Sithulpawwa Rock Temple
An ancient hilltop monastery inside Yala National Park, reached by a long gravel road through the forest and not by any easy route.
What Sithulpawwa actually is
Sithulpawwa is an ancient Buddhist monastery on a rock hill inside Yala National Park. The old name is Chiththala Pabbatha, said to mean ‘the hill of the quiet mind’. Tradition links it to King Kavantissa in the 2nd century BC, and accounts say thousands of arahats once lived in its caves; the often-quoted figure is 12,000 monks, which is legend rather than record.
A white stupa sits on a rock outcrop above a pond, reached by a steep flight of steps cut into the stone. The image house at the base of the main rock holds fragments of paintings and early inscriptions, and there are meditation caves, ruins of other stupas and a second stupa on the neighbouring hill. The current main dagoba was rebuilt by the government in the 1950s over an earlier one.
The setting is the point. From the Kirinda side the road runs about 10 km to a Wildlife Department gate at Bembawa and carries on as gravel through jungle. There is little mobile coverage and no one to ask. Wild elephants and crocodiles are present, so this is not somewhere to wander alone, particularly late in the day.
Worth your attention
The stupa on the rock
White dagoba on an outcrop above a pond, reached by rock-cut steps.
The cave paintings
Fragments of paintings believed to date from the Anuradhapura period, in red and yellow, in an image house under the rock.
Meditation caves and inscriptions
Caves scattered up the hill, some overgrown, with old inscriptions in several of them.
The forest view
From the rock you look over scrubland and forest, with the neighbouring hill and its stupa.
Before you go
Do this
- Go with a driver who knows the park roads and the gate arrangements
- Start early and leave before late afternoon
- Dress modestly and carry water
- Bring a sarong or shawl for the shrine
Know this first
- The gravel road is potholed with unmarked junctions and no mobile coverage
- Wild elephants and crocodiles are present, so keep away from the pond and do not stay after sunset
- The track is dangerous in wet weather
- Army and wildlife staff are stationed along the route, and drones are not allowed without permission
Getting to Sithulpawwa Rock Temple
Most people see Sithulpawwa Rock Temple as part of a stay around Tissamaharama. Our Tissamaharama guide covers where to stay, how long to give it and what else is nearby.
Coming straight from the airport, the relevant run is Colombo Airport to Tissamaharama — fixed price per vehicle, driver waiting inside arrivals with a name board.
Read the full Tissamaharama guideFrom Colombo Airport
Car up to 3 passengers; vans quoted on the route page. No night surcharge.
Sithulpawwa Rock Temple — frequently asked
What is Sithulpawwa?
An ancient Buddhist monastery on a rock hill inside Yala National Park, traditionally linked to King Kavantissa in the 2nd century BC.
Do I need a permit?
The site lies inside the park and the road passes a Wildlife Department gate. Ask your driver or operator what is required on the day.
Is it safe?
In daylight with an experienced driver, yes. Wild elephants and crocodiles are present, so do not stay after dark or go near the pond.
How many monks lived there?
Tradition says 12,000 arahats, but this is legend. What survives are the stupa, caves, image house and inscriptions.
Also worth stopping for around Tissamaharama
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