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Trip Reports Archive » By Length » Three Days » A Three Day Trip to Namal Uyana, Sigiriya, Dambulla & Hot Air Ballooning

A Three Day Trip to Namal Uyana, Sigiriya, Dambulla & Hot Air Ballooning

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Dambulla, Galkiriyagama, Golden Temple, Namal Uyana, Sigiriya, Sigiriya Museum, Three Days, November, Dry Zone, Culture, History, 2011, Ballooning, Photograhy

Author: Sri Abeywickrema (127 Trips)

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Year and Month November, 2011 (4th to 6th)
Number of Days Three Day Trip
Crew 3 (between 27-30 years of age)
Accommodation Lihini Village, Kandalama Rd, Dambulla (066-4468111/066-2285460)
Transport Public Transport
Activities Photography, Hot air ballooning, Climbing
Weather Excellent
Route Colombo -> Kurunegala -> Dambulla and return on the same route
Tips, Notes and Special remark
  • There’s a bus traveling via Namal Uyana but the timing is very tricky (We took the one leaving Dambulla around 1.50 pm and it returns to Namal Uyana at 4.45 pm)
  • It could be tricky climbing Sigiriya due to wasps, it’s better to go there early.
  • Water is essential coz that area is quite dry and you get dehydrated very easily
Author SriAbey
Comments Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread

  • A Three Day Trip to Namal Uyana, Sigiriya, Dambulla & Hot Air Ballooning

I saw this ad on Anything.lk about 60% reduction (7200/- only from the Actual fee of 18,000/-) on Hot Air Ballooning in Kandalama and as always the adventurous soul in me willingly agreed to explore.

So I got my friend, Lasantha, also agreed to join the fun. As always I didn’t just wanna go there do the balloon ride and return, instead I wanted to make our stay a bit extended so decided to visit Namal Uyana, Sigiriya and the Golden Temple in Dambulla.

My friend, Podi (Very difficult to get hold of) also joined and we set off on 04 November around 6.00 from Pettah to Dambulla.

We had made arrangements with Lihini Village guest house for B&B and reached there by 10.30 am and had a bath. As usual, Dambulla is extremely hot and parched so it was a bit difficult to walk in the sun.

After lunch, we came to the central bus stand to get a bus to Namal Uyana. Thankfully we got the only bus which goes via Namal Uyana (Otherwise you have to take a tuk tuk which might charge you about 400/-) and to my amazement met Rahula Thero who’s the guardian of the place.

The bus ride was through the Ibbankatuwa tank and the channel which takes water to the nearby villages.

Ibbankatuwa tank bunt...towards Namal Uyana

Ibbankatuwa tank bunt…towards Namal Uyana

We reached Namal Uyana around 2.30pm and started about 2km journey to the Rose Quartz Mountain which is believed to be about 500 million years old and the largest “Na” forest in Sri Lanka.

It was such a beautiful place full of Na trees and flowers

It was such a beautiful place full of Na trees and flowers

Click Image to Enlarge

Click Image to Enlarge

Thre were streams like these

Thre were streams like these

The Best artist - Mother Nature

The Best artist – Mother Nature

They’ve built a Samadhi Buddha Statue on the top of The Quartz mountain which is serene looking. You can see miles and miles of greenery.

Further up...

Further up…

.

Serene looking Samadhi Buddha Statue on top

Serene looking Samadhi Buddha Statue on top

Rose Quartz

Rose Quartz

There was also a ruin of the Stupa which is called “Namal Seya”.

Namal Stupa

Namal Stupa

We took the bus back to Dambulla around 4.45 pm and after reaching the hotel turned in early as we had an early rendezvous with a tuk tuk that took us to the Kandalama hotel to meet up with Air Magic crew for our balloon ride.

So the following day, early morning we left for Kandalama and reached the there by 5.15 am. The hotel was magnificent facing the Kandalama Tank.

The Air Magic crew picked us around 5.30 am and went to the Dambulla Public ground where we took off.

They were getting the balloon ready by the time we reached there.

Air Magic - facilitator of Hot Air Ballooning

Air Magic – facilitator of Hot Air Ballooning

Getting ready

Getting ready

Feeding gas into the balloon

Feeding gas into the balloon

Lasantha and I were very anxious as to what would it be like to go up there about 1500 ft. There were 6 others who would join us and the captain of the balloon.

So around 6.15 am we took off, gosh what a feeling that was. A bit by bit we went up and up reaching into the sky and clouds…

Got it up

Got it up

The surrounding was magnificent and we could see paddy fields, tanks and hills all around.

Oh yeah, we are up at last

Oh yeah, we are up at last

A-9 from about 750ft up

A-9 from about 750ft up

Altimeter... 293m up

Altimeter… 293m up

It's bit hot under the gas

It’s bit hot under the gas

The Golden Buddha Statue of Dambulla Temple was majestically rising.

Golden Buddha see from afar and up

Golden Buddha see from afar and up

We could also see the Grand Stand of Dambulla Cricket Ground.

Utter waste...Dambulla Int Cricket Stadium

Utter waste…Dambulla Int Cricket Stadium

Morning rising sun

Morning rising sun

Ibbankatuwa tank

Ibbankatuwa tank

After about an hour we landed about 5km away from where we took off.

Landed after a wonderful journey

Landed after a wonderful journey

Got to get this wrapped up

Got to get this wrapped up

This was our team

This was our team

Then got a lift back to the hotel around 7.45 am and after breakfast immediately came to the bus stand to go to Sigiriya.

I was a bit wary of wasps as there had been numerous attacks on tourists.

I was silently wishing that we wouldn’t have any trouble with the wasps and my wish was granted in big time in the end.

We reached Sigiriya around 9.30 and it had started a drizzle by then

Sigiriya first glance

Sigiriya first glance

However it wasn’t so cruel to ruin our day as it stopped and gave us a good cloud cover till we climbed down protecting from the scorching sun.

Nice place for a nap

Nice place for a nap

Unfortunately couldn't make it there

Unfortunately couldn’t make it there – Click Image to Enlarge

The canal protecting the fortress

The canal protecting the fortress

World Heritage City of Sigiriya

World Heritage City of Sigiriya – Click Image to Enlarge

We first went to the recently built Sigiriya Museum which house a vast array of artifacts and how our village life was constructed based on the concepts such as Wewa; Dagaba; Gama; Pansala

Me at the entrance to the museum

Me at the entrance to the museum

Shiva Natarajah Statue

Shiva Natarajah Statue

Artefacts for Sale at the Museum shop

Artefacts for Sale at the Museum shop

Typical village life

Typical village life

Different kinds of rice

Different kinds of rice

This has been used to control bulls and made of bull horn

This has been used to control bulls and made of bull horn

Things in a Village Kitchen

Things in a Village Kitchen

Buddha Statue

Buddha Statue

It also depicted the World Class Sigiriya paintings.

The Master of Archeology, Dr. Senarath Paranavithana’s statue is built next to the museum

The Maestro - Dr. Senarath Paranawithana

The Maestro – Dr. Senarath Paranawithana

After about an hour there, we went through the entrance to climb this marvelous work of rock which shows the craftsmanship of our people

From afar

From afar

Zoomed in

Zoomed in

The water fountains are still working but now become almost redundant due to the water level of Sigiriya tank is going down rapidly. This so-called development work and illegal (Politically influenced) hotels have been the cause for this which is a real pity.

Being made redundant by the so-called development....natural water fountains

Being made redundant by the so-called development….natural water fountains

Afterwards, still skeptical about wasps we started our ascent.

Giant Buddha statue seen from midway...

Giant Buddha statue seen from midway…

After about half hour we reached Sigiriya Paintings, there are only 11 left and well covered so as to protect from weather.

Painting 1

Painting 1

Painting 2

Painting 2

Painting 3

Painting 3

Painting 4

Painting 4

Painting 5

Painting 5

Painting 6

Painting 6

Painting 7

Painting 7

Painting 8

Painting 8

Painting 9

Painting 9

Painting 10

Painting 10

Painting 11

Painting 11

Afterwards we went passing the famous mirror wall towards the second half of Sigiriya.

Mirror wall

Mirror wall

The view and the architecture is amazing

The view and the architecture is amazing

We came to the Lion’s feet and started the steep climb among many others.

Left one

Left one

Right one

Right one

The steep bit

The steep bit

The wasps' nest...but no trouble at all

The wasps’ nest…but no trouble at all

When we reached the top, it simply was amazing and breathtaking.

Giant pool on top

Giant pool on top

King's seat facing the pool

King’s seat facing the pool

Slowly dying - Sigiriya tank

Slowly dying – Sigiriya tank

We stayed up there about half hour and climbed down after about 2 hours.

We came back to Dambulla town around 1.30 pm and had lunch.

Then thought of going to the Kandalama tank for a boat ride, unfortunately it started drizzling a bit so we thought of going to the hotel for some rest.

The following day, after breakfast we left and came to the Golden Temple where a giant Golden Buddha is rising into the clear blue sky.

Golden Temple

Golden Temple

Giant buddha

Giant buddha

Dimensions of the statue

Dimensions of the statue

What a sight

What a sight

Everything's golden

Everything’s golden

Entrance to the museum

Entrance to the museum

The temple itself has a museum which has very valuable artifacts

These are to be donated to countries like Burma, Thailand, etc..

These are to be donated to countries like Burma, Thailand, etc..

Almost natural

Almost natural

Princess Hemamala & Prince Dantha

Princess Hemamala & Prince Dantha

Old statues

Old statues

Nice colour too

Nice colour too

Different kinds of statues

Different kinds of statues

Lord Buddha...

Lord Buddha…

It also has paintings of various ceremonies of ancient Sri Lanka

It also has paintings of various ceremonies of ancient Sri Lanka

Paintings....

Paintings….

Some more

Some more

Never Ending..

Never Ending..

Then we climbed up the rocky steps to the top of the ancient temple and along the way came across vendors selling artifacts

For sale

For sale

Built on top of a rock

Built on top of a rock

Can see the "Katarama"

Can see the “Katarama”

.

Afterwards we went into the temple which house endless collection of statues and paintings which are priceless

Hundreds of statues...

Hundreds of statues…

World class cave sculpture

World class cave sculpture

Kandy Era paintings and statues

Kandy Era paintings and statues

.

.

.

Even the roof is painted with pics

.Even the roof is painted with pics

Giant Buddha statues inside the cave complex

Giant Buddha statues inside the cave complex

.

.

.

Never Ending

Never Ending

.

There’s also a never ending water hole which fills a copper container and it’s being used on religious ceremonies

No matter what....there's always water dripping to the pot

No matter what….there’s always water dripping to the pot

Tiny pond

Tiny pond

Entrance to the cave temple

Entrance to the cave temple

It really was awesome

It really was awesome

So after about couple of hours we left the temple and had lunch and took a Kurunegala bound bus then to Colombo.

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