Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

We were on our honeymoon and had been staying in very luxury places but we fancied something different for a couple of days which would be an experience that we would remember. To get to the resort you have to get a 4x4 ride which is very bumpy (but you are going into the jungle so what do you expect!). After about 20 mins you make it to near the bottom of the valley. We were then put into a small cable car with our luggage for the final part of the trip which took 5 minutes. This was a really nice experience. At the bottom we were greeted by the manager Tharindu who was extremely friendly and accommodating. We were shown to our accommodation which was an Eco Jungle Chalet. We were very impressed with the room as to be honest we were expecting something a bit more basic. The chalet was lovely; it had a four poster bed in the middle, a tiled bathroom and a balcony looking out onto a river. The gable end of the roof is open air so you do hear all the sounds of the jungle and there are bugs (but you are in the jungle!). Bring plenty of Deet as we were still bitten by mosquitos. All the noises of the river and the crickets you could hear from outside were quite calming and I have to say we slept amazingly well. Dinner is buffet style, vegetarian and delicious! We did not miss meat whatsoever. The rice amongst other ingredients are grown in the resort. Breakfast is simple but perfectly nice. In the morning of our first day we met at 9:30am to trek to the near

Our stay at Te Dalu was exceptional. We loved that the hotel was located a little outside of Ella proper, which allowed for connection with the beautiful environment and scenery while still being convenient to the amenities of the main town. Our room faced the hillside and had a wonderful view of the temple on the hill, and in the morning with opening the balcony doors allowed us to listen to chants and the sounds of birds and monkeys while waking up. The hotel itself has lovely, large rooms and is immaculately clean. The pool and lobby area are open air and so inviting. The highlight was the hotel staff, who are friendly and attentive without being overbearing. We were treated with such kindness and accommodation from everyone. They helped us arrange some of the remaining details of our trip, like follow-on transportation, which was seamless and stress-free. We highly recommend Te Dalu!

This hotel is just amazing, the views from the rooms is second to none. The service is so good from the minute you arrive, they welcome you and make you feel at home. The beds are super comfortable & the amenities are great. Location is perfect as it’s right by little Adam peak and not far from the Ella town. One of our highlights was going up Adam peak & Ella rock with the in house naturalist - Gaya. He was absolutely brilliant and helpful in not only guiding us, but also showing us all the natural wildlife in the area along the way. He was so helpful and kind, and we would recommend anyone going for one of the excursions with him!