Mount Sigiriya or Lion Rock is one of the most important cultural and historical monuments of Sri Lanka. It is the ruins of an ancient palace ensemble, located right in the middle of the lush jungle. Often the fortress of Sigiriya is called the “eighth wonder of the world.”
Check this ultimate guide to Lion Rock, Sri Lanka; keep reading to learn more about best things to do in Sigiriya, best day tours, how to get, opening hours, entrance fees and other important information for first timers.
- Location: Central Province, Sri Lanka
- Mount Sigiriya Height: 349 meters above sea level and 180 meters above surrounding area
- Mount Sigiriya (Lion Rock) Tour Package Price: Departure from Colombo + Visiting Dambulla Cave Temple – from 70 USD per person.
- Number of Steps: 1200 steps to reach mountain top
- On the Map: link.
Mount Sigiriya: General Information
Sigiriya is a small town located in the northeast of Sri Lanka. It is a couple of hours drive from Kandy and Anuradhapura. By itself, this town is nothing special. There are several hotels, small guesthouses, restaurants and souvenir shops. The most important attraction for which tourists go here is Mount Sigiriya, which is also called the Lion Rock. It can be seen from the city center, it rises above the houses and trees.
The name “Sigiriya” in translation from the Sinhalese language literally means “lion rock”. Why is it called that way? It’s all about the shape of the Sigiriya rock. Its upper part is made in the form of a giant lion, which in its paws clamped the beginning of a stone staircase. The steps of this staircase lead to the top of the mountain. By now, alas, only paws have remained from the royal sculpture. But even they are impressive. Sigiriya rock is included in the UNESCO list.
The mountain is located in the heart of Sri Lanka. Its height above sea level is 370 m. Mount Sigiriya spread over an area of 1.5 hectares.
History of Lion Rock
The history of the rock dates back to ancient times, when the local ruler, King Kasyapa, lived here. He built his own palace on the top of Sigiriya with marvelous royal gardens, ponds and parks. Before the fortress was built on the hill, Buddhist monastery was located there.
Why Mount Sigiriya is Famous?
In addition to gigantic lion paws and fountains, the royal throne is still preserved on the rock, on which the ruler once sat. There are also many alleys and caves, noteworthy is the cave called Cobra Hood. Inside it, traces of ancient paintings remained on the ceiling.
Along the whole of Sigiriya stretches the so-called “Hall of Mirrors”. It is a 140-meter stone niche decorated with frescoes. On them you can see the so-called apsaras – young half-naked dancers throwing flowers on the ground. Their hair is pulled up in wonderful hairstyles, decorated with ribbons. In the ears of the heavenly maidens are large earrings. The necks are decorated with luxurious necklaces, and the wrists are decorated with bracelets.
How many steps are there in Sigiriya? “Lion Rock” in height can be compared with a 60-storey building. The ascent takes from 1.5 to 3 hours – the time depends on the physical fitness of the traveler. Well, the number of steps is 1200 pieces.
Mount Sigiriya Tour Packages
Sigiriya is included in the “golden triangle” of attractions in Sri Lanka. In addition to the rock, it includes a Dambulla Royal Cave Temple, the ancient Temple of Sacred Tooth Relic and other interesting places. So during your vacation in Sri Lanka, you can visit Sigiriya as part of an excursion, and at the same time see all the most interesting cultural monuments of the island. The cost of excursions, which include Sigiriya, ranges from 50 to 200 dollars. You can book day tour to Mount Sigiriya in Sri Lanka in advance using the GetYourGuide service.
Excursion to Mount Sigiriya and Pidurangala with departure from Negombo . The cost of the tour includes transfer from the hotel and back, entrance fees to both rocks, water and an English-speaking guide.
Excursion to Mount Sigiriya and visit to Dambulla temple with departure from Bentota. Entrance fees to Mount Sigiriya and the temple are paid separately.
Excursion to Mount Sigiriya from Colombo with a visit to the Dambulla Temple . Entrance fees to destinations are paid separately.
Ticket prices for Mount Sigiriya
The price of an entrance ticket to Mount Sigiriya is quite high and is about $30 per person. Tickets can be bought at the ticket office, which is located next to the main entrance, the ticket office is open from 6.30 am to 18.00. Since the ticket office is located some distance from the main entrance, it can be easily missed. Don’t forget to purchase your tickets before the ascent, otherwise you’ll have to go down to buy tickets and continue climbing again.
Payment for entrance tickets is carried out in cash, although at the box office there is a machine for accepting cards, it does not always work.
Travel Tips
The weather in Sri Lanka is almost always hot; In the afternoon, the tropical sun begins to burn. Therefore, it is recommended to go to Sigiriya as early as possible – in the morning or at least in the morning. Be sure to grab a jar of sunscreen, panama hat, and also take water with you. It is also important to dress in comfortable clothes and shoes in order to make the ascent to Sigiriya as easy as possible.
There are no amenities (latrines) on the rock.
On some sections of the path there are signs prohibiting taking pictures. This is done in order to preserve the old drawings on the rocks. If you decide to break this rule, be prepared for the fact that your camera can be taken away from you (without a return).
On the territory of the fortress there are also signs warning that there are wasps near Mount Sigiriya and it is not recommended to disturb them. Every year, several cases of wasp attacks on tourists are recorded near the Lion Rock. Locals believe that it is the army of the ancient king Kashipai who has been reborn and is protecting the fortress. You may believe it or not, but in order to protect yourself from being bitten, it is recommended to avoid sudden movements, as well as to move quietly, without making too much noise.
Unlike many other attractions in Sri Lanka, such as temples or religious places, where there are certain requirements for the appearance of visitors, you can climb Mount Sigiriya in clothes that are comfortable for you.
How to get to Mount Sigiriya?
From Kandy
If you are traveling to Mount Sigiriya from Kandy, then the cheapest option would be to travel by bus to Dambulla (72 km). Take the bus to Dambulla from the central bus station. It is opposite the railway station. The trip will take you about two and a half hours, buses leave every 30 minutes. There are two types of buses: an express bus that goes non-stop to your destination and one that stops at every stop along the way. The fare is 200 LKR. At Dambulla, change to a bus bound for Sigiriya or take a tuk-tuk.
From Colombo
If you don’t want to visit the rock as part of an excursion, you can go to Sigiriya on your own. The mountain is 175 km away from the capital Colombo. You can get to it by car – along the A1 and A6 highways. The journey will take about 4 hours.
If public transport is more suitable, it is recommended to go from Dambulla, which is located 25 km from the “lion rock”. The journey will take about 40 minutes. Buses run quite often – the first flight leaves at 7 am, and then they run every 30 minutes. The last return bus leaves at 19:00. Of course, you should definitely clarify the current traffic schedule directly in Dambulla. The fare will be 40 rupees.
You can get to Sigiriya from Hikkaduwa. The easiest way to go is by train: the travel time will be a little over an hour. Or you can take a taxi.
Things to do and see near Lion Rock
Museum dedicated to Mount Sigiriya
A visit to this museum is included in the price of the entrance ticket. Be sure to look there, you can learn a lot of interesting things about the history of the fortress. The museum presents a large 3D model of the Lion Rock, where you can also see the first pictures of the excavations of the fortress, which were carried out back in the 19th century by British archaeologists.
Royal Gardens at Lion’s Rock
The royal gardens adjacent to the territory of the fortress deserve your attention no less than Mount Sigiriya. Lush greenery, small waterfalls and ponds – all this creates excellent conditions for a pleasant walk.
As soon as you enter the territory of the complex, the first place you will get is the water gardens. Pools, reservoirs of various forms are interconnected by underground channels and hydraulic systems.
Frescoes on Mount Sigiriya
What else Mount Sigiriya is famous for is its frescoes. They depict maidens holding trays of fruit and flower petals. Images of antiquity have survived to this day due to the fact that an overhanging rock hides them from bad weather. Photographing frescoes is prohibited, experts assure that camera flashes can harm ancient images, which are of great value.
Mount Sigiriya Mirror Wall
On this wall you can find a large number of inscriptions, poems, poems and mysterious signs left by visitors as early as the 7th century. About this wall in the complex, we can say that it has been serving as a kind of guest book for many years.
Since many of the inscriptions are of historical value, visitors are not allowed to write on the wall.
Walk the stairs between the Lion’s Paws
Mount Sigiriya was nicknamed Lion Rock for a reason. Between the two giant paws is a ladder. In the 5th century, this staircase could be climbed and reached the top through the mouth of a lion. Climbing to the top served as a reminder to all Buddhists that the words of the Buddha have the same power as the roar of a lion. The head of a huge lion was destroyed a long time ago and now only huge paws and a staircase remain from the grandeur of this once sacred place.
Mount Sigiriya Video
Mount Sigiriya FAQ
This place is a great example of urban sites, created long time ago. Earlier, till 14th century it was one of the Buddhist monastery.
It will take about 50 minutes to climb the mountain and 50 minutes to go down. If you would like to enjoy your trip, its better to arrive as early as possible. The best time to start climbing is around 7am, at this time its not so hot and there not so many tourists at the place.
It was king Kashyapa I under whose supervision Sigiriya fortress was constructed.
Because of the King’s death capital was again moved to Anuradhapura which led to the desolation of Sigiriya.
Visiting Sigiriya doesn’t mean climbing the rock only. The territory around the fortress is interesting to discover: there trekking paths, parks, abonded castles ruins that for sure worth visiting.
Many tourist guide recommend to spend at least 2 days discovering Sigiriya. This time is enough to explore Dambulla cave temple, Pidurangala temple and Lion’s Rock and its surroundings.
There 1200 steps to should climb to reach the top.
Sri Lankan government has started to work on preservation of this place only 40 years ago. As before this time nothing was done to save this place, Lion’s head was destroyed many years ago.
