Your adventure begins with the convenience of pickup service from your local hotel, 30 to 60 minutes prior to the departure time. At7 am, travel in comfort to Sigiriya in an air-conditioned vehicle. Learn how this ancient rock fortress was built by King Kasyapa to be the capital and house the royal palace from your English-speaking driver/guide. Hear how it was transformed into a Buddhist monastery in the 14th century. Then, go to the Royal Gardens with its beautiful landscaping and water features.
Climb up to see the famed Mirror Wall and the 6th century rock art. Journey to the Boulder Gardens and Terraced Gardens. See the exquisite frescoes that are approximately 1600 years old. Admire the Sigiriya Frescoes that depict the king's harem on the face of the rocks. Then, it is time to go to the summit of the fortress at Sky Palace.
Enjoy an hour of free time. You can have lunch (own expense) or explore on your own. Following the break, meet your guide to go to the Dambulla Cave Temples.
Upon arriving at the Dambulla Cave Temple Complex, you will go directly to the Cave of the Divine King Devaraja Lena. View the 46ft. (14m) statue of Buddha made out of rock. Read the first century inscription at the entry of the cave telling of its origins. Continue over to the Cave of the Great Kings, the largest of the five caves. There you will see 40-seated statues of Buddha, cave paintings on the ceiling, and more. The ceiling and wall paintings found in the Great New Monastery date back to the 1700s and provide you with a unique insight into the Buddhist Revivalist period. See a statue of King Kirti Sri Rajasinha and 50 statues of Buddha. Return to your hotel provided at the end of the tour, at approximately 5pm.