Sigiriya Lion Rock: Climb and Explore Ancient Temples

Embark on a full-day Sigiriya and Dambulla tour from Colombo and experience the thrill of climbing a rock and exploring the ancient Royal Rock Temple complex. Discover historical sights and stunning cave art on this unforgettable adventure.

Duration: 14 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Colombo - The driver will meet guests in the lobby of their chosen pickup location. It is recommended to be in the lobby 10 minutes before the activity begins. If possible, guests should obtain a packed breakfast from the hotel.
  • Cafe Amakie - Refresh with some coffee at Cafe Amakie, renowned for offering the best coffee and cafe experience….
What's Included
  • Complimentary Wifi Access During the Travel (Subject to Availability)
  • Seasonal fruits (subject to availability)
  • Hotel pickup and drop off by air conditioned vehicle
  • King Coconut (subject to availability)
  • Bottled water
  • Guide Assistance in Sigiriya Lion Rock (English, German, French, Spanish)
  • English Speaking Driver cum Guide
What's Not Included
  • Food and Beverages, unless specified
  • Gratuities
  • Entrance Fees Sigiriya USD 36 & Cave Temple USD 8
  • Entrance fees
  • Entrance fees
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Entrance fees
Additional Information

Climbing a rock - if you’re in good shape and don’t stop to look at things, it’ll take you less than 30 minutes to climb all the way to the top of the rock. If you need a few breaks along the way or simply want to stop often to take photos and admire the view, it’ll take an hour and a half to two hours to climb up and go back down again. and then Visit…

Location
Colombo
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.5
(134 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Sudhirk314
Feb 24, 2026
Great Guide, Great Attractions - The highlight of the trip was Rukshan, our driver and guide. He was respectful, courteous, and eager to please. Rukshan's driving was perfect and he abided by the allocated time for each attraction. The choice of attractions was well-chosen as there is so much to see and do in the area.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Renu
Feb 18, 2026
Amazing Experience - Our nine-member group adventure tour with Apple Vacations was exceptionally well organised from arrival to departure, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable experience throughout. The itinerary provided an ideal balance of adventure, cultural immersion, and authentic Sri Lankan cuisine, catering effectively to the varied ages and interests within our group. The tour's smooth execution was particularly impressive, as each day was thoughtfully planned to explore Sri Lanka at a comfortable pace without any sense of rush. We appreciated the blend of renowned attractions and less-visited sites, which offered a deeper and more genuine understanding of the country. A notable highlight was the professionalism of our guide, Rukshan, and our driver, Indika. Rukshan demonstrated outstanding knowledge of Sri Lankan culture, history, and cuisine, complemented by his patience, professionalism, and genuine care for every member of the group. Indika ensured safe travel on challenging roads, further enhancing our comfort. The curated local food experiences distinguished the tour, with Apple Vacations selecting quality restaurants and authentic dining opportunities that reflected the region’s culinary diversity. Memorable moments included our stay at the Hotel Blackpool in Kandy & Nuwara Eliya, which featured picturesque surroundings reminiscent of Switzerland, and a warm welcome from the owner of Leaf Monkey, who accommodated all our requests. The traditional Sri Lankan dishes served—such as fish curry, moringa leaf, and drumstick curry—were exceptional. Apple Vacations also managed our niece’s wedding with professionalism and attention to detail. Dev and Suren coordinated flawlessly, maintaining calm and clear communication with over 180 guests through WhatsApp, promptly addressing concerns and ensuring smooth logistics. The wedding events, including Haldi, Mehndi night, and the beachside ceremony, were beautifully organised and enhanced by creative touches such as drone photography. Throughout both the tour and wedding, transport arrangements were reliable, drivers were courteous, luggage handling was efficient, and guest guidance was well managed. Special recognition goes to Suren for his effective coordination of airport pickups. In summary, Apple Vacations delivered a meticulously structured and warmly managed group adventure, as well as an unforgettable destination wedding. Their commitment to excellence and personalised service makes them highly recommended for culturally rich group tours or weddings in Sri Lanka. We would gladly choose their services again for future travel.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ielyzaveta_v
Jan 29, 2026
Must-do on your Sri Lanka trip! - What a mind-blowing tour! From visiting caves, to climbing Sigiriya and seeing baby elephants during the safari tour - I had such a great time exploring Sri Lanka with this company.
Review provided by Viator
Fazaale
Jan 19, 2026
Just a waste money tbh - Do not go on this tour. The internet was supposed to be about 14hrs, but the actual duration was over 17hrs, I was late to the airport and almot missed boarding my plane. Also, the internet was way more different that the listing, like they took me to some random and unknown place where they forced me to purchase stuff that I did not even want. My driver, he was the worst part. I will never do this tour again. And to all of you reading this, never even think of going of this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
_f6517uk
Jan 18, 2026
overall good experience - It was a pretty nice trip; the tour guide introduced us to some Sri Lankan culture and things to do in Sri Lanka. Something that bothered me was the time management; it says the duration for the whole trip is 12-14 hours, but it ended up taking 16.5 hours. I headed out at 6:00 and returned to the accommodation at 22:30. Also, the description should specify that after Sigiriya, customers get to pick between doing a village tour or the safari. It did not go like what the itinerary show.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Puja_s
Dec 20, 2025
The day is really cool,... - The day is really cool, but also really, really long. We started at 545am with a 3 hour drive to the cave temples, which require walking up 249 steps. This isn’t bad, but some of the steps on the way down are just a rocky slope. There is a railing but an older lady in our group did have some difficulty. Then, we went on to climb the mountain. We were told it’s about 1250 steps, but this is inaccurate bc once you get up there you’re climbing up and down other stairs. To do this climb, they transferred us to a different guide who only let us stop twice, long enough to grab a photo of each person at the viewpoint. I am prone to heat exhaustion in humid weather like this and could feel myself starting to get affected so I took it upon myself to go much slower. The lunch afterwards was pretty good. Lastly, there’s the option of doing either a village tour or safari. Most of our group chose the safari. You’re transferred to a jeep and are basically off-roading for over two hours on unpaved dirt roads in a park. It was def cool to see elephants and buffalo, but the constant jolting gave me a headache. You’re able to stand up in the jeep to see through the roof, but they put 3 of us in the back and there wasn’t enough room for 3 ppl to comfortably stand. We arrived home at 10:45 — so an incredibly long day. Props to our main guide for driving. He was knowledgeable about the sights and areas, and also really funny. All in all, I’d recommend the tour but def be prepared.
Review provided by Viator
Christian_r
Dec 17, 2025
Compact well-organized day tour to the absolute highlights - It was a well-organized day trip from Colombo, leading to the highlights of Sigiriya Lion Rocks and Dambulla Cave Temple. I was picked up from the hotel on time. Of course it is a good 2-3 hour drive. But if you don't have time like me, you'll put up with it. A must in Sri Lanka. There were two other options (price surcharge with Jeep Safari and Village Safari with Traditional Lunch). I decided to go on a village safari with an ox cart ride, traditional food and a small boat trip. Everything perfectly organized. A guide led us up the Lion's Rock (1280 steps), but they are easy to do (with smaller breaks). I'm over 60). Great view from up there. After 15H I was back at the hotel (traffic etc). I can recommend this tour, which are limited in time and therefore need it compact. Our driver mastered every traffic jam perfectly
Review provided by Viator
Aymanb418
Nov 18, 2025
Safari and temples with a lovely guide. - We did the safari tour in Sigiriya and Dambulla and loved it. Our guide was super friendly and attentive; not only did he explain everything very patiently, but he even accompanied us to a pharmacy to help us get a medicine we needed. The tour was very well organized and we could enjoy each site without rush. In short, a beautiful and highly recommended experience. We take a great memory of Sri Lanka!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
N4122kwdonaldw
Jan 20, 2026
Exhausting and stressful. - Long journey more than 17 hours and picked up at 6.30 am. it was not worth as it’s a group tour and we pay same amount for each. The end of the tour we have select either safari or village and it was not mentioned before. The cost for safari is expensive and there shopping places also. It was not fit for you.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
L1266uhmartink
Jan 11, 2026
WORST COMPANY EVER. ABSOLUTE TRASH. THEY ARE SOME SCAMMERS AVOUD THEM - The so called professional tour was absolute trash. ABSOLUTELY NOT RECOMMENDED. The tour was scheduled for 7:30 am and the driver came to pick us up 9:45 am. The driver was also very bad at English and he knew nothing he could barely speak any English and knew only to speak yes and no. The amount you are spending for this and the experience you are getting is absolutely -999 NEGATIVE. Absolute garbage, they are scammers and should avoid them. They made us spend money for absolute nothing. Ruined our whole holiday that we planed. WORST COMPANY EVER. THEY ARE SCAMMERS.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $60
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).