Dambulla City Guide

The city of Dambulla is well known for the famous cave temple complex. Situated in the Matale District in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, Dambulla is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The largest rose quartz mountain range in South Asia, and the Iron wood forest or Namal Uyana is also located in Dambulla.

Places of interest in Dambulla:

Cave Temple Complex: The cave complex is a made of five caves holding magnificent statues and elegant scriptures that depict the rich imagination of its creators. The highlight of Dambulla’s tourism arena, the complex is a conglomeration of over 80 caves. Yet a series of five caves housing more than 150 Buddha statues and other idols steal the show. Built at the base of a 150 m high rock, the caves are designed with artistically painted walls and ceilings.

How to reach Dambulla:

Dambulla is well connected to the other parts of the country. A traveler can take a flight, a train or hire a car to reach the city.

What to do in Dambulla:

Sightseeing is the natural activity that a traveler doesn’t want to miss while in this ancient city. Apart from that, one can go bird watching in the Iron Wood Forest and Rose Quartz Mountain.

Distance from major cities:

Colombo Kandy Anuradhapura Sigiriya

148 km 72 Km 66 km 12 Km

History of Dambulla:

The city is believed to be in human inhabitation since 7th to 3rd century BC.