houts, who ensure they feed at the right times
and don’t endanger anyone. Otherwise the
elephants roam freely around the sanctuaryarea. The elephants are led to a nearby riv-
er for bathing daily from 10am to noon and
from 2pm to 4pm. Meal times are 9.15am,
1.15pm and 5pm. For Rs 350 you can bottle
feed a baby elephant, although take note of
the concerns about tourist-elephant contact
as the elephants can become easily stressed.Millennium Elephant Foundation ZOO
(%035-226 3377; http://www.millenniumelephant
foundation.org; adult/child Rs 1000/500,
elephant rides Rs 1000-4000; h9am-4pm) Tw o
kilometres from Pinnewala, on the
Karandupona–Kandy road, the Millennium
Elephant Foundation houses a number of ele-
phants rescued from various situations, such
as aggressive mahouts, or elephants retired
from working in temples. Volunteers are wel-
come at the foundation and the facility also
supports a mobile veterinary service.8 Getting There & Away
The elephant orphanage is a few kilometres north
of the Colombo–Kandy road. From Kandy take a
bus to Kegalle. Get off before Kegalle at Karand-
unpona Junction (Rs 45). From the junction,
catch bus 661 (Rs 18) going from Kegalle to Ram-
bukkana and get off at Pinnewala. A three-wheeler
from the junction to Pinnewala is around Rs 350.
i ’s about an hour from Kandy to the junction and t
20 minutes from the junction to Pinnewala. Buses
also link Colombo and Kegalle.
Rambukkana station on the Colombo–Kandy
railway is about 3km north of the orphanage and
all trains travelling this route stop there. From
Rambukkana get a bus (Rs 18) going towards
Kegalle or a three-wheeler for around Rs 300.Kandy
%081 / ELEVATION 500M / POPULATION 109,000
Some days Kandy’s skies seem perpetually
bruised, with stubborn mist clinging to the
hills surrounding the city’s beautiful cen-
trepiece lake. Delicate hill-country breezes
impel the mist to gently part, revealing
colourful houses and hotels amid Kandy’s
improbable forested halo. In the centre
of town, three-wheelers careen around
slippery corners, raising a soft spray that
threatens the softer silk of the colourful sa-
ris worn by local women. Here’s a city that
looks good even when it’s raining.
And when the rain subsides – and it does
with frequency and alacrity – Kandy’s cobalt-
blue skies reveal it as this island’s other
real ‘city’ after the brighter coastal lights of
Colombo. Urban buzz is provided by busy
spontaneous street markets and even busier