What a view!

Syrab El Malti
Oct 5, 2015
2 min read

A rewarding view after climbing the rocky stairs of the tropical forest at the Pidurangala Rock Temple. And to think this was only the beginning....

Pidurangala was probably the most pleasant surprise of our trip. We only had a few hours on the morning of our departure and not enough time to reach the more popular tourist sites. I had read about this rock on tripadvisor and it was listed as the #2 attraction in Sigirya but only had about 300 reviews (which is minuscule in tripadvisor metrics!).

A glimpse at a Buddhism class just before working our way up the rock.

One can't help but compare this site to the Lion Rock, but they each offer equally amazing yet different experiences. While the many tourist buses at the entrance of the Lion Rock herald the long lines that await, only a few tuk-tuks, parked under the trees in front of what seems to be a school classroom, will welcome you at the Pidurangala Rock.

Expect a quiet walk up rocky stairs in the midst of the tropical forest, a few animal encounters (lizards, butterflies, monkeys), before reaching a first landing showcasing a reclining buddha and offering the first panoramic views of the surrounding forests and hilltops.

But still no views of the Lion Rock and that oval shaped rock I had seen on pictures. There had to be a way to climb some more. And indeed there was. Walking a little further, we noticed green arrows painted on the rocks and started following that path. It did involve a bit of (easy)rock climbing, so make sure you don't carry too much unecessary items with you.

What came next is better related through pictures. Just make sure you spare some time to just enjoy being (most likely) alone on the top of the rock!