January 31, 2026 | Sigiriya – Elephant Safari – Kandy
We are in Sri Lanka! Sri Lanka's tropical green, elephants, cinnamon smell, rubber trees that changed its history, smiling people... It is an island country, but it carries the memory of an ancient civilization.
Today, it is the most “wow!” of that memory. memory: Sigiriya.
A royal city built on top of a giant rock... It is both a castle, a palace, and a work of art in itself. Betrayal, power, arrogance, glory, pleasure and suicide; A forgotten palace that houses all kinds of human states. Everything is wonderful except the 1,202 steps to climb. It is good that we have reached this age; If we had gotten a little older, we wouldn't have left these places alive.
Things that affect us the most
Water Gardens
Would landscape architecture and hydraulics be this advanced 1,500 years ago? We saw with our own eyes that some sprinklers were still working due to the rain.
Mirror Wall
Its polished surface once shined “like a mirror.” Moreover, there are poems and notes engraved by visitors over the centuries; literally an ancient “comments section”.
Frescoes
In the middle of the rocky surface, naked female figures looking through time... It is incredible that the colors are still vibrant.
Lion's Gate
The giant claws at the entrance reveal why this place is called "Lion Rock". It is thought that in the past, the entrance was made through a giant lion head carved into the rock. It's impressive just to stand there and imagine it. It's like a scene from The Lord of the Rings.
View from the top
You can't talk for a while after you come out; you just look.
Sometimes a place becomes unforgettable not just because it is “beautiful” but because it flips a switch inside a person. Sigiriya is exactly that place.
After Sigiriya, we went on a safari around Minneriya, Kaudulla or Hurulu, depending on the elephant movements in the region. At the end of the day, we continued towards Kandy.
Accommodation: Kings Pavilion, Kandy