Sigiriya is located in the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka with close proximity to lots of other historical and UNESCO World Heritage sites! This area is also well known for elephant sightings! Keep reading this post to find out how to spend 3 days in Sigiriya
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Table of Contents
Notes About 3 Days in Sigiriya
- You can mix and match the activities any way you want and don’t have to stick to my exact itinerary. However, if you are visiting Sigiriya Rock in the morning, then you should go first thing in the morning. With this in mind, it’s best to not visit Sigiriya Rock on day 1.
- Suggest visiting Sigiriya Rock either early morning or just before close to avoid the heat and crowds
- Also suggest doing the Pidurangala hike either at sunrise or sunset also to avoid the mid-day heat.
- I have a detailed guide for almost all the places I have recommended on this 3 days in Sigiriya itinerary, Click on each of these to read the full post that contains essential must-knows, tips and full descriptions of each of these places.
- If you have the means, get a guide at all the historic sites to fully learn about them.
How to Get to Sigiriya
By Car
Regardless from where in the country you are coming from, traveling by car is the most convenient and fastest way to get to Sigiriya. You can either hire a taxi for the day or book a private transfer.
We used Prime Taxi and had a good experience overall.
By Tuk-Tuk
You could potentially hire a tuk-tuk to bring you to Sigiriya as well. If you are doing this, you may have to arrange for it the day prior with a tuk-tuk driver. Don’t depend on finding a tuk-tuk via an app or from the street the day of. If you are coming from Colombo, the journey may take 4-5 hours (tuks can’t go as fast as cars). Alternatively, you can also hire a tuk-tuk and drive it yourself. This mode is fast becoming popular with tourists, however, unless you are used to driving in chaos, I personally would not do it.
By Bus
There is no direct bus to Sigiriya. If you are coming from Colombo, you will have to take a bus going to either Anuradhapura (bus 15), Polonnaruwa (bus 48) or Trincomalee (bus 49) and get off at Dambulla. From Dambulla you will have to catch a bus to Sigiriya. It will be the same if you are coming from Kandy as well.
You can also find air conditioned buses that go from Colombo to Dambulla. Check them out HERE. They are more expensive but maybe worth it given the heat in Sri Lanka. This bus is a little faster (around 3-4 hours) than the regular bus which can take 4-5 hours.
By Train
Coming by train is the slowest option. It will take around 5-6 hours and there is only 1 train that runs daily from Colombo to Habarana which is located 15 KM away. You will still have to find your way to Sigiriya from Habarana. I don’t recommend this option.
By Air
If you want to splurge, there is also an option to take a domestic flight from Colombo to Sigiriya. This private flight is offered by Cinnamon Air. You can check out more HERE.
How to Get Around Sigiriya
Having your own vehicle either via a private driver or a pre-arranged vehicle hire makes it easier to do some of the things on the list, especially if you are looking to combine things on the same day. You can also get tuk-tuks to take you around but you will probably have to negotiate quite a bit. That’s why I recommend having a private driver because you pay a pre-paid amount and the excess mileage is also a fixed rate.
Unless you have a lot of time on your hands, I would say try to avoid public transport like buses because they are generally slow.
Another way to do some of the things I’ve listed for these 3 days in Sigiriya would be via pre-arranged or organized tours. I will suggest well rated tours below so you have that option as well.
3 Days in Sigiriya
Day 1
Morning – Dambulla Cave Temple
This 3rd century BC cave temple is the largest cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. The temple has 5 caves that are full of beautiful murals and 100+ Buddha statues. The murals depict stories from the Buddha’s life. You need about 3 hours to visit Dambulla and it’s on the way from Colombo or Kandy to Sigiriya making it an ideal place to visit on day 1 of your 3 days in Sigiriya. This being said, make sure to leave early so that you beat the mid-day crowds and heat in Dambulla. You will have to climb a reasonable amount of stairs to get to the cave temple.
Evening – Pidurangala Rock
In the evening, head over to Pidurangala Rock just before sunset to hike the rock. This is a moderately challenging but short hike with great pay off! The views from the top reveal some epic views including the best view of the Sigiriya Rock.
Some people opt to hike Pidurangala in the morning for sunrise. I did a sunset hike and it was amazing. There really is no best time but whatever you do, don’t go mid-day as the heat will be brutal.
Read my guide and tips on how to hike Pidurangala
Prefer to do a guided hike?
Day 2
Morning – Polonnaruwa
The second kingdom of ancient Sri Lanka is one of my favorite historic sites in the entire country. Polonnaruwa is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is almost a 1000 years old. What I love most about Polonnaruwa is that you can see so many religious and secular structures in a small concentrated area.
You need about 3-4 hours to explore Polonnaruwa. Get there early to beat the heat. The sites are spread between about 6 kilometers but you can drive or take a tuk-tuk between them. You can even hike bikes but don’t attempt to walk!
Read my guide on how to visit Polonnaruwa!
Would you like to do a guided tour of Polonnaruwa?
Afternoon – Elephant Safari
Elephants roam freely in and around the Sigiriya area and one of the best ways to see herds of them is to visit a nature park close by. You can visit either Minneriya, Kaudulla or Habarana Echo Park. You will have to join a tour for this and most tours start at around 2-3 PM.
Here are some well rated tours!
Day 3
Morning – Sigiriya
Head to the Lion Rock early morning on your last day of your 3 days in Sigiriya. Sigiriya is also called the Lion Rock because of the giant lion paws you will find at mid-way point on the rock. Sigiriya is over 1500 years old and has a very interesting story! It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is often considered one of the 8 Wonder’s of the World!
I highly recommend getting to Sigiriya as early as possible to avoid crowds and the heat. You need about 3 hours at Sigiriya to summit the rock and also check out the ancient frescos.
Read my complete guide on how to visit Sigiriya.
Afternoon – Visit a Local Village
About 80% of Sri Lankans live in rural areas and villages. To get the authentic Sri Lankan experience, you can visit and tour a traditional village and see how a majority of Sri Lankans live. The village of Hiriwadunna between Habarana and Sigiriya offer a glimpse into this life.
The experience ranges from boat tours (in traditional boats), cooking Sri Lankan food, a tour of the village, using local transport and having a home cooked village style meal.
Even for someone like me who was born and raised in Sri Lanka, I found this to be a really unique experience as I am from Colombo and hadn’t really experienced rural living before.
Call Chandrasena +94779396835 to book.
If You Have More Time
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura is located just one and a half hours from Sigiriya and is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. This city was the first capital of ancient Sri Lanka and is worth exploring if you love history and nature!
Trincomalee
The popular coastal town of Trincomalee lies just 2 hours from Sigiriya. Trincomalee or Trinco for short is known for its turquoise waters and light colored beaches. One thing to note is that the best time to visit Trincomalee will be from April to October. The sea maybe rough during the other times. There’s still more to do in Trincomalee that does not involve the beach but I just wanted to let you know about the timing!
Where to Stay
Although this post is about how to spend 3 days in Sigiriya, my recommendation is to stay at the center point of all the activities and things to do during these 3 days in Sigiriya. Sigiriya is definitely not a bad options if you want to stay there, however, I recommend Habarana. This little village is slightly more central to the things to do above and a little more quieter than busy Sigiriya.
I always book accommodation on booking.com because they have great cancellation policies and the ability to search for properties with the amenities and facilities that I am looking for. Furthermore, you are rewarded for loyalty on booking.com and get discounts and other perks like free breakfasts etc.
If you are looking for a place to stay in Habarana, I cannot recommend Habarana Lodge enough! This is where I stayed during my 3 days in this area and I loved every bit of it. The property sits at the edge of the Habarana Lake and has a jungle type feel to it. This large property is so peaceful and serene. It’s the perfect getaway! Next to Habarana Lodge is Habarana Village, their sister property. While Lodge is a 5 star hotel, Village is 4 star but more or less has the same feel and also sits at the edge of Habarana Lake.
Sri Lanka Do’s and Dont’s
I wrote a detailed post on all the do’s and dont’s for visiting Sri Lanka. What better way to learn this than from someone who was born and raised in Sri Lanka!
See my post HERE!
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