Day 1 - Airport - Dambulla (B/D) 150kms
Option 1—US$ 10 per person:
Dambulla Cave Temple first came to use as a refuge for King Valagambahu in 1st Century BC, Concealed by the local monks upon returning from exile to his throne at Anuradapuraya, he had the magnificent cave temple built for them.The Cave temple consists of a complex of Buddhist image houses.Its rock ceiling is one large sweep of colorful frescoes,some of which dates back to over 2,000 years which depicts Buddhist mythology and the tales of the Buddha’s previous births. This cave temple has the largest number of Buddha statues all housed in one plaace including a 14-meter-long colossal figure of the recumbent Buddha carved out of the rock.
(Optional 2- US$ 30 per person)
Sigiriya Rock Fortress is home to the 5th Century “Fortress in the Sky” which is perhaps the most fantastic single wonder of the island. It is also known as Lion Rock because of the huge lion that used to stand at the entrance to the fortress. Within its triple-moated defense, the huge rock rises almost to a sheer height of 500 ft. On its summit are the foundations of 500 ft. On its summit are the foundations of what was once a great and sumptuous palace and gardens complete with swimming pool. On one of the stairways, the only known ancient work of Sinhala secular painting survived in the form of Frescoes of life sized damsels in all the freshness and delicacy of their original color.
