This ancient Buddhist cave temple complex from the 1st century BC contains over 150 Buddha statues and vibrant ceiling frescoes on 2100 square meters of painted walls.
Walk through ancient cave temples in Dambulla to see Buddha statues and vibrant murals painted over 2,000 years ago. Stop at the country's biggest vegetable market, where farmers bring fresh produce daily. Take guided walks through the Popham Arboretum to spot pangolins, or watch elephants gather at nearby Minneriya National Park. You can also hike in the world's largest rose quartz mountain range.
Exploring the Cave Temple Complex
Climb 160 meters up the granite outcrop to reach five cave temples with spectacular views across the plains. You'll find 153 Buddha statues inside, along with detailed murals covering 2,100 square meters of cave walls. Look for scenes depicting Buddha's life, including his first sermon and confrontation with demon Mara. In the second cave - the largest - you can see 53 Buddha statues and ceiling paintings showing 18th-century Sinhalese Buddhist art.
Planning Your Cave Temple Visit
Start your temple exploration before 10 AM or after 3 PM to avoid peak heat hours. Buy your tickets (LKR 1500) at the lower entrance before walking up the 15-minute path. Wear clothes that cover your knees and shoulders to enter the temples. The site welcomes visitors from 7 AM to 7 PM daily, with the ticket office closing at 6 PM. Set aside one to two hours to see all five caves thoroughly.
Natural Areas Around Dambulla
Walk through the Popham Arboretum, 3 kilometers from downtown, where you'll see nearly 300 tree species, including seven endemic to this area. Join an evening guided walk to look for pangolins and mouse deer. Follow the walking trails through Na Uyana Aranya's iron wood forest, or explore the rose quartz mountain range - the largest formation of its kind in South Asia.
Getting Around Dambulla
Take regular buses from Dambulla to Colombo (148 kilometers southwest) or Kandy (72 kilometers south). From the central bus station, catch local buses or tuk-tuks to Sigiriya rock fortress (15 kilometers away) and Minneriya National Park. The city sits at the crossroads of major routes between Colombo-Trincomalee and Kandy-Anuradhapura, making it an ideal starting point for exploring central Sri Lanka.
