A golden cave temple painted across five sacred chambers
Rising above the plains of the Cultural Triangle, the Dambulla cave temple has drawn pilgrims for more than two thousand years. Five rock chambers shelter over 150 Buddha statues beneath ceilings entirely covered in murals 2,100 square metres of sacred painting flowing across the natural curves of the stone. It is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex on the island, and the climb up rewards you twice: once inside the candle-lit caves, and again with sweeping views towards Sigiriya rock on the horizon.
Combine Dambulla with Sigiriya in one day climb the rock at dawn, then the cool caves at midday.
150+ Buddha statues in candle-lit rock chambers
Over 2,000 m² of continuous sacred painting
The vast seated Buddha at the temple base
Sigiriya rock floating on the horizon
Pre-Buddhist megalithic burial site nearby
The island's largest wholesale fruit & veg market
Dambulla lies in the Matale District, in Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle region.
Tell us your dates and we'll build Dambulla into a journey shaped around you.
