Your private Sri Lankan history adventure begins at 6.00 am when your friendly local guide will pick you up from your hotel in Colombo. Sigiriya lion rock is located in the central Matale District near town of Dambulla of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. The name refers to a site of historical and archeaological significance that is dominated by a massive column of rock nearly 200 metres (660 ft) high. According to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Culavamsa the site was selected by King Kasyapa (477 – 495 CE) for his new capital. He built his palace on the top of this rock and decorated its sides with colourful frescoes. On a small plateau about halfway up the side of this rock he built a gateway in the form of an enormous lion. The name of this place is derived from this structure —Sīhāgiri, the Lion Rock. The capital and the royal palace were abandoned after the king's death. It was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century. Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning. It is the most visited historic site in Sri Lanka. Sigiriya consists of an ancient citadel built by King Kashyapa during the 5th century. The Sigiriya site contains the ruins of an upper palace located on the flat top of the rock, a mid-level terrace that includes the Lion Gate and the mirror wall with its frescoes, the lower palaces located behind the lavish lower gardens, and moats and ramparts which protected the citadel. The site was both a palace and a fortress. The upper palace on the top of the rock includes cisterns cut into the rock that still retain water. The moats and walls that surround the lower palace are still exquisitely beautiful.
It is the largest and best preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. The rock towers 160 m (520 ft) over the surrounding plains.There are more than 80 documented caves in the surrounding. Major attractions are spread over 5 caves, which contain statues and paintings. This paintings and statues are related to Lord Buddha and his life. There are a total of 153 Buddha statues, 3 statues of Sri Lankan kings and 4 statues of god and goddess. The latter 4 include two statues of Hindu gods, Vishnu and Ganesh. The murals cover an area of 2,100 m². Depictions in the walls of the caves include Buddha's temptation by demon Mara and Buddha's first sermon. The area is thought to be inhabited from as early as the 7th to 3rd century BC. Statues and paintings in these caves date back to the 1st century BC. But the paintings and statues were repaired and repainted in the 11th, 12th, and 18th century AD. The caves in the city provided refuge to King Valagamba (also called Vattagamini Abhaya) in his 14-year-long exile from the Anuradapura kingdom. Buddhist monks meditating in the caves of Dambulla at that time provided the exiled king protection from his enemies. When King Valagamba returned to the throne at Anuradapura kingdom in the 1st century BC, he had a magnificent rock temple built at Dambulla in gratitude to the monks in Dambulla. Leave Dambulla in the early evening and begin the drive back to Colombo, where your chauffeur guide will drop you off at your hotel.
Sigiriya is a really good experience we have seen. We left the city early in the morning. After traveling in Sigiriya, we went to Dambulu. I couldn't even imagine how the day went, it was so much fun. It was an unforgettable experience.
We started our journey from the city and we were very happy. We first went to see Sigiriya and we were really surprised to see the creation. Then we went to see Dambulla. We had a lot of fun as we took lots of pictures
We started our journey from the city, we took a walk in Dambulla and Sigiriya. Although we had seen the photos before, we didn't think it was so amazing. Sigiriya is actually an amazing creation. After Sigiriya, we went to Dambulla, which is a really beautiful place. This station.
We first went to see the beauty of Kandy city. Then we decided to visit Sigiri Dabulla. Sigiri Gala is a very beautiful view point. There are no words to describe how beautiful it is. Then we booked a hotel nearby.
Since we left the city early in the morning, we were able to go to Sigiriya quickly. It was really a great trip. Sigiriya is a great creation. Then we went back to see Dabulla. I see them as the best places to visit.
We went to the city and saw the Dalada Palace and went directly to Dambulu to see Sigiriya. It was really beautiful. We saw many beautiful things that day. After the tour we went to our hotel. We had a beautiful experience that day.
We came to see Sigiriya Dabulla on our way to see the beauty of the city. Like Kandy, Sigiri Dabulla is a very beautiful place. One day is not enough to enjoy this beauty. That's why we stayed in a hotel.
We left the city early in the morning. When we saw Sigiriya, we were surprised beyond belief because it was one stone. It is truly an amazing creation that you can't even imagine how a stone made a royal palace. We enjoyed the trip very much and then we went to Dabulu. Dabulu temple is really a relaxing place after coming to a beautiful place.
Sigiriya is truly an amazing design beyond imagination. Since we left the city early, we had time to climb the Sigiri rock. A truly beautiful journey. After going to Sigiri, we went to Dabulle. There were a lot of creations for one visitor. It was a really unforgettable trip.
Best place ever in sri lanka..the view is amazing and very attractive.most people come to see this beautiful place ....
We went to Sigiriya from Kandy and went to see things there and went to Dabulla, both of these places are very beautiful. Very quiet. One green color. Many animals eat
We went to see the city and then came to see Sigiri Dabulla. You can't imagine the beauty of Sri Lanka. We were very surprised to see Sigiriya. We had a lot of experiences. Later we returned to the hotel.
To be honest it was such a wonderful experience and my whole family enjoyed that very well and also we learned a lot about the nature and things about ancient things that we didn’t knew the staff also were very kind and that made us feel the worth of the trip
While seeing the beauty of Kandy city, we went to see Sigiri Dabulla. It is a beautiful sight. There are no words to describe the beauty. Then we arrived at the hotel. It is a great natural place.
Starting from Kandy, they traveled to Sigiriya, explored the iconic rock fortress and then visited Dambulla, enjoying the beauty and heritage of these places. The lush greenery, ancient architecture, and serene atmosphere added to the charm of the trip. Afterward, they relaxed at their hotel, relishing the tranquility and elegance of the surroundings, a perfect end to a scenic journey filled with cultural splendor and natural beauty.
We had a great day with ruwan. We saw everything as planned but he also showed us additional things. Prepared, punctual, helpful. Great places we had the opportunity to see. Prepare extra cash for tipping at each place. For lunch ruwan took us to a great and cheap place. In addition he showed us cool places where you can buy fruits. I would highly recommend Ruwan. A great driver. Also a great travel company.
Sigiriya and Dambulla day tour was really wonderful .we love to climb to up hill.we spend more time on the top of the rock.The view of greenery was amazing.
Our visit to Sigiriya and Dambulla was very good. The whole trip was fun with our guide. And he is armed with knowledge. He picked us up from our hotel on time. Sigiriya and Dambulla must be visited during a trip to Sri Lanka. So I highly recommend this tour.
It was a great experience. We went this tour with office buddies. And the guide was very friendly. He gave a good explanation about history related to Kingdom Sigiriya.
Very reliable tour pickup operator. No drama i been contacted via Whatsapp few hours before, driver was already at my hotel lobby 15min before pick up time. Good condition and nice car and the driver are polite and good at communication amd everything are clear and reliable. Must do of you are in Colombo.
The visit to Sigiri and Dambula were excellent. We highly recommend it. The painting inside the rock temple in Dambulla are amazing. The driver mr. Christo was very friendly helpful and had excellent knowledge about the visiting sites. He collected us on time from our hotel. It was a pleasant experience and everything perfect.👌💖
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