Climbing "Sigiriya Rock"

Sigiriya Rock is a major tourist attraction, and attracts significant crowds.  We were variously told that we should go either early or late in the afternoon, but we chose early, and set off shortly after breakfast, about 7.30.

We walked from the hotel, down rural roads.  It took us 20 minutes or so from Hotel Sigiriya,  past the original moat.  The signs warned that it is crocodile-infested, although we didn't see any. 

Despite the early hour, there were lots of tourists about.  Buying tickets was a straightforward exercise - but again was pricey, at LKR 3960 each (around 35 U$)

Sigiriya today is a ruin but it was once a large and significant city, constructed in the fifth century AD by King Kasyapa.  It was build atop the rock - an inaccessible 180 metre high column of basalt - and sprawled for many acres around the rock. 

Construction would be an impressive feat now, and must have been a mammoth and astonishing task in the fifth century.  We imagine that the city in its heyday would have been amazing.

It is a long climb to the top of the Rock.

Sigiriya is not the place to go if you are less mobile or scared of heights.  The steps are narrow and step.  

In places, the stone steps have disappeared over the centuries and have been replaced with more recent staircases almost suspended in thin air, but attached to the Rock (we silently prayed to Hephaestus and hoped they were properly engineered!).

On the way up, you pass some ancient frescoes, and the Mirror Wall, so called because it has been polished smooth over the centuries.

Finally, you reach the remains of a lion, guarding the steps which lead to the top of the fortress.  

Here, there are special cages to protect tourists in the event of a hornet attack (thankfully we didn't see any hornets) and we again climbed.  

As in many other places around the climb, it's best not to look down here!  Finally, we reached the top.

It's really windy around the top. Be carefuly when you are taking pictures around the edge. Because they don't have any wall to protect you. Some of the stone around is so old and fragile. So keep yourself in the middle of area.

We saw some of crazy tourist that take dangerously pose picture.

We could only imagine what the palace must have been like.  Now, it is a wild, windswept place, with amazing views of the countryside. 

We looked out towards the slightly lower Pidurangala Rock (our mission for the following day)

and saw a snake slithering along one of the ancient walls.

The Rock operates a one-way system for tourist traffic.  You go up one way, and down another.  Given the steepness and narrowness of the access, this is a good thing.  

Getting down from the top of the Rock to the lion's paws was a little scary, but we made it, and from there the descent was relatively easy.  We saw big queues going up, so were glad we went early.

On the way back we saw some of stray dog around with bad condition live inside the rock area. We are sad because we not bring any food to feed them. They look hungry and skinny. 

Sigiriya Rock is a major drawcard and is the main reason people go to Sigiriya.  Definitely worth a visit - and we're glad we made the effort.

We rate this place 9/10.