The Elephant Freedom Project — Attraction in Sri Lanka

Elephant Freedom Project, how great it sounds! My experience however was unfortunately very different.

I didn't see "free" elephants, I saw elephants that have a tight schedule, who spend their "free time" posing for photos with tourists, who walk the same short distance, up and down a hill twice a day, and bathed by tourists at the same exact spot twice a day. Most importantly, I saw elephants on chains in the middle of the day, which I found truly upsetting because they start the day by saying they have a "no chain" policy during the day, and they charge you heavy money (14 000 LKR/morning or afternoon) for you to support this "good" cause, but this really is only for you to feel better. On top of that they ask you to tip their mahouts (and staff), because they make a lot less money than in the riding camps, so you are supporting them to stay on this path instead of the camps. To be honest they were both really nice and smiley, who do their job, and what they are allowed by the owners.

If you know a little bit about elephants, you can feel from the beginning that there is something just off about this whole setup, it is all about the tourists taking to perfect photos, and they don't really understand why you don't want to. I was cringing through the morning I spent there, and my instincts were right. It didn't take too long to find Maneke on chains showing signs of emotional distress, because it was "lunchtime", not for them, but for the tourists and the mahouts.

I had a bad feeling when I I saw everyone up at the lunch area, and I asked one of the guides what's up with the elephants, he looked uncomfortable, and said they are bathing down the river by themselves, because they love that, and expected me to believe that they can be just free without someone watching over them. When I hiked back, they indeed were by themselves, chained to a tree, not doing what they love, but doing what stressed elephants do: repetitive and monotonous motion of head bobbing, weaving and swaying. (Posted the video on YouTube.) When I shared what I saw with the owner, she looked very disturbed and started apologizing and sharing different explanations. All I say is when there is a will there is a way (hiring extra staff etc.). At Elephant Freedom Project they simply just feel it is ok to chain up the elephants, when they are not "at use". It is indeed more simple than finding a solution.

For me there is no acceptable explanations about chaining elephants, when all you communicate is that you fight against this kind of behaviour. Because of my experience I don't believe anything that this organization communicates about the chains, hooks (although I did not see them using this during the day), goals and values, but it is for you to decide what you believe. In the end, I said I simply can't support Elephant Freedom Project and asked for a refund, and they understood and gave back my money when I said I wouldn't write a review if they did. Well, I lied, but so did they.

I hope my photos/videos speak for themselves.

PS. Indeed these elephants can not be rehabilitated, so if you really want to see captive elephants, then this is still better than a riding camp, no questions about that. However, if you would like to see happy and really free elephants, go to any of the National Parks Sri Lanka has to offer, it is more affordable and you are truly supporting a good cause of keeping their natural habitat protected. This way you can actually experience how they are in nature, and what amazing creatures they are! Will you still have photos of an elephant hugging you? No. But you will have many pictures of herds of elephants roaming in the wild, doing precisely what they should, enjoying their life, and enjoying just being an elephant.

The best ones are: Sigiriya area: Kaudulla, Minneriya, Hurulu Eco Park (we saw the most here) - the herds are migrating between, so you should double check where there are sightings in that season Udawalawe...

We visited the elephant freedom project and whilst it is more ethical than other places unfortunately our experience was not as we expected. The website says that they limit the number of visitors per day and hence visitors need to book in advance online. We assumed that we would be the only visitors there for our activity. However we were in a group of 16 (plus the guide and the two mahoots). As such, the experience did not feel intimate or very ethical. We told our guide we did not expect to be in a big group and he said that it was high season and so that was why so many people were there. High season for backpackers is usually December to March in Sri Lanka, and we visited in Novemeber. However high season must be different for here. I understand that you may be in a small group with others, but 16 is quite substantial.

At the beginning we were shown an introductory video which showed elephants being mistreated, abused, starving and being held in captivity. This video even made one girl cry, and seeing as we had all seeked out what we believed to be an ethical sanctuary I thought seeing these distressing images was unnecessary because we did not need to be educated on this since we were all aware of the mistreatment of elephants.

I understand that looking after elephants is very expensive, but because of this the elephants are exploited in a different way (albeit it is better than their previous life). The elephants obviously have a better life than the places they have been rescued from and are clearly loved by the people there. It is more ethical than other places because they cannot be ridden and the staff were all lovely and helpful, it was just not what we expected.

You are able to stroke the elephants but after a long line of tourists touching them it did not seem right. The elephants were stood in the river swaying and flapping their ears whilst people took photos with them one after the other, which made us feel uncomfortable. That's not necessarily the project's fault, but that's just what humans are like. We would have liked to have seen the elephants doing what they like in the river and if you are lucky enough to touch one great and if not that would also be fine. But instead they stand still as a queue of people take turns posing with them. Perhaps the elephants are happy to stand there as people take photos and are not forced, but we did not feel like getting involved. Others in the group seemed to be enjoying the experience and having a good time, but after the river we decided to leave and not take part in the feeding or the walking.

It was saddening to hear that the elephants are chained at night. They say they want to build an enclosure for the elephants to use instead at night so they can be free from chains. I hope this happens soon as this project has been running for a while now.

Of course they have to make their money somehow in order to look after these elephants, and this is better than alot of other places in Sri Lanka, but because the group size was so big it was not as we expected and felt less ethical and more like a tourist attraction. I'm sure visitors would rather pay more money and have a smaller group size. I hope the project mention on their website that this is not a private activity for your booking group, and instead you may be in a big group. I think that what they are doing is right as they are rescuing elephants, but they need to tweak the experience so there are not so many tourists around the elephants at one time. All the photos online show just 2 people with the elephants and so we expected one on one time with the elephants and the mahoots. However more and more people kept coming into the lunch area at the start and we started to feel that the whole set up was just off. We hope others have a...

I cannot say enough on how incredible the Elephant Freedom Project is. My partner and I stayed for 5 days as volunteers and could have happily spent a whole month there! When you arrive they teach you about how most of the domesticated elephants are treated in the tourism business in Sri Lanks, and explain how they have been able to save two elephants from that hard life already, and how they hope to grow and be able to save many more. The volunteer program is set up so well and you get plenty of one on one time with their magnificent beings, everything centering around the wellbeing on the elephants. Mannika and Kumari are two of the sweetest soulds we have ever met. Over the days with them, feeding and washing them, going on walks so they get their exercise, and cleaning their beds so they can sleep comfy, you get to really see them and know them, with all their personality quirks and characteristics. Their mahouts (handlers) are a joy to be around and you can see how much care and love they have for the elephants, and how much the elephants love them!! It is really heart warming to see. Since we stayed several days, Mannika and Kumari were able to get to know us and we noticed how they began to respond differently to us after a couple days, like we were their new best friends!

Every day you get to add on additional projects and activities for when you are not with the elephants. We got to help make a big, lovingly made meal for the dogs on the street and hand them out to them. I can still see how happy they looked and how much their tails were wagging. You can also go to the local english school to practice with the sweetest kids of all ages, see the elephant poo factory where they make sustainable paper and other products from the elephant dung (and learn how much this positively impacts the environment and saves the trees!!), there is the spice factory where you see the spices and oils made, and have the options to go to different temples, hikes, planting trees, adding to their murals, amongst other options. The coordinators give you options day to day depending on how you feel and what you'd like to do, and will go out of their way to try and organize any special requests you have.

Apart from the elephants, the coordinators and staff are the real gem of the experience. Every single one of the women on the team are so welcoming, kind, and helpful. You really feel as if you are staying with family, and we can honestly say we left the program having made dear friends. We could not recommend staying here enough, and will be back to see our elephant friends and the entire team again.. and again..

Thank you elephant freedom project for all...