About this experience
Almost no trip around the island is complete without visiting the ancient structure in the center of the country - the grand Lion Rock. During the tour, you will not only learn about its extraordinary history and legends, but also visit the elephant nursery in Pinnawala, as well as the sacred place of Sri Lanka - the largest cave temple in South Asia in Dambulla.
What to expect
Symbol of Sri Lanka
First, you will visit Pinnawala, where a large elephant nursery is located, founded back in 1975 - in such quantities, as here, they can be seen only in Minneriya National Park. You will learn the sad story of how the Civil War, lasting for decades, pushed elephants to the brink of extinction, and how the country's authorities are trying to save the animals by providing them with food, care, and protection.
Ancient kingdom's cave temple
Next, you will head to Dambulla, where you will visit the world-famous Buddhist temple. This sacred place has been a center of pilgrimage for 22 centuries. Many rulers of the island, succeeding each other, took part in the construction of the cave complex carved into the rock. If you are in Sri Lanka, the stone temple of the sleeping Buddha is a must-see - it houses 150 statues of Buddha, half of which are covered in gold, and on the numerous walls of the cave, you can observe Buddhist paintings. Besides the history of the temple, you will surely be impressed by the surrounding landscapes: the towering religious structure on top of the mountain against the backdrop of the picturesque forest looks stunning.
Lion Rock, or the Eighth Wonder of the World
The majestic mountain of Sigiriya is one of the main attractions of Ceylon. In the 5th century, King Kassapa, fearing persecution by his brother, built an impregnable fortress on the rocky plateau. The name Lion's Rock was given because the stone staircase leading to the top was designed in the form of a huge sitting lion, between whose paws this staircase began. Today only fragments of this colossal stone sculpture have survived, but even they perfectly convey the grandeur of the ancient structure. You will learn about what happened in Lion's Rock since the beginning of its construction, why, discovering this fortress in 1907, a British explorer declared the discovery of "possibly the largest painting in the world", why the figure of a lion was chosen by the king to decorate this grand structure, and many other facts and legends associated with Sigiriya.
Organizational details
- The cost of the tour on the website is indicated with the transfer organized from Colombo / Negombo / Kalutara
- The tour price may vary depending on the starting and ending points of the excursion route
- Additional expenses: entrance tickets (elephant nursery - $20), Sigiriya - $30; cave temple in Dambulla - $10; lunch - $10
- The tour will be conducted by me or another guide from our team
- We can pick you up from Unawatuna, Hikkaduwa, Galle, Bentota, Tangalle, Weligama, Mirissa, Negombo, or from any other resort in Sri Lanka
Attention
- Breakfast at the hotel can be packed for you to take away (request should be made in the evening)
- The program includes a visit to the temple. Clothing when visiting places of worship should cover the shoulders, legs below the knees, be non-transparent, loose-fitting. Bring socks: you enter the temple leaving your shoes outside.
