Is tourist elephant riding completely banned in Sri Lanka?

Tourist elephant riding is not fully banned by national law, but it is heavily discouraged, and the government has introduced strict welfare rules that really limit this practice. Most ethical tour operators and international travel agencies have taken a hard stance and boycotted it fully.

In 2021, Sri Lanka put in place laws saying working elephants may not carry more than four people, and riders cannot drink alcohol. Even with these rules, animal welfare organisations keep urging visitors to pass on elephant rides because of the harsh training methods and the serious spinal damage the animals can experience. Ethical travellers should instead choose to watch wild elephants inside national parks on jeep safaris.