Pidurangala Rock - Sigiriya’s Pretty Little Sister
The Hike Up Pidurangala
Some mornings are better than others.
A few months ago a Wednesday morning would have consisted of a hurried breakfast, a long traffic filled commute followed by; logging in at work and then being yelled at by a stranger for a problem I didn’t cause and could not solve (debt management, yay).
Today was different. Today I was in Sri Lanka, sat with half a coconut shell full of ginger tea, several hundreds metres up the rock face of Pidurangala. Instead of my view being that of a dreary office wall and an inbox full of hatred, I was looking out over a green forest towards the Lion’s Rock of Sigiriya.
Some mornings are better than others!
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Cheers!
Organised by Roy (read more about him and his amazing hostel here), the hike to the top of Pidurangala Rock is an amazing way to start a day. A short drive from Sigiriya town, Pidurangala is a massive rock formation, with fantastic 360 degree views over the surrounding landscape including the Lion’s Rock itself.
We had planned to catch the sunrise, but a rainstorm had delayed our departure so we set off a little late at 7am. Roy usually runs this as a sunrise hike, starting at 4am or 5am, but as the trek up involves some ‘off-road’ segments, we had waited for the rain to clear.
Arriving at the base of Pidurangala rock, we paid our entrance fee 1000 LKR (£2.52 or $3.09) each and made our way to the start of the trail.
The path begins in a Buddhist temple, a short walk through its grounds brings you to the first set of steps. The climb up the rock itself is short but sharp, taking less than 20 minutes to reach its 199 metre peak. The trail winds through the forest, and past Buddhist ruins. We imagine that if you are doing the sunrise hike you may not see too much of the scenery as you climb, so look out for it on your way down! As you reach the statue of the Reclining Buddha, the trees part and you start to see your first glimpses of the Sri Lankan greenery below.
This is when the hike becomes more of a climb. Turning the corner, the only way up the rock is to scramble up, over, around, across and through large boulders. Some of the rocks will have ropes to help you climb and some do not. We scrambled on up. Our group was by no means full of seasoned mountaineers but the climb was that perfect blend of easy and exciting. As we came close to the summit of the rock, we were greeted by a flat ledge and one of the most incredible views we’ve ever seen.
We had seen photos, Instagram posts and YouTube videos of the Lion’s Rock, but this was our first proper view of Sigiriya. None of those digital images did the magnificent site in front of us justice. The Lion’s Rock stood bathed in the morning sun and surrounded by steaming green vegetation.
This was to be our morning tea stop. Roy had lugged up a thermos flask of hot ginger tea and enough coconut shells to make mugs for all of our group.
Sitting on the rocky promontory, we sat in awe, sipping on our tea and soaking up the view. In the distance the tiny figures of Sigiriya’s first visitors of the day climbed their way up the Lion’s Rock. Tea finished, it was time for selfies. If there was ever a time for a photo, this was certainly it.
Although this initial ledge was an amazing viewpoint, it was not the peak of the rock. A very short climb later, we found ourselves on the massive flat summit of Pidurangala. On all sides, the rock fell away in worryingly vertical cliffs. In every direction, and as far as the eye could see, stretched an emerald carpet of trees. The green blanket dotted here and there with smoke from houses and the white stupas of temples.
In the far distance Roy pointed out the highest peak in the area, Ritigala mountain. You cannot climb Ritigala (as it is a strictly controlled nature reserve) but you can explore some amazing ruins on its slope (read all about these here).
As we have mentioned we had seen Pidurangala on social media. In fact the Budgeteers (the series that was pivotal in our decision to come to Sri Lanka) had shown us the summit before and let us know that it was far from a “hidden gem”. We were fully expecting the summit to be crowded, especially as many backpackers opt to climb the rock as a cheaper alternative to Sigiriya. What we didn’t expect however, was to have the entire rock all to ourselves. For the first twenty or thirty minutes it was only us and our group enjoying the breathtaking views, and even after this, only a few more people emerged onto the plateau.
We walked around the flat summit taking in the views from all sides. Standing on what felt like the top of the world, and basking in the warmth of the morning light we thought again:
Some mornings really are better than others!
Essential information for Visiting Pidurangala
Getting To Pidurangala
We visited this as an organised trip from Roy’s hostel, but you can easily do this yourself. The start of the hike is here. Just arrange a tuk tuk or driver to wait for you at the bottom. Pidurangala Rock is a very short drive from Sigiriya town itself. There is space to park a car / tuk tuk at the bottom of the rock but it may get busy.
If you want to book a proper guided tour but are not staying at Roy’s, you can do so through GetYourGuide here.
How Much Does It Cost?
The tickets cost 1000 LKR per person (£2.52 or $3.09).
The Route Up
There aren’t any signposts for the path up! However the way is not too complicated. From the carpark, head towards the temple. Purchase your ticket and continue forward on the path. There is only one real way up and down, so you’d have to try hard to get lost!
As you near the top, resist the urge to take the obvious path in front of you. Instead turn to your left, pull yourself up and under the large overhanging rock, crawl around the side of it and you will be confronted with some of the best views of Lion’s Rock. If you continue forward you’ll go straight to the plateau and miss this viewpoint.
How Hard Is The Hike Up Pidurangala?
Pidurangala Rock stands around 199 metres tall. Although not on the scale of mountain climbing or anything too extreme, the climb does involve some light bouldering, steep ascents, crawling and rough terrain. The bouldering section starts just past the Reclining Buddha, again it’s not hard, but is not the same as just walking up some stairs!
How Long Does It Take To Climb Pidurangala Rock?
It’s a short climb and took us around 20 minutes to reach the top in the daylight. If it is busy, or if it is dark it will obviously take longer.
What Should I Wear?
Something comfortable and breathable that you can move around in. It’s tempting to dress up for an Instagram shoot in a big floaty dress, but it wouldn’t be very practical in the bouldering section!
Although the hike does start in a Buddhist temple, don’t worry about wearing your athletic gear! Next to the ticket counter there is a clothesline full of sarongs for you to borrow for the short walk through the temple. As you exit the temple grounds there is another clothesline for you to store your coverup so you don’t have to wear it for the climb up.
There is some climbing to do as you get higher, so make sure you wear appropriate footwear.
When To Go - Should I Climb At Sunrise or Sunset?
Pidurangala has 360 degree views, and would be spectacular at any time of the day. Both sunrise and sunset are incredible. However if you’re a late riser or don’t fancy a climb down in the dark, our early morning expedition was stunning as well!
If you are climbing at sunrise or sunset, make sure to bring a torch as surprise, surpise there are no lights!
How crowded is Pidurangala Rock
As we’ve mentioned above, we were very lucky to visit when we did. There were only a small handful of visitors whilst we were there. If it was busier we’d expect a bit more of a wait and a more frustrating climb up and down (there’s only one path up with limited passing spots). This is something to bear in mind as it will get busier throughout the day especially up to sunset.
We have heard that it gets very busy for sunset these days. It has been marketed by some “influencers” as the thing to do instead of Sigirya (this is completely wrong - see later on) and has become very a popular site.
Facilities At Pidurangala Rock
There are no toilets on the route up or on the top. Go before arriving!
There is little cover at the top of the summit, so check the weather and pack wet coats and sun cream as necessary. Also bring water, as it's a rock in the middle of a jungle, surprisingly, there are no shops on the route (or at least there wasn’t when we visited)!
Should I Skip Sigiriya And Just Do Pidurangala?
Lots of people seem to choose between visiting either Sigiriya and Pidurangala. For the budget conscious it is appealing just to do Pidurangala and save the pricey entrance fee of Sigiriya - do not do this! The Lion’s Rock is worth every penny you pay. Pidurangala is wonderful and definitely worth your time visiting, but please do not think doing Pidurangala means you don’t have to do Sigiriya. The only people who tell you to skip Sigirya are the ones that missed out and skipped it themselves! To read why Sigiriya is such an essential visit, check out our article here.
Pidurangala is incredible. A small climb with massive pay off! The views from the top are breathtaking, and truly encapsulates the wonder and natural beauty of central Sri Lanka. We would honestly class this as a “must do” whilst in Sri Lanka. The fact that you can easily pair this with Sigiriya, Ritigala or Dambulla means theres really no excuse not to climb the rock.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
Some totally non-edited photos of the intrepid Jellie explorers!
#nofilterhonest
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