From the top of Sigiriya, a sea of green forest stretches for miles. “This area’s all protected”, our guide told us. “You can see how lush Sri Lanka’s nature is”.
Clouds gathered on the horizon, and the sun started to set. After an arduous climb up 1,200 steps to the top, taking a breather here was much needed.
The climb was worthwhile, not least for the view. Sigiriya has a fascinating history, too.
History of Sigiriya
Also known as Lion’s Rock and originally inhabited by monks, Sigiriya as we know it was built in 477 AD by King Kashyapa as a fortress and royal palace. It was built with defence in mind, as Kashyapa had just killed his father in order to seize the throne. Then, he was concerned his brother would come after him.
He built a winter palace at the top of the rock and a summer palace at the base, and fortified it with two moats, slippery marble steps and defensive boulders.
The name “Lion’s Rock” is thanks to the entrance of the rock, which was carved to resemble a Lion’s Head. There used to be a tunnel that lead to the summit.
He lived here with 500 concubines, and caves today still depict images of them.
Kashyapa lived at Sigiriya for 18 years before his brother, Moggallana, returned with an army. After losing the battle, Kashyapa died by suicide.
Moggallana then returned the palace to the monks, but as they disliked the paintings, it fell out of use as a monastic site. It was ultimately abandoned, but in the colonial period it began to be excavated and used as a tourist site, becoming a UNESCO site in 1982.
Visiting Sigiriya tips
If you’re visiting Sigiriya, there are a few things you should know in advance. Here are my 10 best Sigiriya tips!
1. Buy your ticket in advance or at the entrance for $35 USD
There’s a cost of $35 USD (2025 price) for foreigners to visit Sigiriya.
You can purchase this online here or at the entrance. You can pay in USD, Sri Lankan Rupees or by card.
Alternatively, book a tour. We used Blue Lanka tours (ask for Dhanoushka as your guide!) ore there are a few options with Get Your Guide below.
2. Start your climb early in the morning or late in the afternoon
This is Sri Lanka, and it’s hot! Avoid the heat of the daytime sun.
Sigiriya opens at 05:00 (so you can be at the top of the rock for sunrise) and closes at 18:30, although last entry is at 17:00.
I’d recommend climbing up before 09:00 or after 16:30.
3. Bring plenty of water, a hat and sun cream
There’s not much shade at Sigiriya! You’ll be in direct sunlight for most of the ascent, so bring plenty of water (I got through a 1.5 litre bottle), suncream and a baseball cap.
If you’re on a tour, like Blue Lanka tours, they should provide you with water. If you’re visiting independently, make sure you head to a shop before summiting!
4. Decide if you’ll climb the full 1,200 steps
The climb isn’t suitable for everyone – it includes 1,200 steps canvassing the exposed rock and some sloped ascents.
It’s worth the climb if you can – the views are mesmerising – but if not, the lower palace is also worth a trip. You’ll have more time to take in the “money shot” of Sigiriya rock too!
5. Prepare for steep, exposed staircases and possible wind
We visited in the afternoon, as a storm was brewing… and it was windy. The sun had gone in and the heat was bearable, but as we gingerly picked our way up the staircase, the wind howled around my head. We were safe (they’d close it if it wasn’t) but it was quite nerve-wracking!
The weather can change quickly – there was a downpour while we were in the caves – so bring a waterproof jacket and have a plan for if you get soaked!
6. Plan for possible queues at ladders and narrow staircases
We didn’t have this problem (we visited out of peak tourist season from November to April), but a member of our group told us that they’d had to wait in queues to climb up the rock when they visited!
It may have also been quieter for us because we visited in the evening rather than the morning.
7. Avoid close contact with monkeys in the lower sections
We saw some monkeys right at the start of the climb. They’re not usually aggressive, but they can approach humans. Don’t feed them (or have any food on you) or stare directly at them, and they’ll likely avoid you. If you’re unlucky and are bitten, you will need to have rabies jabs.
8. Stay quiet in hornet areas from May to November
Sigiriya’s other signature animal is hornets! They are active from May to November, and they are especially sensitive to loud noises.
So be mindful and quiet during these months.
If you are chased by a swarm of hornets (it’s rare, but does happen), there are hornet shelters you can run into.
9. Decide if you’ll take the extra 50 steps to see the cave paintings
Once you’ve climbed to the top of the rock, there’s an option to descend a little and then ascend another 50 steps to caves, where there are paintings of King Kashyapa’s concubines.
They’re essentially illustrations of nude women in one of the caves, and they’re remarkably well preserved. They’re an interesting add-on, but not worth the extra exertion if you’re knackered!
No phones are allowed in the cave (the photo below is stock).
10. Stay nearby at Jetwing Lake
We stayed at the nearby Jetwing Lake, a (genuinely) sustainable hotel that has initiatives like using the offshoots of cinnamon plants to produce steam for the air conditioning and a bottling plant to create clean drinking water without plastic waste.
There’s also a luxury pool, a gym and gorgeous comfortable rooms.
See more details about Jetwing Lake here.
If you’re visiting Sri Lanka, you can’t miss Sigiriya. Take a look at my YouTube video to see what it’s like to climb!
And you can read all my Sri Lanka posts here.
