The Ancient Cities
Royal capital ruins, a rock fortress and a cave temple in the dry zone, best seen over three to five days with early starts.
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The Ancient Cities are four UNESCO World Heritage sites in the dry zone of north central Sri Lanka: Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya and Dambulla. Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa were royal capitals for centuries, and their ruins include dagobas, monastery complexes and old reservoirs. Sigiriya is a rock fortress built on a steep outcrop, and Dambulla is a cave temple with painted interiors. Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya were inscribed in 1982, and Dambulla in 1991.
This trip suits history-minded travelers who are comfortable walking long distances between ruins and riding in a car between sites. Plan three to five days, and let the order of the sites and your base town shape the route. Visit in the drier months if you can, and start at each site early, because midday heat is strong across the dry zone.
The Ancient Cities in five
- Budget a separate ticket for each siteThe CCF price list, updated 24 September 2026, shows foreign-visitor tickets of USD 35 for Sigiriya and USD 30 each for Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura, with half prices for ages 6 to 12. That is USD 95 for all three at full price.CCF ticket prices
- Check the Dambulla cave temple separatelyUNESCO says the Dambulla property is owned by the Asgiriya Chapter of Buddhist monks, and the CCF list has only a Dambulla museum ticket, at USD 3. Confirm the cave temple's entry rules at the gate, and cover shoulders and knees.UNESCO Dambulla
- Buy from the CCF, not a resellerThe eTicket order is a receipt, not a pass: you collect each ticket at the site counter. The Sigiriya guide covers validity, counter hours and refunds.How to climb Sigiriya
- Plan around the heat and the two rain peaksIn the Department of Census and Statistics table, Polonnaruwa's monthly highs reach about 35 degrees C from April to September. The DWC's dry-zone climate note puts rainfall peaks in April to May and October to November.How to climb Sigiriya
- Decide how the loop endsWilpattu is the nearest big park to Anuradhapura, and the CCF puts Polonnaruwa on the highway toward Batticaloa and the east coast. Choose the ending before you book rooms.Wilpattu travel guide
Things to do in The Ancient Cities
See all attractions in The Ancient Cities
Need to know
- Airport
- Bandaranaike (CMB); then several hours by road to the dry zone
- Getting there
- By road from Colombo, Negombo or Kandy, usually with a driver
- Getting around
- A driver between sites; plan on foot within each one
- Best base
- Sigiriya or Habarana in the middle; Anuradhapura for the north
- Time needed
- 3 to 5 days for the four sites
Weather by month
- Best
- JanuaryDrying, cooler
- FebruaryDry, cooler
- MarchDry, hot
- AprilHot, rain peak
- MayHot, rain peak
- JuneDry, windy
- JulyDry, windy
- AugustDry, windy
- SeptemberDry, hot
- OctoberRains begin
- NovemberRain peak
- DecemberWet
Right now in The Ancient Cities
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
24
- Feels like
- 28°
- Humidity
- 93%
- Wind
- 7 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 94%
Sigiriya
02:10 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today29°23°94%Tuesday: Thunderstorms. High 29°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 94%.
- Wed30°23°100%Wednesday: Thunderstorms. High 30°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 100%.
- Thu29°23°100%Thursday: Thunderstorms. High 29°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 100%.
- Fri29°23°98%Friday: Thunderstorms. High 29°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 98%.
- Sat30°23°100%Saturday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 100%.
- Sun29°22°100%Sunday: Thunderstorms. High 29°, Low 22°. Chance of rain 100%.
Updated 10:45 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 332.4 LKR
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
What's on in The Ancient Cities
Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city
Events calendarDay trips by train
- Anuradhapurathe northern capitalThe Sri Maha Bodhi, the great stupas and UNESCO's 1982 listing.Read the guide
- Polonnaruwathe medieval capitalRuins in the dry zone, ticketed separately by the CCF.Read the guide
- Sigiriyathe rock fortressThe highest-priced CCF ticket of the three, and a long climb.Read the guide
Before you go to The Ancient Cities
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Rules for The Ancient Cities, checked
- CCF foreign-visitor tickets (updated 24 September 2026): Sigiriya USD 35, Polonnaruwa USD 30, Anuradhapura USD 30; half prices apply to ages 6 to 12.Checked Oct 6, 2026 · Source
- The Department of Archaeology says the Anuradhapura Museum is temporarily closed for urgent maintenance, with the reopening date to be announced.Checked Oct 6, 2026 · Source
Plan around The Ancient Cities
The rock, the frescoes and the climb
Read the guidePolonnaruwa travel guideSacred Quadrangle and Gal Vihara
Read the guideAnuradhapura travel guideThe Bodhi tree and the big stupas
Read the guideWilpattu travel guideA safari park to end the loop
Read the guideAll of Sri LankaRoutes, seasons and entry rules
Read the guideThe EastThe coast beyond Polonnaruwa
Read the guideJaffna travel guideThe Tamil north, beyond Anuradhapura
Read the guideThe Ancient Cities FAQ
Which are the ancient cities of Sri Lanka?
The usual four are Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya and Dambulla. UNESCO inscribed Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya in 1982 and Dambulla in 1991. Kandy is often added as the gateway, but it is a separate hill city.
How many days do you need for the ancient cities?
Three days cover Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura at a steady pace, and a fourth adds Dambulla and a spare morning. Large ruin fields in the heat reward early starts, so count mornings, not days.
How much do the ancient city tickets cost?
The CCF list updated 24 September 2026 shows USD 35 for Sigiriya and USD 30 each for Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura, so USD 95 for all three at full price. Prices and the exchange rate can change, so check the CCF before you go.
Is there a combined ticket for the ancient cities?
The CCF price list shows a separate line for each site and none for a bundle. Ask at the counter before relying on one, and compare any reseller's total with the sum of these lines.
Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa or Sigiriya: which first?
Start with whichever fits your arrival: Anuradhapura if you come from the north-west, Sigiriya if you come from Kandy. Order matters less than starting early, since all three are large and hot after mid-morning.