Sigiriya Rock Fortress

Our whirlwind Glimpse of Sri Lanka Tour with Olivia and Leona continued towards Sigiriya today with a break at Matale for lunch and also at the Noritake factory and showroom where I bought some small teacups as a memento of this trip. In Kandy we had stayed again at Nature Walk guesthouse where we were as comfortable as usual. Sarath, the owner had arranged our Sigiriya accommodation for us at a new place called "Nice Place" and although it was a little difficult to find, down a dusty side road, it was indeed  nice place, set in the bush. As this time at the end of the rainy season, it is very dusty and dry. Birds and animals are coming out of the secluded bush in search of water so we had the benefit of birdsong, the trumpeting of an elephant and screeching of monkeys to emphasise the off the beaten track nature of the guesthouse.

After afternoon tea on our veranda and a short rest, Olivia and I were off to climb Sigiriya. I have a previous post about our last visit there - January 23 2011. Conditions then were the opposite of today's - then very wet, low visibility and an early morning climb. On arrival we found the ticket office and paid our RS3,900 - the admission price fluctuates according to the value of the rupee, I was told, as the owners and government have a declared practice of getting as much as they can from the tourist.  We then began out walk through what, in King Kassapas time, were the water gardens. First we had to cross over the moat.

Moat, Sigiriya

The gardens were designed symmetrically and we walked down the straight path through the middle towards the towering rock, boldly standing in the harsh, late afternoon sun.

Sigiriya Rock, Sri Lanka

As we reached the trees at the foot of the rock our climb began. Steadily we went higher, pausing to take in our surroundings and appreciate the low sun creating vivid colours of the green vegetation against the starkness of the rock rising some 370 metres [ 1,214 feet] above sea level.

Olivia pauses on the first steps

The late afternoon sun casts a surreal glow behind the trees

Before long the flights of steps became steeper until we were at the Ancient Art Gallery where our tickets were checked before we went up the narrow spiral staircase to the cave housing the frescos. Here's one - there are more in my previous Sigiriya post.

Sigiriya ladies

There are two spiral staircases, one going up and the other for coming down. The down one is where I caught my arm and gashed it previously so I was very careful this time. Lucky I was, as it looked as though not a thing had been done to repair the rails since my last visit.

The side of Sigiriya

After the Art Gallery, there is a narrow walk way on the side of the rock. Looks shaky and scary but it's well anchored and sturdy. On my last visit I paused here and waited for the rain to stop before taking a photo. This time visibility was clear and the air below dusty.

Lion's Paw entrance

At the Lion's Paws we sat down for quite some time to enjoy the view below and to watch people on the stairs attached to the side of the rock. Then, as the sun was rapidly setting, we entered through the Lion's Mouth and climbed, section by section until we were at the top. I must admit that I took the last few sections quicker than I planned because I saw some hornets flying into a crevice in the rock. These hornets are present on the rock only during the dry season and they have caused problems for climbers with some reported as dying from their stings. Suits are provided for people to wear when they are very active but I'd give the climb a miss myself in that case! However . . .

Hornets

. . . we clambered up the last few steps and there they were! Very quietly I clicked my camera, backed off and left them to get cosy for the night. I made a mental note not to go back down this way!

Ruins of King Kassappa's Palace

The Sigiriya Rock Fortress is now a UNESCO historical site with evidence of habitation found dating back to the Mesolithic Period. As we walked through the park like area and began the climb after the Lion's Mouth, I saw that there had been quite a lot of excavation done since my last visit, with more ruins now showing, but still fenced off.

The lower part of the rock was used as a cave monastery in the 5th Century BC. King Kassappa's time there was around 477 - 495. After his death it was used as a monastery again until the 14th century after which it seems to have been abandoned until the 16th - 17th Century when it was used as an outpost by the Kandyan kings.

Palace ruins on Sigiriya

The top of the rock is flat, giving 360 degree views.

Gardens below

It was very pleasant and surprisingly still on top as we walked the perimeter taking in the views from all around. The sun was setting alarmingly fast and, as we didn't  relish the idea of descending torch-less in the dark, we reluctantly headed down the staircase. There are a few alternative paths down after the Lion's Paws and we took one past the new excavation area and through the quiet park.  There was one couple ahead of us but they soon disappeared from view leaving us alone in the peace of the end of the day.

Last sight of the Rock from the alternative path

As the dark finally enveloped us, we arrived at the gate to be met by our very worried driver. It was the end of a memorable day!