A Morning on Sigiriya: Climbing the Lion Rock at Dawn

At 6:30 am the gates open and the jungle is still wrapped in mist. With a private archaeologist at your side, you pass the water gardens and begin the ascent while the air is cool.

By the time the day-trippers arrive, you are standing on the summit, looking out over a green sea of forest dotted with ancient reservoirs. It is, without exaggeration, one of the great views of Asia.