About this experience
This is a private day trip from Colombo to two of Sri Lanka's UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Sigiriya rock fortress and the Dambulla cave temple, with a walk through a traditional village near Sigiriya in between. The day begins with pickup at your hotel in Colombo, and an English-speaking chauffeur guide drives you throughout in a private air-conditioned vehicle before bringing you back to your hotel at the end.
The start is early, so bring a packed breakfast if you cannot eat at your hotel before you leave. Sigiriya is the first stop. The rock rises sharply from the central plains, and its flat summit carries the ruins of the palace of King Kassapa, who ruled from here in the 5th century AD. The way up passes between the brick paws of a lion that give the site its name of Lion Rock, and leads past the painted frescoes on the rock face, the terraced gardens and the old water cisterns, and up steep staircases to the summit ruins and the wide views across the surrounding country.
After the climb comes the village tour in Sigiriya, a look at everyday rural life in the countryside around the rock, followed by a break for lunch. The drive then continues through farmland and villages to Dambulla.
The Golden Temple of Dambulla is a cave temple set into a stone cliff, its caves filled with Buddha statues, figures of deities and murals that tell the life story of the Buddha. You walk through the five main caves, including the Cave of the Divine King, the Cave of the Great King and the Great New Monastery, and see the giant golden Buddha statue that stands a short distance outside the cave complex. From Dambulla you are driven back to your hotel in Colombo.
The tour is private to your party and open to guests aged 12 and over. Food and drinks and personal expenses are not included. The page offers the tour either with entrance tickets for the sites or without them, so choose the option that suits you. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended, road traffic can change drive times, and photography stops along the way can be arranged where there is somewhere reasonable to park.
