An ancient civilization set atop one of the most dramatic outcroppings in all of Southeast Asia, Sigiriya is an intricately carved, geological masterpiece without compare.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/59a68a_66028b8bd9bc41a797d2787b93dc1f7a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_98,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/59a68a_66028b8bd9bc41a797d2787b93dc1f7a~mv2.jpg)
After passing through one of the world’s oldest landscaped gardens, it quickly becomes obvious why Sigiriya is also known as the Lion Rock: just as it did over a thousand years ago, the ascent to the top begins through the open paws of a Lion, and after climbing through a series of frescoe-laden tunnels, visitors emerge through the mouth of a Lion. At the peak, spectacular, panoramic views of the surrounding countryside await those who make the climb.