Sigiriya Rock And Dambulla Cave All Inclusive Private Day Trip

Long day for over 60s lots of steps … not for the faint hearted …. Take lots of water and you need time to recover

We had a wonderful Sigiriya and Dambulla day tour with my family, and it was truly a memorable experience. The entire trip was well-organized, comfortable, and enjoyable from start to finish. A special thank you to our driver, Nuwan, for his excellent service, friendly attitude, and safe driving throughout the journey. He was very knowledgeable, helpful, and ensured that we had a pleasant experience at every stop. We would also like to extend our gratitude to the Beyond Escapes team for their excellent arrangements and professionalism. Everything was handled smoothly, making our family trip stress-free and enjoyable. Highly recommended for anyone looking to explore the beauty and cultural heritage of Sigiriya and Dambulla. We look forward to traveling with Beyond Escapes again in the future!

Overall a great tour with Mr Dinesh, extremely knowledgeable and helpful throughout the day. Sigiriya is a must see!

I toured Sri Lanka with the very delightful Dhamita in 2018 and it still remains one of the best experiences of my life! (So much so, that I am leaving this very positive review in 2022...apologies for the massive delay, Dhamita!) Dhamita communicated very well via text, picked me up on time in his luxurious Air Conditioned (!) car and we set off on a 5-hour drive to glorious Sigiriya. Although Sigiriya was my destination, what made this trip absolutely remarkable were all the stops on the way there and back...an invaluable experience. With my consent, we stopped at various temples, food stands, metal, wood working, furniture and jewelry shops, I got to meet the most amazing people, and tasted the most delicious authentic local cuisine... a truly genuine experience! When (not if) I return to Sri Lanka, I will be contracting Dhamita and Beyond Escapes as my guide again! Maybe to Kandy next time :) HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

One of Srilanka’s outstanding and must visit attractions, The eight wonder of the world - Sigirya Rock Fortress also known as Lion Rock. On day 3, we went to climb the Sigirya Fort, There were around 1,200 steps which took around 2 hours to reach the top of the rock to enjoy awesome breathtaking and panormic views.

We had a private tour from Kandy to Sigyria and Dambulla cave temple, the tour was very good, both guide Hanushka and the driver were kind and knowledgeable, they came on time and the guide gave us s lot of information, we also really liked the lunch, we could choose what to take (buffet) and it was typical Sri Lankan cuisine ;)

We had a wonderful experience with Savi. This is a very long day trip including 2x4h drives from Colombo and back, but worth every minute of it. The temple in Dambulla caves is very inspiring and the climb up to the Sigiriya fortress very impressive. A tough climb but the view from the top is amazing. Our diver, Savi, was extremely helpful and suggested we added a jeep safari to see elephants; a great suggestion. Highly recommended.

Me and my partner had an excellent day on this tour. Our driver Pathum was very knowledgeable on the caves tour and kept us away from pushy locals. The Sigiriya tour was excellent and we were allowed to peruse at our "leisure" (if you can call climbing the rock in 35 degrees and 95% humidity leisure!) He also drove us expertly and safely back to the hotel in the middle of a monsoon, would highly recommend.

It's an experience you wouldn't want to miss when visiting Sri Lanka! The climb is a bit, but with the right people it turns into a really good work out & the best part is the view is great.

We set out early in the morning, to start the climb of 1200 steps, before the sunrise. Better to have an early start as it would be quite tiring to climb, while it is hot. Make sure you carry water. Climb is difficult, but doable, we did it in about two hours climbing ip and coming down.

I booked (via Viator) this private tour (just me and the driver who was also the guide) from Colombo. When I missed a flight and didn't get into Colombo until the next day, I messaged the company and they immediately responded to tell me that we could do the tour the next day, no problems or questions asked. In fact, we had to leave at 4am instead of 6am just so they could immediately take me to the airport to catch my next flight at 7pm. Again, no problem whatsoever. It is so refreshing to deal with people who are so flexible. I'm sure if it was a group tour (or less expensive) than it might not have been as flexible, but I felt very well taken care of. The driver/guide (one person) spoke very good English, had a great sense of humor, was kind to start the tour so early, and did not rush me AT ALL. We did not make any unnecessary souvenir stops either that I'm sure other tours force you to do. The cave and lion rock (Sigiriya) were really interesting places and must be a highlight of Sri Lanka. I probably wouldn't go to Sri Lanka and miss those places. A note of caution, climbing the stairs at Sigiriya was intense, both because at times you are looking down the face of a cliff (perfectly safe but might bother some who are afraid of heights). I'm in just so-so shape and probably have never sweated more in my entire life. But since you're not rushed at all, you can stop and catch your breathe multiple times. If I had friends or family visiting Sri Lanka, I would be sure to get the same guide and company for them.

Interesting museum at start of the tour including toilets! Recommend starting your day very early to avoid the heat and crowds. Walk through the gardens and over the ancient moat as you approach the rock itself - and then you start the assent. The Lion Paws are about half way up , and from there it is mainly metal steps that are very steep. You come down a separate flight of stairs back to the Lion Paws. Exhausting! Fabulous view at the top though.

What an amazing experience and beautiful sites to see a must see when here and travel to the rock temple dambulla before hand absolutely beautiful

This day trip was a great way to spend our short stay in Sri Lanka. We saw two beautiful, historical places with an awesome drive through the beautiful country of Sri Lanka in between. Mr. Shavendra was our driver and he was amazing! He gave us interesting information about Sri Lanka, different areas we drove through, the country's history and was also very considerate throughout the day - asking how we were, if we were comfortable, hungry, thirsty etc. (at the end of the journey, my partner was asleep in the back, he answered his phone and spoke very quietly so not to disturb her). 5 stars out of 5 for Mr. Shavendra!

The tour operator was very responsive, getting back to me within minutes of booking the tour. The driver guide Imran was informative and helpful, and tried to accommodate our dinner booking by having us back in Colombo in time. Great to see the ancient palace.

The Sigiriya Rock Fortress is a must see. Lots of steps but it is worth it. I would however recommend that you travel on a weekday. Early when it is a little cooler. It get quite warm, and the walking heats you up. Take plenty of water. The weekends are so busy with both local and visitors it takes much longer to each the top.

Dear Beyond escapes, thank you very much for making our Sri Lankan holiday a memorable one. Mr. Kumara is truly an exceptional guide. His knowledge about the Lankan history and traditions kept us excited throughout the 3 day tour.. He ensured we got a real glimpse of the Lankan hospitality. We travel back with great memories of local food & spices, knowledge of amazing history, sight of lush green locations, full of life beaches and of course the humble and sweet Sri Lankan people we had a chance to interact with. Keep up the great work you guys are doing. Places visited: Sigiriya rock fortress Dambulla caves Temple of tooth relic, Kandy Madu river boat ride Spice garden, Kandy Geragama tea estate and factory Turtle hatchery Galle fort Galle Dutch hospital

Loved every moment and Kumara, my driver, was great. The exact amount of conversation. Some notes that I struggled to work out before the trip: 1. It's a long day, but very much up to you in respect of how long you stay at a particular place (all well worth it!) 2. At the Cave Temples it is respectful to wear clothing that covers your knees, but that doesn't necessarily mean you need to wear trousers (which would be a nightmare walking up Sigiriya rock!). My driver had a sarong that I used to cover my knees. Breathtaking views, and all very worth the long hours in the car.

I found this tour on Viator.com, as it was one of the first on the 'recommended' list, so I booked it right away. First of, I really appreciated that Dulani, one of the tour agents, contacted me via Whatsapp regarding my inquiries & clarifications in an efficient & detailed manner. Therefore, my queries were answered right away - I'm glad they're not using the traditional & boring e-mails to contact me, especially when everyone uses their phones nowadays! The tour itself was a long day, but very well worth it. The drive from Colombo to Sigiriya took around 4 and a half hours, including the morning traffic and a breakfast pitstop. My driver Kumara was not only a safe & careful driver, but he was also a very humble Sri Lankan. He was also very knowledgeable about his country, and helped me suggest my future travel plans in Sri Lanka. Beyond Escapes truly exceeded my expectations, and I will contact them again about my travel plans soon!

This tour was very nice. We had our own personal driver with a/c. We were staying in Colombo so it was about a 4.5-5 hr drive to get to sigiriya, so make sure to have a book or movie! The rock was awesome, and our guide enabled us to cut some of the long lines. The guide also gave us a history of the rock temple. We were there during the weekend so it was very busy. It was also very hot and sunny so make sure to have plenty of water and sunscreen. We had lunch and went to the dambulla caves which were neat as well. Only downside is the long car ride, it took us about 6 hrs to get back to Colombo. So it’s definitely an all day excursion!

My husband and I had an amazing time. Dhanushka and our driver ( forgot his name ) really went out of their way to give us the best day possible. We had a 12 hour day with these absolute gentlemen that showed us not only the tourist attractions, but their local culture aswell. We couldn't recommend this tour highly enough. What a great day we've had. If there were 10 stars, we'd hand them all of them. Highly recommended.

It was a long day, which started early in the morning. Our guide Damitha picked us up on time. He was a very carefull driver, helpful and kept up the good and friendly conversation during most of the time. The tour finished at around 10 pm, we were very tired but so happy about the emotions from the new and intersting places that we visited. I highly recommend this tour. Thank you, Damitha.

Really enjoyed this tour especially for spectacular view in Sigiriya Rocks! My guide(as my friend as well) took me and told special info in order to keep my curiousity higher!

Enjoyed climbing to the top which felt quite an achievement. Very busy so go at a slow pace following the crowd. Interesting museum and scenic walk up to the rock itself past crocodiles in the moat. Watch out for the helpers, a polite no thanks worked for us.

A very beautiful breathtaking place, climbing was the best part and total fun! When you see the view from top its just amazing!

WOW! That's all I can say. Both Sigiriya Rock and the temple at Dambulla are incredible. Whilst my driver, Dinesh was knowledgable, understanding and safe. Firstly he was a superb driver in all the Colombo traffic and on-time. As a solo female traveller, I wanted a driver so that I would have that sense of security. Dinesh drove me to the spots and a few others on the way that he thought I may like (I agreed to this, of course) and walked me through to the ticket offices. Dinesh provided me with insights to avoid the helpers and highlighted everything that I would need to expect. Dinesh also stated that he could get me a guide if required, but it is really not required. These spots are super well signposted with information as you go. Everything that was stated as an inclusive, was provided. A wonderful trip. It is a very long day so be smart. Bring some music, snacks or anything that keeps you occupied in traffic and the car. Dinesh will also make great conversation with you too.

We really enjoyed the climb and the views even though we struggled big time in the heat. (noon!).Our tour guide told us to refuse the guides unless we wanted one. After getting rid of some of them we were walking up the gardens before any climb when a man who said he worked there started to help us up 3 to 4 small steps. It took us ages of saying 'No ' before he eventually left us. ( we are just 50, maybe overweight slightly but fit enough and stable enough to do it ourselves). 100 more metres then there was 2 more 'workers' helping us. They did and would not take No. Polite as we were it was annoying to have your hand held. Made it to the top where they demanded US dollars or sterling. Neither of which we had. Quite persistent and told us to pay a minimum of 1,000 rupees (£5) to each of them. It's a pure con, one which left a sour taste. It's not the money, just No should mean No. It took us approx 40 mins to climb up with the stop at the paintings etc. Just be wary but make sure you climb it.

We enjoyed this tour, even though the car ride there and back was 4 hours each way, making it a very long day. Our driver was great, he chatted to us about the Sri Lankan countryside and smaller towns along our journey and gave us a tour through the Cave Temples. At Sigiriya, he organised a tour guide for us that showed us through the grounds and climbed to the top of the fortress with us. Luckily, we chose a day that didn't have an exuberant amount of tourists (as we have heard happened in previous days before our tour). Overall, a great experience with a breathtaking view at the top!

This place is so iconic so I'm glad that I made it to the top. It was raining pretty heavily when we were climbing up the fortress but it was worth it. It was pretty easy to climb up the fortress with the steps.

Thank you very much for tour organiser Mr.Hiran and my private tour guide/driver Mr. Dinesh for the wonderful tour. Mr.Dinesh is a very kind, polite and also excellent photographer))..Also he is very informative guide. We started our tour from Dambala caves and after had very good lunch and tasted delicious local foods in a very good restaurant. After we visited Sigiriya rock with amazing view on the top. Again thank you very much to the excellent team of Beyond Escapes Company.. you are the best guys 🙏🙏👍👍

This tour started off great. The driver pulled over for us to buy some fresh fruit and we thought this was going to be great. But then another stop and another stop. Pretty much the driver was stopping to visit friends, shop and get us to buy things from them. Anyways, we were almost at Sigiriya, when you guessed it. Another stop. This time a tour of a garden which ended with us in a hut. My partner and I were offered tea and massages, we politely declined but they insisted. We were then asked for a "donation". When we finally got to Sigiriya our driver told us we could only climb half way. Keeping in mind this is the guy that made is late by visiting friends and shopping. We were late for lunch, the staff was actually eating from the buffet when we arrived. Because of all the stops on the way. I paid over $400 (aus) for this and can say I regret my choice.

Danitha was a fantastic guide who picked us up on time in a lovely private air conditioned car. A great day trip and he stopped off at various interesting places en route to the rock which was a great insight into Sri Lankan culture. He organised a guide for us at the rock and showed us around Dambulla temple himself. A long and tiring day but a great experience made better by a lovely driver and guide! Lunch is included and was lovely. Thank you Danitha. Would highly recommend this tour.

We booked this trip and it started out well. we were picked up by our driver and taken to Dambulla Cave Temples which was amazing. Unfortunately, our driver then told us that Sigiriya was "too crowded" because of local school holidays. He took us to a village for a tour, which we declined because it was not in our plans and they wanted cash. Our driver took us to Sigiriya and spoke with the ticket office in Sinhala. We were told that it was "too crowded" even though other people were buying tickets and the place did not seem overly crowded. We don't know what happened or why but we only got half of our tour. We spoke with the company and told them that while the driver was courteous and polite, we're not clear why our trip did not go as planned. Their response has not been fully adequate. There may have been a legitimate issue but this has not been explained and we only got 50% of what we paid for.

We had a great journey to Sigiriya and Dambulla. What a wonderful experience. The rock fortress was crowded due to the christmas holidays but it was very much worth to spend the time there and witnessing the great creations. Dambulla cave temple was also a very good experience.We highly recommend this tour.

So I have very mixed feelings about this tour. Sigiriya rock was amazing and worth the visit--beautiful despite the rain and heavy clouds on the day that I visited. Its great to be able to hike up and around the site. The basic hike up and around takes a couple hours, and sadly the day trip didn't really leave time see the museum on site. I hired an optional guide for Sigiriya itself--I was happy to support the local guide, but it didn't add much value. The guide took a few pictures, which was nice, but mostly tried to usher me along more quickly. He gave a little context and narrative as we hiked, but most could be captured from the brochure. The view from up top is amazing! The cave temples were nice to see as well, but I wasn't nearly as impressed. I enjoyed the walk around (and the monkeys!) Now for the rest of the trip. Its a LONG day, a really long day in the car, up early returning late. I was traveling solo. The car was comfortable, the driving safe--at lest Sri Lanka safe. And we made a few nice stops on the way for food or cashews, etc. I had hoped for more of a tour guide...and i asked enough questions to keep the conversation going, but the driver is primarily there to drive. He didn't accompany me at any of the sites. Also, watch out for all of the tourist traps--massages at the spice garden for a tip, wood carving, silk shop, gem shops...they really want to run you through the hustle. Resist and save time for Sigiriya or getting home early. The driver wasn't really pushy, and quickly understood that I didn't mind quick stops but wasn't interested in others or buying. Lunch...lunch was horrible. It was a buffet at a restaraunt designed for western tastes and busloads of tourists. I wish I'd know. I would have preferred sooo much more to stop at a local shop and eat a simple meal. And watch out--you get offered a beer as your drink, but it isn't included.

The scenery is beautiful and amazing views of the city. Tour guides are also at the site if you would like to tour the facility. It is a long 4 1/2 hour ride from Colombo, so be prepared. But, well worth the time. You stop at several other sites such as herbal gardens and local restaurants to sample local food. Great trip!

Take the time to climb the one thousand two hundred steps to be amazed by this ancient home of a lost civilisation.

On a private tour from Negombo tried to visit several destinations on a day tour, the Sigiriya Rock was of course the destination, regretfully because it was monsoon season teh weather did not cooperate, climbing was impossible as the mist covered the rock and it was also raining. I am rating it as very good as its a must if Sri Lanka

Great to be privately escorted, helpful and knowledgeable drive. Amazing sights highly recommend this day trip.Would recommend doing the Rock first, as we did the Cave first it was too warm in the midday heat to complete the full Rock climb. Regardless it is an amazing sight and a great scenic drive, as we only had a one day stop over we got a great insight into Sri Lanka. Thank you very much Beyond Escape Travel your professionalism was top. Happy Aussie Travellers

Great historical site. about 1000 steps to climb. Not for those with vertigo as steps overhangs steep rock face. Great view on the top. Lots of monkeys, keep food in good bag, not plastic bags. Can also get very crowded. Went to restaurant called New Sigiri Restaurant. Ala Carte menu is a rip off as they want you to order the buffet lunch which has been sitting there since morning. The restaurant is not in Trip Advisor.

We did a 16 day trip to Sri Lanka for our honeymoon with GoWay Tours. The experience was amazing. We had the same driver, Lakshitha Amarasinghe, the entire time, which was wonderful, as he was friendly, kind, thoughtful, and knowledgeable and he helped to make our experience absolutely incredible. GoWay travel provided us with so many fascinating opportunities and took all of the stress out of traveling! One of our favorite daytrips was to Sigiriya, which was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. We also loved going to local markets, seeing all of the animals (both on safari and in everyday life), going to the temples, meeting new people, and trying all kinds of delicious food. Honestly, this was one of the most amazing experiences of our lives, and we highly recommend travel to Sri Lanka (and both GoWay Tours and Lakshitha Amarasinghe).

Built by King Kashyapa in 473 to 495 CE, it is must visit location by any tourist who come Sri Lanka. It is amazing how the kingdom was built on top of a rock which had looked like a Lion in the ancient days. There are steps right to the top of the rock where you could see the ancient ruins of this magnificent kingdom. Tourist must be cautious about bees and hornets who have built hives on the rock and in the past there have been attacks by them to people who visited the site disturbed their habitat by making loud noises. Also make sure to dress appropriately as it a site of worship in Sri Lanka.

<p>I would highly recommend this tour! The tour guide and driver, Dhamita, was very personable and attentive to my needs. He arrived at my hotel early to ensure that we had an early start to my day. He checked in with me periodically to make sure I was okay. While hiking to the cave temples, he was patient while I took my time to get there. And he was extremely accommodating with helping me to get to the airport. </p> <p>On another note, I would highly recommend everyone to engage in this day trip. The Sigiriya Rock Fortress is simply breathtaking. While it's a slight workout to climb the stairs, it's still quite manageable. My tour guide was also very patient with me every step of the way. We also stopped by several stores to go shopping and engaged in local activities that was quite fun. I also enjoyed the cave temples, which are tucked away in the hills/mountains. It was a pleasant surprise to see these exquisite temples. The weather wasn't too bad, but make sure you drink a ton of water.</p> <p>I wouldn't travel to Sri Lanka without visiting these two places -- they were the highlight of my entire trip!</p>

Unreal!! Great climb and view, anyone can do this and you don’t need a guide. if you go to this part of Sri Lanka it is a must to go here!

The place is spectacular, but the queue is people to go up removes the desire, also sweating up having paid 30 dollars, gives you the feeling of better not having gone. The only thing that is worthwhile are the views from the top.

We arranged a driver through our hotel to take us to the rock, but from the gates we managed ourselves. We bought the entrance tickets, had breakfast in the very shabby cafeteria at the base (would not recommend it, better to have breakfast before you arrive), and started our climb. It is hot and humid, so pack the sunscreen and water bottles. Even at 8am the park was full of families with elderly and kids in their Sunday best. All you need are good shoes. Made it to the top faster than anticipated. The last couple of staircases is not the easiest for people with a fear of heights, but it's manageable. We bypassed all the offers for hired guides, souvenirs, food, and drink. It's worth it for the views at the top.

Wear good walking shoes. I was comfortable in hiking boots. Toilet at base of rock and at tourist's car park (finish point). Take at least 1 litre of water or more, hat and sunscreen. Yes there are lots of steps and stairs but also plenty of resting stations. Not for folk with aversion to heights. Some sections have limited hand rails. Possible to hire a guide to assist e.g. if elderly or infirm. Spectacular view from top. Curious and playful monkeys at upper level "lions feet" section. Beautiful cave paintings midway.

Enjoyed visiting Sigiriya Rock Fortress. The garden at the bottom are really pretty. The metal stairs we had to climb were pretty impressive. Great view from the top. Warning: do not feed the monkeys and beware of the wasp nests! Yes the ecosystem is preserved :) Get there early. Do not think museum building (were you buy the tickets) reflects the site. It is pretty 'cumbersome' - there was however one cute exhibition in there that we almost missed: a collection of children drawings from around the word of a lion. Depending on the culture the lion was drawn very differently, this was quite funny. I think that the Sigiriya Rock Fortress is a must do if you are in that area.

<p>Really enjoyed the tour although it was tough trekking up Sigiriya rock in the blistering heat but well worth it. Our driver Dhamitha was such a nice guy and made our trip highly enjoyable. I would definitely recommend it</p>