Sigiriya, recognized as a World Heritage Site, is one of the top tourist spots in Sri Lanka. Created about 2 billion years ago, this place in Sri Lanka attracts thousands of tourists due to its archaeological significance. Sigiriya is a wonderful creation of nature and human imagination.
A Brief History of Sigiriya
The ancient fortress of Sigiriya is located between the cities of Dambulla and Habarane at an altitude of 200 meters above ground level and 370 meters above sea level. From the mid-3rd century AD to 477 AD, these rocks housed Buddhist statues. Then, in the second half of the 5th century, King Kasyapa ordered the construction of a royal palace here on the rock. The fort and surrounding palaces, gardens, and other structures carry the history of that time.
Basically, this rock is molten magma, which has solidified into rock. Once there were numerous volcanoes, but now only Sigiriya Rock and Pidurangala Rock remain. On the northern side of the rock is a narrow road where a lion’s footprint was found in 1858; since then, the place has been called Sigiriya. Sigiriya comes from the word ‘Sinha Giri’ and means lion stone.
How to Get Around Sigiriya, Sri Lanka
The most remarkable aspect of the architecture of the Sigiriya fort is that it is designed on a square module. There are red stone forts and ruins of an ancient palace surrounded by gardens, water tanks, and other ancient structures. The fort wall has been built over an area of about 15 hectares near the rock. A terrace has been made on the slope of the hill by cutting stones, and there is a terraced garden next to this stone, which is very popular with tourists.
Moreover, the whole place is rich in archaeology. There is a Royal Park on the western side of the fort; it would not be wrong to call it Anand Bagan. An ancient pool here makes the place more attractive. The Royal Park is surrounded by three forts and two moats.
The curved staircase leading to the upper gallery of Sigiriya is primarily known for its frescoes. There are paintings of buxom women and paintings of a woman believed to represent King Kashyap’s consort. The Sigiriya frescoes flank a stone wall with a smooth coating of glass, where tourists like to write their own impressions of the place. It is, therefore, called the “mirror wall.”
Sigiriya rock climbing is a thrilling experience for anyone. Usually, it takes about 1 hour to climb this rock, but if the number of tourists is high, it may take a little more time to climb in the crowd. If you want to see the beautiful view of the sunrise from here, you must go early in the morning because the weather here gets hotter as the day progresses. Cobra Hood Cave here is another special attraction for tourists.
One kilometer north of Sigiriya Rock is Pidurangula Rock. A 20-minute hike is required to reach the top of this rock. There are several small temples and a 12.5-meter-high revolving Buddhist statue. Both sunrise and sunset are beautiful from here. So if you have time and effort, you can climb to the top of this rock.
Next to Sigiriya is the Minneriya National Park, where during the summer months, elephants come from the mountains to this park. There is also a lot of wildlife here. The entire area can be explored by safari jeep for an entry fee.
Near Sigiriya, there are Kaudulla National Park, Sigiriya Museum (where you can learn about the history and information of Sigiriya Fort), Dambulla Cave Temple, Anuradhapura, Mihintale (the ancient capital of Sri Lanka, there are several preserved temples and statues). And if you have time, you can go to Polonnaruwa town by crossing the road for 1 hour.
Timings: Sigiriya rock climbing office is open from 7 am to 5:30 pm.
Travel Expenses
Climbing the rock costs Sri Lankan Rupees 50 for locals and $30 for non-Sri Lankan tourists (Sri Lankan Rupees 5000).
How to Go
Sigiriya can be reached by plane, bus, or taxi from Colombo, Sri Lanka. Colombo to Sigiriya is 177 km, taking 4-5 hours depending on the vehicle. It takes about 1 hour to go to Sigiriya by taxi from Colombo airport to Sigiriya airport by plane. And in the case of going by train, from Colombo Fort Station to Habarana Railway Station, you can take a taxi to Sigiriya. It takes an hour and a half.
By bus, take a bus from Colombo Bastian Mawatha Bus Terminal to Dambulla, then take a taxi to Sigiriya. The bus leaves every 15 minutes from 6:30 am to 6 pm. It takes 4 hours.
Where Will You Stay
There are several hotels and homestays to stay in Sigiriya. For example, Maheshma Homestay, Sigiriya Safari Homestay, Alia Hotel & Spa, Iho Banana Rest, Green House Resort, Dhanusi Homestay, Bandula Home Stay, Da Neelmani Lodge, Green Wood Hotel Sigiriya will get a room for 2 people between Tk 400-550.
Some Tips
- Try to go to Sigiriya from November to April because then the hot air balloon festival is held in Sigiriya.
- If you enter half an hour after all the tourists officially enter, you will find many fewer crowds.
- By avoiding peak hours, it will take less time to climb Sigiriya rock during off-peak hours.
- Crossing the metal stairs in Sigiriya is a bit tricky. And many times the stairs are wet due to rain, so this time you have to be very careful and climb up carefully.
- There is a fear of slipping when wearing flat sandals. So if you want to go here, you must wear shoes with a good grip.
- It is better to wear a T-shirt and shorts as it will facilitate movement and climbing on rocks.
- Bike rentals are available here; many people prefer to explore the entire Sigiriya by bike rental.
- Be sure to carry a torch when climbing and descending the rocks this afternoon.
