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In addition to Lions Rock, Pidurangala Rock is another huge rock in the middle of the green landscape of Sigiriya and offers a great panorama and a good view of Lion Rock.
Pidurangala Rock is the less famous but equally awesome sibling to Lion Rock. As the entrance fee is only 1000 LKR (3 EUR), it is a cheap alternative to Lion Rock for many people.
You can climb Pidurangala Rock throughout the day from 5:00 until 18:00. However, most people choose to climb at sunrise or sunset. The ascent takes about 45 minutes, depending on the crowds.
If you want to watch the sunrise, you have to start the ascent in the dark. I therefore recommend that you arrive at the ticket office at 5:00 AM so that you can start the ascent on time. It can be quite crowded in the morning.
Once you reach the top, you sit on the rock in the dark and wait for the sun to rise. Unfortunately, it was super foggy (and cold) on our day, so we hardly got to see the sunrise at all. But we hung in there (after most people already have given up), and after two hours, the fog finally lifted, revealing a stunning panorama and a peek at Lion Rock.
The main part of the climb consists of stairs, which we climbed in the dark with a cell phone flashlight. As my fitness is really not the best (okay pretty shitty tbh) we took a little breather every few minutes, with quite a few people overtaking us. After about 30 minutes you come to a section where you have to climb a bit through the rocks. There was a traffic jam here, but it wasn’t too bad. Once you reach the top, it is enough space for everyone.
On top of Pidurangala Rock, you are greeted by a lively family of monkeys. You can really watch them for hours, but be careful, some will try to get at your bags.
If you want to catch the sunrise like we did, I recommend organizing a tuk-tuk the day before to take you directly from your accommodation to the ticket counter at Pidurangala Rock. Your tuk-tuk driver can wait for you there by prior arrangement.
Alternatively, you can take the bus at least to the vicinity of Lion Rock and walk 40 minutes from there. We opted for this option on the way back. The bus runs along the B162 every 20–30 minutes between Sigiriya and Dambulla.
If you want to travel to Sigiriya by bus, you must first head to Dambulla. There are direct buses from Colombo, Kandy, and Anuradhapura to the Dambulla Main Bus Station. We came from Anuradhapura, where you can choose between air-conditioned minibuses and regular buses that frequently make the trip to Dambulla.
Once you reach Dambulla, you’ll need to switch to a local bus to Sigiriya, which takes about another 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can take a tuk-tuk from Dambulla for around 7 EUR, but honestly, the local bus is way cheaper.
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