One of the best attractions in Sri Lanka. The place is privately owned . The entrance fees is a little high but that’s justified considering elephants have to be kept well and taken care off. Rightly so the elephants at the foundation are amazing specially POOJA the little one . From bathing them to strolling with them and even feeding them all this happens when u come to the foundation . Would highly highly recommend this for families with young kids when in lanka . It’s for everyone .

Glad to see Raja and Lakshmi still best of friends! Some reviews mention animal care. These are domesticated elephants and cannot be released in the wild. They have worked in logging etc and often chained up alone much of their lives. This foundation lets them mix, wander around at their own pace some of the time, they get attended to by vets and fed properly. It is a compromise, they need tourist money to pay the elephants' owners so they have to interact with visitors too. Hopefully more people will choose walks and bathing with them rather than riding them. I found it magical and learnt so much about elephants.

My Sri Lankan guide took me here believing it was the best place for Elephants and is run ethically via a registered Foundation where Vomunteers are saught from Across the Globe . I have read some reviews and think they just really don’t get it or didn’t bother to do their own research ! Generations of elephants have worked for a living on way or another and no back in the Uk we have zoos , no we don’t put them to work or even have any understanding how precious these animals are to the people of Sri Lanka . I was very impress with the knowledge and the short one and half hr intinery I had washing , walking and feeding Pooja . I never felt once that these beautiful animals were mistreated and found the educational part of the trip just as meaningful as the hands on experience . The mahout was just amazing ! I’d have suggested my grandchildren come here to volunteer when they are older . Great experience for me accept the huge spider in the shower lol

This was our second visit to MEF and the experience is just as amazing the second time around. The hands on experience you can have with the elephants is unbelievable. To be able to get so close to these beautiful animals is something I will never forget. The guides are extremely knowledgeable and can answer any questions. Highly recommend to anyone that wants to get close to these fantastic creatures.

In this place you can see a small museum for an elephant statue. And experience to ride an elephant. The charged me the following: The ticket is 15 US Dollar Or the ticket with elephant ride is 20 US Dollar. You might spend around 30 min in this place.

I don’t understand much about elephant keeping. But as a visitor I can give a few tips: -Wear slippers and shorts to do elephant bathing. -Elephant walk will be just you following the elephant who is walked by the keeper. -packages are quite expensive for what you get. You might as well get the cheapest package to watch the whole happening as I paid the most expensive one but I refused to ride an elephant. I think it is terrible even for the elephants who are in the sanctuary and considered to be treated well. I can’t understand people who offer and who get elephant riding “experience”. It should be banned all over the world. Staff was very nice and friendly though. Elephants seem to get all they need for their wellbeing… but once again, I don’t understand much about elephant keeping, some elephants has chains and it was explained as a safety for elephants and everyone around them. I was expecting elephants doing their own thing and visitors just interacting with them. What I saw wasn’t really that. Elephants are pushed to entertain (washing them didn’t seem to me like something elephants wanted, but were made to do). The keeper explained that they do like it. I really hope so. Feeding part was the best part I think because this is the only time when elephant was definitely enjoying the process.

We volunteered for one week at the foundation and have had the most amazing experience. I would definitely recommend volunteering with these amazing animals and working with the staff who were just amazing. To spend a week here, you really get to see and appreciate the love the mahouts have for the elephants and the dedication the staff have to care for the elephants. You work with the mahouts cleaning the elephant beds, assisting with medications, washing the elephants and feeding them. The 6am morning walk through the villages is such an unforgettable experience. We were made to feel so welcome the minute we arrived and everyone at the foundation welcomed us with open arms. Friendships we will cherish. Accommodation at the main house was lovely and the 3 meals a day were absolutely amazing and we even had a cooking class from the boys at the garden bar. Nothing was too much trouble. We had such a fantastic experience that our once in a lifetime week will now become a two yearly occurrence. Could not recommend volunteering at the foundation enough!!!