- +9472 2717 677
- Info@lankaitinerary.com
Dambulla
- Home
- Dambulla
Overview
The Dambulla Cave Temple is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Five caves cut into a granite outcrop hold more than 150 Buddha statues and ceilings painted with murals that have been retouched for over 800 years. It sits 20 kilometres from Sigiriya and is almost always visited on the same Cultural Triangle day.
All Destinations
Ready to Visit Dambulla?
Inside the Dambulla Cave Temple
The five caves range from a single 14-metre reclining Buddha carved from the rock to chambers filled with seated and standing figures, dagobas and kings, every surface glowing with ochre and gold murals. The complex is still an active place of worship, so shoulders and knees must be covered and shoes removed at the entrance to the caves.
The approach is a stepped climb of about 15 minutes to the cave terrace, from where there is a wide view over the plains to Sigiriya. At the base, the modern Golden Temple with its giant seated Buddha and small museum is step-free and worth a look if the climb is difficult.
Things to Do in Dambulla
- Five painted caves, 150+ Buddha images
- 14-metre rock-cut reclining Buddha
- 800-year-old ceiling murals
- Golden Temple & viewpoint at the base
Good to Know
- Entrance fee: about LKR 3,000 per foreign adult (2026)
- Best time: morning, all year
- Getting there: 20 km from Sigiriya, 2 hrs from Kandy
- Pair it with: Sigiriya Rock Fortress
Dambulla pairs naturally with Sigiriya, and both feature on our Cultural Triangle Heritage Tour and classic round tours. A private Sigiriya & Dambulla day tour covers the two in a single day from Colombo, Kandy, Negombo or the beaches, with entrance fees and lunch included.
Dambulla highlights: Five painted caves, 150+ Buddha images, 14-metre rock-cut reclining Buddha, 800-year-old ceiling murals, Golden Temple & viewpoint at the base.
Best time to visit: morning, all year. getting there: 20 km from Sigiriya, 2 hrs from Kandy. Lanka Itinerary can include Dambulla in a private, fully customisable Sri Lanka tour with a local chauffeur-guide. Contact us to plan your trip.
Key Tour packages based on Dambulla
Key Activities
Entry is about LKR 3,000 per foreign adult in 2026. Unlike the Cultural Fund sites it is priced in rupees. On our tours the fee is included.
Dambulla is an active Buddhist temple, so shoulders and knees must be covered and shoes and hats removed before entering the caves. The stone terrace gets very hot at midday, so socks are worth carrying. We keep sarongs in the vehicle for anyone caught out.
Allow about an hour and a half, including the 15-minute stepped climb to the cave terrace and time in all five caves. Combined with Sigiriya it makes a comfortable full day.
The five caves are reached by a stepped climb with no step-free route. If stairs are difficult, the Golden Temple complex and museum at the base are step-free, and your guide can describe the caves and show you photographs.
Yes, and most visitors do. They are only 20 kilometres apart. Climb Sigiriya first thing in the morning and visit the Dambulla caves in the early afternoon, or reverse the order in the low season.