A 5th-century palace in the sky, rising from the jungle
Some places live up to the photographs. Sigiriya exceeds them. A 200-metre column of rock erupts from flat jungle, and on its summit sit the ruins of a royal palace built in the 5th century by King Kashyapa, complete with water gardens, mirror walls, and frescoes that have kept their colour for 1,500 years.
The climb takes about ninety minutes with stops, passing the famous Lion’s Paws that guard the final staircase. Go at opening time: the light is soft, the crowds are thin, and the jungle below is still waking up.
Most of our guests pair Sigiriya with the cave temples of Dambulla and a village experience nearby, and many add an afternoon safari in Minneriya, where wild elephants gather in numbers found nowhere else on earth.
1,200 steps to a royal palace in the clouds, with 360-degree jungle views
The celebrated cloud maidens, painted mid-rock 1,500 years ago
The neighbouring climb with the best view of Sigiriya itself, perfect at sunrise
Five caves of golden Buddhas and painted ceilings, 20 minutes away
The Gathering: hundreds of wild elephants on one reservoir bed (Aug – Sep)
Sigiriya lies in the Matale District, in Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle region.
Tell us your dates and we'll build Sigiriya into a journey shaped around you.
