Day 3 Climbing the Sigiriya rock fortress and game drive to see elephants

We were woken by our 5.30 a.m alarm call and had boarded our bus by 6 a.m for the beginning of today's adventure. Ruwan told us the story of the two princes who both wanted to be king and how the younger prince fortified the rock and lived there for some 18 years.  Here's a link to (a slightly different version) of the story, to the one we were told. Also that the fortress stands on a volcanic plug formed of gnise rock. Arriving at the base of the rock we walked past a defensive outer (muddy) moat and an inner moat (full of crocodiles back some 1500 years ago.) 

The inner moat

The water gardens

We climbed up steps

Past some Buddhist monk caves

Through the boulder garden

To the mid point where there were some great views

A good spot for a photo

One of the lion's paws and a view of the climb still to do

An artists impression of the lion rock as it was

Views from the top

The view back to our hotel swimming pool

Looking back to the water gardens

We then retraced our steps to the mid point.

Then heading left alongside the miror wall with some ancient (and sadly some modern) graffiti towards the spiral staircase which we climbed to view the well preserved frescos of the bare breasted harem ladies, no photos allowed!

Cobra rock

and back to the bus (down yet more steps!)

Back at the hotel as we got off the bus we spotted this.

Hungry and with jelly like legs we headed straight in to breakfast.

By 10.15 a.m we were back on the bus for the drive to meet the jeeps which would take us on the elephant safari. Apparently there are around 7000 wild Sri Lankan elephants. It was a fabulous couple of hours.

A rock eagle

A bee eater

and an elephant having a bath at the lake

On our return to the bus we were given a very welcome face wipe each. It looked like we'd all been wearing a lot of foundation, they were brown with dust by the time we had finished with them! Followed by a snack of bananas, biscuits and EGB (elephant ginger beer) which really hit the spot!

Back at the hotel we had a siesta followed by a dip in the pool and then walked to a local bar to watch the sunset.

We had a lovely, relaxed time but not the best of sunsets, before heading back to the hotel for dinner (including a visit to the room of desserts!)

After dinner we sat and chatted with another couple in our group, listening to the live music. We took in the view from the tree house before retiring to bed.