Sigiriya Entrance Fee for Foreigners, SAARC (India) Visitors and Children

The Sigiriya entrance fee for a foreign adult is US$35, charged in Sri Lankan rupees (LKR 11,760 on the Central Cultural Fund’s price table dated 14 October 2026). Visitors from SAARC countries, including India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, the Maldives and Afghanistan, pay the half ticket of US$20 (LKR 6,720) if they show their passport. Children aged 6 to 12 also pay the half ticket, and international visitors under 6 enter free. This guide covers the fee for each group, the ID to bring, opening hours, how to buy online and how long the climb takes.

Last checked: 17 October 2026. Fees, age bands, ID rules and counter hours come from the Central Cultural Fund (CCF), the government body that runs Sigiriya and sells its tickets. This page is not based on a personal visit. The rupee amount changes with the exchange rate the CCF sets, so check the official price table before you go.

Quick answer: Sigiriya ticket price by visitor type

The CCF table shows a fixed rate of 336.00 LKR per US dollar (last updated 14 October 2026, 7:03 AM). The CCF says prices are quoted in US dollars, payable in rupees at the current rate, and the ticket issuance page says the prices include 18% VAT.

The CCF tickets page says SAARC citizens get a 50% discount, but its price table lists the Sigiriya half ticket at US$20, not US$17.50. Expect to pay the table price.

Sigiriya entrance fee for Indians and other SAARC visitors

Under the CCF ticket policy published on 6 October 2026 (in force from 1 July 2026), citizens of SAARC countries get the half-rated ticket “upon presentation of a valid passport of a SAARC member country”. The CCF online ticketing terms say the same: a valid passport must be shown at the ticket counter to get a relief ticket.

• Bring your original passport to the counter, even if you ordered online. The policy names a passport only; it does not mention Aadhaar, voter ID or a driving licence.
• The discount is for citizens. A non-SAARC national living in India, for example, pays the full foreign rate.
• Foreign nationals working in Sri Lanka, even with a resident visa, are not eligible for local, free or concessionary tickets under the same policy.

Rough cost for Indian visitors: US$20 is about ₹1,900 and US$35 about ₹3,320. This is a guide only, at about ₹94.97 per US$1, worked out from European Central Bank euro reference rates for 16 October 2026 (₹106.8640 and US$1.1253 per euro). You pay in Sri Lankan rupees at the CCF rate, and your card or money changer will add its own rate and fees.

Local (Sri Lankan) ticket price

The CCF’s online price table lists foreign prices only. A Sri Lanka Finance Ministry publication, the National Climate Finance Strategy 2025–2030, gave the Sigiriya charge as around Rs 120 for locals (and LKR 10,384 or US$35 for foreigners at that time), as reported by Ceylon Today on 27 October 2025. We could not find a current local price on an official CCF page, so treat Rs 120 as a reported figure and check at the counter.

Under the July 2026 policy, all Sri Lankans with a valid NIC or Sri Lankan passport (photocopies or photos are not accepted) can buy the local ticket, including Sri Lankans living abroad and dual citizens with valid documents. Local visitors under 18 enter free with proof of age. Spouses and children who are not Sri Lankan citizens pay the foreign rate.

Sigiriya opening hours and ticket counter times

The two government sources give different hours. The CCF sells the tickets, so plan around its 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM counter hours and do not arrive close to 5:00 PM. Neither source lists a weekly closing day.

What the ticket includes

• Single entry on the day of issue. The ticket is valid for one entry on that day only. If you leave, you cannot go back in on the same ticket.
• Museum: the CCF tickets page says the Sigiriya Museum is “included with Sigiriya ticket”, but the CCF price table also lists a separate Sigiriya (Museum) ticket at US$6 (LKR 2,016). Ask at the counter which applies to you.
• Photography is included. Professional filming and drones need prior written approval from the CCF.
• The ticket does not cover strict nature reserves near heritage sites.
• Cultural Triangle round ticket: the CCF tickets page describes a round ticket covering Sigiriya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and archaeological museums (valid 2 months from first use, to be used within 3 months of purchase), but the daily price table shows no price for it. Ask the CCF before planning around it.

Pidurangala Rock, the viewpoint rock nearby, is not on the CCF price table, so the Sigiriya ticket does not cover it.

How to buy Sigiriya tickets online

1. Order on the CCF eTicket site (eservices.ccf.gov.lk). The terms list two foreign ticket types: Foreign Tourist Full and Foreign Tourist Half (ages 6–12).
2. Keep the receipt number. An online order is valid for 90 days from the order date.
3. At Sigiriya, show the receipt number at the ticket counter to collect the physical ticket. SAARC visitors and anyone claiming a relief ticket must show a valid passport.
4. Payments are not refunded.

You can also buy at the site counter. Since 1 June 2015 the CCF has issued tourist tickets only at the Cultural Triangle sites, not at its Colombo office. Booking help: +94 11 250 7089 or +94 11 250 8960 (CCF). Sigiriya site office: +94 66 228 6945.

How long does the Sigiriya climb take?

The CCF says the ascent takes 1.5 to 2 hours, with about 1,200 steps and steep staircases. The rock rises about 200 metres above the plain. On the way you pass the water gardens, the frescoes, the Mirror Wall and the Lion’s Paw terrace, then the final stairway to the summit palace ruins. The CCF recommends early morning or late afternoon for cooler temperatures. Carry water and a hat, and wear shoes with good grip.

Wasps, heat and current works: official notices only

• Wasps: the CCF eTicket terms ask visitors to follow CCF officers’ instructions about forest animals “like forest elephants, wasps”. In August 2024, the Daily Mirror reported that the CCF suspended entry for an afternoon after wasps stung around 70 visitors, and that ticket fees were to be refunded. We found no CCF notice of a wasp closure in the last 12 months (CCF news and notices pages, checked 17 October 2026). If staff stop the climb, follow their instructions.
• Heat: we found no official heat notice. The CCF’s only advice is that early morning and late afternoon are cooler.
• Mirror Wall conservation: a CCF news post (in Sinhala, 4 July 2026) says a later-added plaster section on the outer face at the north end of the Mirror Wall was at risk of coming loose on 3 July 2026, and that the Department of Archaeology and the CCF had started urgent conservation work. The post does not mention any closure.
• Building work nearby: an Asian Development Bank-funded Dambulla–Sigiriya tourism project was launched on 20 September 2026 (Newswire, 21 September 2026). Its first package includes the foreign tourists’ vehicle park at Sigiriya, the Sigiriya museum premises and open-air theatre, and the Sigiri Wewa (Sigiriya tank), and is scheduled to take 18 months.

Getting there

Sigiriya is in the Matale District of Sri Lanka’s Central Province. Sri Lanka Tourism gives the distance from Colombo as 169 km, on the way to Anuradhapura or Polonnaruwa.

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FAQ

What is the Sigiriya entrance fee for foreigners?

US$35 for a foreign adult, charged in rupees: LKR 11,760 on the CCF price table dated 14 October 2026.

What is the Sigiriya entrance fee for Indians?

Indian citizens pay the SAARC half ticket, US$20 (LKR 6,720 on 14 October 2026), if they show a valid Indian passport at the counter.

Which countries get the SAARC rate?

Citizens of SAARC countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan, with a valid passport from one of those countries. (Sri Lankans pay the local rate.)

Is Sigiriya free for children?

International children under 6 enter free with proof of age. Ages 6 to 12 pay the half ticket (US$20). Sri Lankan children under 18 enter free.

What time does Sigiriya open?

The CCF lists 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with ticket counters open over the same hours. The Department of Archaeology lists 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM.

Can I buy Sigiriya tickets online?

Yes, on the CCF eTicket site. The order is valid for 90 days; you collect the physical ticket at the Sigiriya counter with your receipt number. Payments are non-refundable.

How long does it take to climb Sigiriya?

The CCF gives 1.5 to 2 hours for the ascent, about 1,200 steps.

Sources (checked 17 October 2026)

• Central Cultural Fund – Ticket prices table (USD/LKR, last updated 14 Oct 2026)
• Central Cultural Fund – Heritage site tickets (hours, SAARC discount, round ticket, museum)
• Central Cultural Fund – Policy on complimentary and concessionary tickets (6 Oct 2026, effective 1 July 2026)
• Central Cultural Fund – eTicket reservation and terms
• Central Cultural Fund – Ticket issuance (site-only issue, 18% VAT)
• Central Cultural Fund – Sigiriya Rock Fortress (climb time, steps)
• Central Cultural Fund – Contacts (Sigiriya site office)
• Department of Archaeology – Sigiriya (opening hours)
• Sri Lanka Tourism – Online ticketing: Sigiriya (distance from Colombo)
• Ceylon Today – Finance Ministry on foreign and local visitor fees (27 Oct 2025)
• Daily Mirror – Visits to Sigiriya suspended after wasp attack (14 Aug 2024)
• Newswire – Dambulla–Sigiriya Tourism Development Project launched (21 Sep 2026)
• European Central Bank – euro foreign exchange reference rates (16 October 2026)