Visit 2 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1 trip. Make the trip to the Sigiriya rock fortress and the Dambulla Cave Temple from Kitulgala. Experience rich cultural and historical heritage and also be rewarded with stunning scenery from atop.
Highlights:
- Visit the UNESCO-listed Dambulla Cave Temple, a series of monastery caves on a stone cliff.
- See the Buddha statues and elaborate frescoes that fill the 1st-century caves.
- Marvel at UNESCO-protected Sigiriya, a ruined fortress on a colossal rock.
- Climb up to witness the frescoes, relics and awe-inspiring views.
During this tour, you will visit the following points of interest in the specified order.
- Kitulgala City
- Sigiriya City
- Dambulla City
Includes:
- Transport throughout the tour in an air-conditioned vehicle.
- Service of an English-speaking chauffeur guide.
- Hotel pickup & drop-off from/to Kitulgala.
- 1-Liter of bottled mineral water per person.
- All taxes & service charges.
Excludes:
Experience:
Explore two of Sri Lanka’s UNESCO-listed highlights on a privately guided day trip to Dambulla and the Sigiriya Rock from Kitulgala. You will be starting your tour at 0600 hrs from your hotel in Kitulgala, where you will be picked up by your chauffeur. Ensure that you bring a packed breakfast with you if you are unable to have your meal at the hotel.
The first stop on your itinerary will be the Dambulla Cave Temple which you will reach by approximately 0930 hrs.
View Sri Lanka’s countryside and villages as you journey to the atmospheric Dambulla Cave Temple, a cliffside cave complex packed with Buddha images and frescoes.
Enter the historic caves of the Golden Temple of Dambulla, dating back to the 1st century BC. View the ancient murals depicting the life story of Lord Gautama Buddha. Look at the hundreds of figurines of Buddha and other deities scattered throughout the five main caves. Visit the Cave of the Divine King, Cave of the Great King and the Great New Monastery. See the giant golden Buddha Statue just a little distance outside the cave complex.
At approximately 1230 hrs you will have lunch at a place of your choice and reach Sigiriya by 1430 hrs and visit the Sigiriya Rock Fortress.
Rising from the central plains, the iconic rocky outcrop of Sigiriya is perhaps Sri Lanka's single most dramatic sight. Near-vertical walls soar to a flat-topped summit that contains the ruins of an ancient civilization, thought to be once the epicenter of the short-lived kingdom of Kassapa.
Climb the 5th century AD rock fortress, Sigiriya, where King Kassapa ruled. Walk through the entrance framed by the paws of a lion that is quite appropriate for its name, ‘the Lion Rock’. View the beautiful unfading murals that brought Sigiriya its fame. Climb the steep staircase to see the terraced gardens and still-working cisterns. Walk through the tunnels leading to the palace as you get a feel for times long past.
You will be finishing the tour at 1730 hrs and returning to your hotel in Kitulgala by approximately 2130 hrs. En route, you may stop at a restaurant of your choice and have dinner.
Notes: Comfortable walking shoes recommended for this tour. Drive time may change due to unpredictable road traffic. Photography stops on the way can be arranged but within locations with reasonable parking areas.
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