Kandy to Sigiriya

Sigiriya lies 90 km north of Kandy by Google’s route, a drive of about two and a half hours on the A9 through Matale and Dambulla.

• 90 km by road from Kandy
• about 2 h 30 min driving time (Google)
• from $48.94 one way, City car
• Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pickup

Fares from Kandy to Sigiriya

The starting price covers 50 km of the 90, so only the last 40 km are charged at the vehicle’s rate per km. The ride back to Kandy costs about the same.

VehicleSeatsBagsOne wayReturn

City carSuzuki Wagon R or similar2 seats2 bags$48.94one way$97.88 returnBook Station wagonHonda Shuttle or similar3 seats5 bags$51.94one way$103.88 returnBook Economy carToyota Prius or similar3 seats3 bags$55.94one way$111.88 returnBook Standard carToyota Premio or similar3 seats3 bags$62.93one way$125.86 returnBook SUVSsangYong Kyron or similar4 seats6 bags$64.93one way$129.86 returnBook Luxury SUVToyota Prado or similar4 seats6 bags$151.05one way$302.10 returnBook Mini vanToyota Hiace or similar7 seats10 bags$66.92one way$133.84 returnBook Mini busToyota Hiace High Roof or similar14 seats14 bags$82.91one way$165.82 returnBook 20-seat coachToyota Coaster or similar20 seats20 bags$99.90one way$199.80 returnBook 37-seat coach37 seats37 bags$169.75one way$339.50 returnBook 45-seat coach45 seats45 bags$199.70one way$399.40 returnBook 51-seat coach51 seats51 bags$239.65one way$479.30 returnBook

Fares from the centre of Kandy to Sigiriya village, 89.9 km by Google’s route, as the booking form works them out. Your hotels may be a little nearer or further: enter both addresses in the form for their own fare.

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The drive

The A9, the old road from Kandy to Jaffna, runs north through Katugastota and Matale, where spice gardens along the road show how pepper, cardamom and cinnamon are grown. Beyond Matale the hills fall away; at Dambulla the road passes the cave temple, and a few kilometres further on the car turns off for the last 10 km to Sigiriya.

On the way

The Aluvihare rock temple, just north of Matale, is where Buddhist monks first wrote down the Pali scriptures, in the first century BCE. With an early start there is time for it, or for the Dambulla cave temple, and still an afternoon at the rock.

From Sigiriya, many round trips go on to the ancient cities of Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura, or to the east coast at Trincomalee.

Other routes between towns