Sigiriya, Sri Lanka, is a small town that has become famous because of one particular attraction – Sigiriya Rock. It’s easily one of the most amazing places to see in Sri Lanka. To get there you will almost certainly land at Colombo airport to Sigiriya the distance between Colombo airport to Sigiriya is approximately 150 km and it will take around 3.10 hours.
Climb the world-famous Sigiriya Rock
As I said earlier, Sigiriya’s main attraction is Sigiriya Rock. This rock is huge and really worth seeing if you ask me. From afar, you can spot Sigiriya Rock, which looks out of place as it rises high into the sky.
King Kashyapa chose the rock in 477. as the new capital. He built a palace on the rock of Sigiriya and, about halfway through, he also built a huge lion to use as a door. The whole structure is very impressive and before climbing the rock I recommend visiting the museum below to read about the area.
I myself compare Sigiriya Rock to places like Machu Picchu, simply because of the enormous effort required to build such a large palace on a freestanding rock.
Discover the paintings of Pethikada
Pethikada is a small art gallery in the center of the city, which has become somewhat famous thanks to word of mouth. A local man named Jagath paints all the works of art himself and his art style is reminiscent of the ancient paintings found on the rock of Sigiriya.
For many, purchasing a Pethikada painting is a perfect souvenir. But even if you’re not looking for souvenirs, consider stopping by and taking a quick look to appreciate the artwork. There is so much to see in this small art gallery that you must visit!
Go on a safari in Minneriya National Park
Minneriya National Park is one of the best places to see elephants in Sri Lanka. The park covers 8,890 hectares, so it can only be visited by jeep. On a safari in Minneriya National Park, you can see elephants gathering in groups of up to 350!
The best time of year to see the big elephant gathering in Minneriya is from July to September (outside of these months, read the Kaudulla and Wasagamuwa Safari below). But you will still be able to see elephants all year round!
Minneriya is a great option for a Sri Lanka jeep safari as it is much less crowded than Yala odel Udawalawe National Park. As Sri Lanka has become such a popular tourist destination, these national parks can get very busy with hundreds of jeeps racing around the same small areas.
Explore the cave temples of Dambulla
Just a 30-minute drive from Sigiriya are the Dambulla cave temples. These temples are among the most important in Sri Lanka. They are well preserved and extremely ancient. In fact, they found human skeletons in temples that were 2,700 years old!
To get to the temples you have to climb a lot of stairs for about 10-15 minutes, but it’s worth it as the views are amazing! Going at sunset is above all a pleasure (not to mention it’s more fun).
When you reach your temple, you need to take off your shoes and cover your shoulders and knees. Make sure you wear appropriate clothing as sarongs are not always available for hire.
