Where to see Elephants in Sri Lanka (avoid Pinnawala!)

Over 15 national parks in Sri Lanka host wild elephants. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage claims they take care of the orphanages but it actually is one of the main tourist attractions for travelers on organized tours following their Sri Lanka travel route. Pinnawala has become super popular since beautiful photos were getting shared on social media by huge influencers. We had high expectations of Pinnawala but were left with a heartbreaking experience instead.