Sigiriya Lion's Rock Fortress Day Tour

Activity location: Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

Activity Duration: 3 to 4 hours (approx.)

Built under the kingship of King Kasyapa who ruled from 477 to 495 AD. Sigiriya Lion’s Rock fortress was his royal residence. Lion’s Rock Sri Lanka stands about 200 meters high and tourists can trek up the 1200 steps, which are divided amid a number of stairs to the head of the rock. These old ruins have some marvelous features like a moat and wall fortification, landscaped gardens, and a monastery but the giant 200-meter tall granite rock is itself a star attraction and it represents the remains of a royal palace from the 5th century. 

Lio’s Rock Fortress is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and is surrounded by lush tropical gardens, water gardens, and fountains, which are said to be a masterly planned irrigation system built by Kasyapa. The most amazing part of Sigiriya lion rock Sri Lanka is the staircase up toward the Palace built at the top of the rock. The staircase has two massive lion paws, and only the remains of two Lion structures stand at the entrance to the palace.

Representing one of the finest cultural and art from Sri Lanka's ancient history, the Sigiriya Lion's rock fortress day tour is one of the most popular tourist destinations that attracts thousands of tourists from around the world. Don’t miss out to explore this massive architectural marvel.

About the activity

• Sigiriya Lion's Rock has water gardens, a moat, a terraced garden, and archaeological features. 
• After British Army Major Jonathan Forbes discovered abandoned Sigiriya Rock, the archeological survey and research work was launched in the region.
• Take a challenging climb up the stairs to the palace on the top of the rock. It may take up to 30 minutes to one hour to trek up to the top of the rock.
• You may buy the tickets online via the official page or else from the ticket booth at the entrance. The entrance fee is $30 for tourists and 50 LKR for Sri Lankan citizens. Don’t throw your tickets as they may be checked in between or mid-way through the hike.
• If you want to enjoy the trek, do come during the dry season of the year as rainfall or extremely hot weather may ruin your visit. Do try visiting the site early 7 to 9 am or during the evening 3:30 Pm to 4:00 Pm. Enter the site before 5 pm as entry gets stopped after 5 PM. 
• Reaching the top, enjoy the most beautiful and scenic view of the surrounding plains and forest. 

How to Reach:

By Bus: There is no direct bus connectivity to Sirigiya, and it takes up to 4 hours to travel. If the bus journey is resumed from Colombo, board bus number 15 to Anuradhapura, number 48 to Kaduruwela, or number 49 bus to Trinco and get off at Dambulla or Habarana. From these former two bus stops take a direct bus to Sigiriya. Take note, there are no difficulties in finding a bus as it runs consecutively. 

By car: Most recommended mode of transport, traveling to Sirigiya by car is one of the easiest and most convenient. You can hire a car from a car rental service and take a traditional route on AO1 and if you are traveling from another route that is Kandy Road, go up to Ambepussa where you take a turnoff to Kurunegala on route AO6. If your day is lucky enough then you would find little traffic and experience a smooth drive for 3 hours.

Tuk-Tuk: Most relevant transport mode in Sri Lanka is the Tuk Tuk service or Auto-rickshaw. It takes a 4 to 5 hours journey from Colombo to Sigiriya. There’s no need to book it in advance as multiple tuk-tuks are available. 

By Flight: There’s a small airport in Sigiriya airport connected to Colombo. It takes a 30 min to 1-hour journey via flight. From Sigiriya airport hire a taxi to Lion Rock Sigiriya. 

By Train: Sigiriya is not directly connected via train route, so visitors need to travel to the nearby Habarana railway station. The fare may be up to 500 to 1200 Srilankan rupees. It takes around 5 to 6 hours.