After climbing up the Pidurangala Rock the previous day, we stayed at a nearby resort. We woke up early in the morning and had a quick breakfast. Our driver Mr. Jagat was waiting for us in the lobby. It is always a good idea to start early wherever you are traveling. We then drove straight to the Sigiriya fortress.
(Left one is Pidurangala, right one is Sigiriya Rock)
The Sigiriya rock was formed naturally but King Kashyapa turned it into a fortress during his reign. The Sri Lankan government turned it into a museum complex and maintains it well to this day. First, you have to pay an entry fee to get inside this complex. The museum building is a separate building containing a lot of artifacts. We didn’t spend much time there as none of us are history buffs. After the museum building, there is about a 15-20 minute walk towards the rock fortress. The place is filled with naturally forming trees & newly formed gardens. A lot of green wherever you look. We took some photos along the way. Before entering the gate of Sigiriya Rock, I found a mini temple on the left side of the gate. I do not know why I felt like exploring that place. As soon as I went near the temple, I could see hundreds of bats pointing their shiny little eyes at me. Thank god I have seen them before going any further.
The climb to the top of Sigiriya rock is facilitated by stairs all the way. There are segments of steel stairs in between rock stairs. Also, there are guard rails to ensure the safety of the travelers. The famous lion gate is closer to the top part of the rock. The name Sigiriya comes from this liongaet. Around this part of the fortress, it started to get crowded. Mostly local people were visiting here. After more stair climbing, we reached the top. The surrounding view was amazing with green forest & the bright blue sky. But at the same time, it was getting hot. There are lines of some old structures at the top. Other than that, not much to see there. It was June, and the summer sun was getting merciless with time. I took some photos, but my wife started to struggle with the heat. So we decided not to stay much longer at the top. We had a long journey ahead of us to Nuwara Eliya. But I will talk about it in another article.
What to Wear for Photography in Sigiriya:
To complement the red fortress, we decided to wear red clothes. Wearing white would have served us well as well. Plus, white could have saved us from the heat a little. Do not wear green or any dark color if you are visiting in the daytime.
Difference Between Sigiriya & Pidurangala:
Due to well-developed stairs it is easy to climb up Sigiriya Rock than Pidurangala. But I loved the natural pathway of Pidurangala. Near the top of Pidurangala, you have to climb up and down a few big rocks, which might seem challenging for some. Sigiriya has a complete set-up to take care of it, which Pidurangal does not have. The view from the top seemed better from Sigiriya but the naturally forming slop of Pidurangala lets you just lie down and enjoy. So, take your pick. Sigiriya is more crowded than Pidurangala, which may be due to the ease of climb. I would say if you have time, visit both. But if you have to choose between them then choose according to your preferences. If you are a nature lover and do not mind a little hustle then Pidurangala is your rock. Otherwise, go to Sigiriya.
