Sigiriya has been the iconic image of Sri Lanka, the most recognized place in this little island. Thousands of tourists visit this massive rock fortress yearly. Statistically, this is the most visited place in every calendar year in Sri Lanka. But you read it correctly it’s an Ancient Rock stands 660 ft tall from the ground! Why do people even care about such a rock!
History of Sigiriya
History goes back since 03rd century BC. Many locals believe the rock has a connection with King Rawana and his brother Kuvera. Those days Sigiriya was known as “Kuwera’s Alakamandawa”. However, the written history can be found at around the second half of the 5th century when King Kashyapa decided to build his fortress here. According to the historical references King Kashyapa let his father die in a dungeon to snatch the throne and tried to kill his own brother to secure his power. King Kassapa made this fortress where he can survive any attack from his brother. The rock was believed to be shaped as a monumental lion. Even for today, we can see the Lion's claws. After king Kashyapa’s death, the fortress was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century.
Why is it unique?
The king survived over 20 years despite the attack from his brother due to the defense system and strategic location. From the summit of the fortress, you can see 100 miles and plan the attack accordingly. Apart from its high defenses, the king had a taste for luxury living. Since the rock get warm during the day time, he built numerous water gardens, pools, fountains. Even for today technology some of the irrigation system that used in Sigiriya is a mystery.
Recognizing those importance, In 1982 Sigiriya was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Location and how to get to Sigiriya
From the Colombo city, Sigiriya is about 160km. The Rock fortress is located between Sigiriya & Habarana town. The nearest train station is Habarana, which is 15km away from Sigiriya. If someone wishes to use public transportation, Frequent buses run from Colombo & Kandy bus stations.
Best time to visit Sigiriya and what to bring
The gates are open at 6.30 am, so the perfect time would be as early as possible. Remember you have to climb a rock which has 1,200 stairs when the sun hits it will get warmer and warmer. Less crowd and a cooler environment will save your energy up at the summit. The entire journey will take around 6 hours to visit the museum too. Try to wear simple clothes, sunglasses, and good shoes. Also, make sure to have sufficient water stock in your backpack as you might need more than you thought. If you plan to wear a hat make sure it fits to the head as it’s quite windy at the top. There are local guides available at the entrance if you like to know the historical importance and ancient architecture you must have one. Then only you will get the real value of the journey.
What else to see while in Sigiriya
- Pidurangala Rock
Won’t be challenging as much as climbing Sigiriya. This is a Buddhist meditation temple. Very famous for instagrammable photos.
- Minerriya National Park
You can see South East Asia’s biggest Elephant gathering here. 100 of elephants gather every evening for the sunset ritual.
- Kaudulla National Park
In this national park also you will be able to spot Elephants. If you are lucky you will see some leopards, wild boar & sloth bear.
- The Ancient City of Polonnaruwa
Second kingdom of Sri Lanka. Polonnaruwa has many ruins that are in good condition. It will be one day or two days tour to cover the entire place according to your interest.
Accommodation & Price
The entrance fee to the Sigiriya for Foreigners is USD 30/- ( 165 Steem).
Since this is the most visited place in the country, there are a lot of accommodation units are available ranging from as less as $10 per night to $800+ luxury units.
These are some places that can be recommended personally,
| Hotel | Price for 2 (USD) | Price - Steem | Google Plus code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heritance Kandalama | 506 | 2750 | VPC4+MW Dambulla |
| Jetwing Vil Uyana | 682 | 3730 | WPJC+77 Sigiriya |
| AmayaLake Dambulla | 60 | 328 | VPV2+R8 Dambulla |
| WaterGarden Sigiriya | 900 | 4920 | XPRW+MF Sigiriya |
| KassapaLions Rock | 100 | 550 | XPHG+VW Sigiriya |
Best places to eat
There are many places with many variety of foods. Price will be depend on the foods you choose. Most places are moderately Priced. Cost for a meal for a person would be range from USD 3 to USD 100/- Here are some place with what they specialize for.
| Restaurant | Specialized for | Google Plus code |
|---|---|---|
| Kenoli restaurant | Sri Lankan cuisine | WPXX+VV Sigiriya |
| Pizza Brothers,Sigiriya | Italian cuisine | XQ23+H9 Sigiriya |
| Lario Resort | Italian cuisine | WPH3+W6 Sigiriya |
| Croissant Hut | European cuisine | XQ23+GG Sigiriya |
| Windy Corner | Seafood | 2QP3+H8 Habarana |
Hope you enjoyed reading about this amazing place, I wish one of reader will visit Sri Lanka one day to witness Sigiriya.
To be continued 😎
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Greeting @ virajherath,
It was a really interesting read and a complete guide with all the information important for a traveler. I have visited Sigiriya few times but I haven't climbed Pidurangala Rock. Will try it in the next visit..
Thanks for the nice article...
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