Made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 Sigiriya Rock, also called Lion Rock, rises a sheer 180 metres out of Sri Lanka’s central plains, towering over the surrounding landscape. Perched on top of the rock is the remains of the palace of Kassappa, a king who reigned over a short lived kingdom between 477 to 495AD.

Your ascent to the palace begins at the mammoth lion paws, passing between these climb the staircases and pass through a series of galleries which are home to magnificent old frescoes. Around the base of the rock you’ll find what remains of Kassappa’s pleasure gardens, a beautifully landscaped area of water gardens and shrines.