Dambulla Royal Cave Temple
Dambulla · Sigiriya, Dambulla & Matale · Sri Lanka
★★★★★ Museum & culture
Note: Photos may not be 100% accurate
What it costs a family of four
FreeFree to enter for local nationals. A foreign visitor is charged at the gate — the figure is in What to know below, and it is not in the total above.
What to know
NOT IN THE TOTAL ABOVE: entry is free for Sri Lankan nationals, and a foreign visitor is charged LKR 1,500 at the gate. Five caves under an overhang, painted end to end and holding 150 Buddha images, in use for 22 centuries. UNESCO listed. A ten-minute climb to the entrance, shoes off at the top - the rock gets hot enough to hurt by midday, so bring socks.
The details
| Adult ticket | Free entry |
|---|---|
| Child ticket | Free entry |
| Typical visit | 1.5-2 hours |
| Opening hours | Daily 07:00-19:00 |
| Indoors or out | Both |
| Region | Central, Sri Lanka |
| Prices quoted in | LKR |
When to go
The planner warns of wet in April, May, October, November. Outside those months it says nothing, which is the point — a warning that fires every day is one nobody reads.
Plan a trip around it
Add Dambulla Royal Cave Temple to an itinerary
The planner prices a whole day for your exact party, warns about closures and drive times, and totals the trip in your own currency.
Official page: https://www.srilanka.travel/
Nearby in Sigiriya, Dambulla & Matale
- Sigiriya Rock Fortress★★★★★ · 3-4 hours
- Pidurangala Rock★★★★☆ · 2 hours
- Aluvihare Rock Temple★★★☆☆ · 1 hour
- Matale Spice Garden★★★☆☆ · 1 hour
- Riverston & the Knuckles★★★☆☆ · Half day
- Nalanda Gedige★★☆☆☆ · 45 mins
- Sigiriya Museum★★☆☆☆ · 45 mins