Asia
Pidurangala Rock hike: how is it to hike one of Sri Lanka’s top view point
May
The Pidurangala Rock in Sigiriya, Sri Lanka is one of the best view points of Sigiriya Rock and a relatively short – albeit with a steep climb – trek up at a lower fee compared to the famed Sigiriya Fortress.
While it is a popular tourist destination, there isn’t as much information on the actual hike as most embark on the hike before sunrise. This makes documenting the trek up a much lower priority!
So let me go into details on what hiking Pidurangala Rock is like!
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Table of Contents
About the Pidurangala Rock
The Pidurangala Rock is about 3.7 km from Sigiriya Fortress and it has served as a Buddhist Monastery since 2nd century BCE. It is said that when King Kashyapa (447-495 CE) relocated the monks from the monastery that was in Sirigirya Rock to here and you’ll see some Buddhist structures on your hike up still.
Essential Information on Pidurangala Rock
The Pidurangala Rock is 199m tall and its highest and made of volcanic rock like Sigiriya, making them more resistant to weathering and thus remain a block (rock) while the plains have been eroded down.
As a result, you’d have to do a bit of a climb at the end as you make your way up to the time!
Difficulty: 2/5 as it is short and often busy, meaning there’s someone to help you at tricky bits. But don’t underestimate the shoe requirements as flip flops for unseasoned hikers would make life miserable.
Time taken: 30 minutes or so, but if there is heavy human traffic then it might take longer, especially if there are people who struggle with the difficult part at the end.
Pro: cheaper than Sigiriya and a stunning view
Con: often crowded during sunrise with everyone and not as historic as Sigiriya
How to get to the Pidurangala Rock
Pidurangala is a 15-30 minute drive from Habarana and even less if you are going from Sigiriya. There is a huge car park at the bottom for tour groups and private car, so whatever your option is you will be dropped off at the trail start which is just below the temple.
How long is the hike up Pidurangala Rock?
The hike should take around 30 minutes, which was the case for us even with human traffic towards the top.
If you are unfit or unused to humidity and heat, I’d add 15 minutes to the time for buffer.
Is Pidurangala Rock worth it?
Yes, it’s a great hike to do in the area and the view is well worth the hype.
Is it better to see Pidurangala Rock at sunrise or sunset?
The sun rises and sets away from the Sigiriya Rock, so either sunrise or sunset would be good depending on your schedule.
I’d advise for sunrise as this means the hike up is less hot and generally the weather are more stable in the early morning.
Is it better to climb Sigiriya or Pidurangala?
If you have the time, definitely do both. Sigiriya is the one with more historical significance, so unless budget really is an issue, I’d suggest Sigiriya instead. We ended up only doing Pidurangala, but that’s because of other factors.
What to wear and bring for the hike up Pidurangala Rock
The hike up Pidurangala Rock is only 30 minutes, but it’s important to pack the following for your trip:
- Wear good grip shoes – hiking sandals would work too but if you are not a confident hiker when climbing on rocks, wearing trainers would be better as it protects your toes. Definitely no flip flops, and avoid flat sole running shoes as they have zero grips.
- Sunglasses, sunscreen, and hat – the sun will come out and once it does, it get hot!
- Mosquito/insect repellent – insects are up all hours of the day
- Sweat towel – trust me, you’ll sweat!
- 500ml – 1L of water – depending on your usual water intake, make sure you have enough water to go up
- Snack – especially if you didn’t eat breakfast before going up!
What is nice to have but not essential:
- Camera – for the photos! Your phone is just as good but you might want to bring a camera for the sunrise glow or something to take the timelapse.
- Wrap skirt – wrap skirt is my favourite travel staple because it’s easy to put on. I brought my red wrap skirt to put on over the shorts for some instagram pics!
- Tripod – for the timelapse or if you are a solo traveller!
Hiking up Pidurangala Rock
I wanted to keep a detailed record of the hike up Pidurangala Rock so that people know exactly what to expect. Let’s start from the car park!
Hike up to the temple
From the car park there is a flight of stairs to go towards the temple, but there’s also a ramp (assuming it was meant for car) to the right and we took that one up.
You have to pay the entrance fee of LKR 1000 at the office of the temple and they have sarongs for you to cover your shoulders and knees, and they all smell clean.
It took only a minute or two to go through the temple and there was a washline at the end to collect the sarongs.
Stairs ascent to reclining Buddha
From there we went up a steep flight of stairs then had to cross a muddy patch between two rocks.
It is followed by more stairs that are less even, reaching a bigger plateau where we see a reclining Buddha statue and a glimpse of the flatland below.
Last stretch of the climb
There were more stairs that grew steeper and the path grew narrower. It was slower going as there was a human traffic jam. We had a guide who helped us with a small hop and the last stretch was signalled by the narrower path between two rocks with one big rock towering at the end.
I did have to get on almost my stomach and had a hand up to get up, because it’s quite narrow at the top and not short-people friendly. It’s not exactly hazardous but it’s definitely not easy and not for everyone.
Once we got up there it’s actually not the top but the view of Sigiriya is arguably even better than at the top.
From there we have reached the big batholith and just needed to follow the curve of it to the plateau at the top.
Taking photos around Pidurangala Rock
Pidurangala Rock is roughly oblong and most people cluster around the eastern (and long) side of the rock to see the sunrise. There is a small patch of grass and trees towards the end of the far side from the hike entrance, otherwise it’s a pretty consistent topography and shape.
Sigiriya is towards the south and visible from the climb up, so stay over there if you want to take photos with it in the background. However, the sunrise and sunset are not that way.
You can also go down a little to the side as it’s not as steep as it looks to steer away from the crowd a bit.
Note: there are monkeys around the rock and they will try to steal your bag if you are not careful with your belongings!
Descent from Pidurangala Rock
It’s easier to go down than to go up, but if you have shorter legs like me, it’s a little tricky to reach climb down at the start.
While the trail is easy to follow, we did hit a few dead ends when we were not paying attention, but the barbed wire fence will make it very clear.
When you go through the temple, take the sarongs from the washline to cover your shoulders and knees again.
Verdict on hiking Pidurangala Rock
Overall, it’s definitely one of the most photogenic spots I’ve been to in Sri Lanka. I wouldn’t recommend anyone with knee problems to do the hike, but for most people you should be able to do it provided you have proper footwear and a guide or friend to help.
