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Hopeful guides hang around the entrance
and will also approach you once you’re inside.
If you decide to use their services, negotiate
very carefully.
Bring plenty of water (there are drink ven-
dors near the entrance and exit).
Royal Gardens GArDENS
The lowest section inside the Sigiriya complex
is a beautifully landscaped area dotted with
water gardens, then as you approach the rock
its foothills contain boulder gardens (home
to numerous Buddhist shrines) and terraced
gardens. It’s a beautiful place to explore away
from the crowds (but perhaps better to expe-
rience at leisure after you’ve completed the
hard yards of ascent and descent). Find a qui-
et spot and listen to the gentle gurgle of water
and the songs of birds.
From the main entrance you pass symmet-
rical water gardens, which extend from the
foot of the rock; bathing pools, little islands
with pavilions that were used as dry-season
palaces, and trees.
The boulder gardens, closer to the rock
itself, feature rocks that once formed the bas-
es of buildings. The steplike depressions in
the sides of boulders were the foundations of
brick walls and timber columns. The cistern
and audience-hall rocks are impressive.
The rock rises sheer and mysterious from
the jungle. A series of steps leads up through
the boulders at its base to the western face,
and then ascends it steeply.
The base of Sigiriya has been landscaped to
produce the terraced gardens.
Frescoes Art
Halfway up the rock there’s an open-air spiral
stairway leading up from the main route to a
long, sheltered gallery in the sheer rock face.
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Ramparts
Ramparts
Moated
Island
Moated
Island
Sigiri
Wewa
Moats
Outer Moat
Inner Moat
Hotel Rd
Inner
City
Main
Entrance
Main
Exit
Souvenir
Stalls
Bus
Stop
Ticket
Office
2
3
(^1011)
12
8
9
6
4
1
7
5
13
Sigiriya
Museum
3
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B C
2
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2
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A
A D
D

Sigiriya e#^0400 .2 mile^00 sm

D

Lion Lodge (100m);

Lal Homestay (500m);

Inamaluwa (10km);

Dambulla (22km)

D

Habarana (14km)

Sigiriya

æ Top Sights

1 Sigiriya Museum...................................A2

æ Sights

2 Boulder Gardens...................................C1

3 Cobra Hood Cave..................................C2

4 Frescoes.................................................C2

5 Lion's Paws............................................C2

6 Mirror Wall .............................................C2

7 Summit...................................................C2

8 Terraced Gardens.................................B 2

9 Water Gardens......................................B2

ÿ Sleeping

10 Flower Inn..............................................B3

11 Hotel Sigiriya.........................................D 3

12 Nilmini Lodge........................................B3

ú Eating

13 Chooti .....................................................B3