Kandy has many great things to see, including the Temple of the Sacred Tooth, the Royal Botanical Gardens, numerous waterfalls, and great restaurants.
But one of our favorite places in Kandy still flies under everyone’s radar–Ambuluwawa Tower.
The tower is actually a Multi-religious complex, making it one of the most unique temples in all of Sri Lanka. It looms nearly 2000 feet over the nearby town of Gampola, and if you’re looking for an adventure, climbing the tower will definitely get your blood pumping!
We didn’t really know what to expect when we visited. We’d seen a few pictures of people climbing to the top, but there was very little information on the logistics of visiting.
Here’s what we wish we’d known before visiting, including how to get to Ambuluwawa Tower, the cost of tickets, what it’s like climbing the tower, and how to stay safe doing so!
How To Get to Ambuluwawa Tower
The fairy-tale-esque tower is only 25 kilometers from Kandy, but with traffic, it takes roughly an hour to drive there.
We always recommend that people rent their own transportation (whether it’s a scooter, tuk-tuk, or rental car, but you can also take a taxi or hire a tuk-tuk to take you from town.
Rent a Scooter: We rented our scooter from Rent-A-Bike Kandy for 1500 LKR ($5)/day! They were really easy to work with, and we’re really happy we chose to drive ourselves here. Look for an engine that’s 125cc-150cc because the final 2 km are very steep, and our 110cc scooter BARELY made it up the final hill.
When you pay the entrance fee at the base of the mountain, you are permitted to drive to the top. A few Tuk-tuk drivers at the bottom tried to wave us down and tell us that we had to park at the base and pay them to take us to the top. This is NOT true.
Rent a tuk-tuk: This was easily one of the coolest things we did in Sri Lanka. We used an incredible company called tuktukrental.com, which cost us just $14/day. That rate can be slightly higher the shorter you rent the tuk-tuk.
Hire a tuk-tuk/taxi: This is relatively easy. You can simply hail a driver in town, ask your guesthouse to arrange a taxi for you, or look for a ride on Pick.me (Sri Lanka’s version of Uber). Either way, expect it to cost cost 5000-7000 LKR ($15-20) roundtrip.
What You Should Know Before Visiting Ambuluwawa Tower
Ambuluwawa is about an hour from Kandy, so you’ll need a half-day to visit.
The tower is a lot less grand than it looks in the photos, but the view was even better than we expected (even without climbing to the top), and it was our favorite day trip from Kandy.
Once you arrive at Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Complex and pay the entrance fee, you’ll drive another 2 kilometers to the summit. There’s a small parking lot at the top with a gate into the complex. You’ll see the massive white tower spiraling into the sky as soon as you enter through the gate.
Some small temples and smaller spires with staircases surround the main Tower. Each has several viewing platforms and scenic points looking out over the hills!
climbing Ambuluwawa Tower
The entire base of Ambuluwawa is enclosed, and that’s where you’ll find the first few flights of stairs. At this point, multiple staircases on each side of the tower lead up to a platform on the 4th floor.
This platform surrounds the tower on the 4th floor and has incredible views of the surrounding hills. If you are afraid of heights, stop here and enjoy the beautiful views without enduring any vertigo.
The next two staircases are partially enclosed, with several small balconies that are honestly more aesthetic than functional.
Then, the stairs move outside of the tower. The first few external staircases aren’t too daunting, but towards the top of the tower, continuing to the top is definitely not for the faint of heart.
Not only are you climbing higher, but the staircase gets increasingly narrow. I remember them being just 2-3 feet toward the very top.
It’s not for the faint of heart.
But if you can stomach it, the views from the top of the tower are unbelievable. You’ll have 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains, including Piduratagala (the highest peak in Sri Lanka), Sri Pada (Adam’s Peak), and the beginning of the Knuckles Mountain Range.
How Long Does It Take to Climb the Staircase?
It doesn’t take long to climb to the top of Ambuluwawa Tower. We were one of just a few people visiting that day, and we made it to the top in about 10 minutes.
The problem starts when it’s busy.
Not only do crowds here create a pretty significant safety risk (which I’ll talk more about in a minute), but the staircase becomes so narrow at the top that there’s barely enough room for two people to pass one another (even smaller people).
It gets so tight at times that you either have to press yourself up against the wall or use the occasional cubbies carved into the center of the tower.
So, when 50+ people are here, getting up/down Ambuluwawa Tower takes significantly longer.
We recommend spending about 1-2 hours exploring the top of Ambuluwawa Tower and the Biodiversity Complex.
How High is Ambuluwawa Tower?
Abuluwawa Tower appears to be hundreds of feet tall in the photos, but its actual height is only 157 feet (48 meters). Still, the tower rises 2,000 feet above the town of Gampola (3,567 feet above sea level), so at the top of the staircase, it does feel like you’re on top of the world!
How many steps are there? The number of steps varies depending on which staircase you take (there are multiple options at the bottom), but it’s somewhere between 125 and 150.
Is climbing The Tower Dangerous?
The viewing platform on the 4th story is not dangerous at all. You could come here with your children and feel pretty secure taking them up with you.
But climbing to the top of Ambuluwawa Tower is dangerous. There’s no way around it.
Although there have never been any recorded deaths or incidents of people falling from Ambuluwawa Tower, I’ve heard it described as a ‘tragedy waiting to happen.’
After climbing it ourselves, we can see why.
The staircase narrows to less than a meter wide at the top, and the railing is very low. At specific points, it was at my knee (I’m 6’2) and felt more like a potential stumbling block than a railing. When it’s busy, the only way to pass is for one person to press against the wall as the other squeezes past. Plus, it’s almost always windy in the hilly country, and the wind only picks up as you climb higher.
Be extremely careful if you decide to climb to the top. Take your time, wear shoes with good traction, and stay close to the wall. We would even avoid it altogether if there is a chance of rain, heavy winds, or the top is unusually crowded when you go.
Visiting Ambuluwawa Tower
If climbing Ambuluwawa Tower seems like something you’d love to do, here’s some logistical information to help you have a safe and easy visit!
Map of Ambuluwawa Tower
Ambuluwawa Tower is located just a few kilometers from Gampola, Sri Lanka. The small mountain town is just one hour outside Kandy, two hours from Nuwara Eliya, and three hours by car from Colombo.
If you want to take some of the planning out of it, there are guided tours of Kandy, including a stop at Ambuluwawa Tower. This tour included a few stops in Kandy and free cancellation!
Ambuluwawa Ticket Price
When we first visited Ambuluwawa, it only cost 600 LKR ($2) per person. Unfortunately, that price shot up at the beginning of 2024 to 2000 LKR ($7) for foreign adults and 1000 LKR ($3.50) for foreign children.
Parking is also a small fee.
- Bike = 100 LKR ($0.30)
- Tuk-tuk = 150 LKR ($0.50)
- Car = $350 LKR ($1.20)
However, it’s still more affordable than most tours in Sri Lanka, so if you have your own transportation, it’s still less than $20 to enjoy the biodiversity complex and climb the tower!
You can book tickets online in advance if you want to skip the line!
Opening Hours
Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Complex is open to the public every day from 8:30 AM – to 5:00 PM.
However, if you enter the park in the afternoon, they won’t kick you out at 5:00. We stuck around for the sunset and had no trouble exiting the complex around 6:30 pm.
The BEST time to visit Ambuluwawa Tower is in the early morning. Before 9:00 AM, the weather is fantastic, and the lighting is perfect for photography.
It’s also a great place to visit in the early evening (after 4:00 PM). Most people will be gone by then and we had the tower all to ourselves at 4:30! The only issue is that because Sri Lanka has a tropical climate, there’s a much higher chance of rain in the afternoon.
Can you hike to the top?
Although you can quickly drive to the top of Ambuluwawa Tower, hiking trails also lead to the summit!
The main trail is 1.4 miles (2.2 kilometers) and has nearly 1000 feet (300 meters) of elevation, so it’s not easy by any means. Most people take about 1 hour to hike up to the tower and 30 minutes to walk back down.
Ambuluwawa Tower History + Other Info
The history surrounding Ambuluwawa Tower is far more interesting than we expected. Although the tower isn’t very old or historical, it’s a tribute to Sri Lanka’s commitment to protecting both religious diversity and natural beauty!
When Was Ambuluwawa Tower built?
Ambuluwawa Tower was built in 2006.
Yet, the temple on the mountain and its surrounding hills has been a place of worship and reverence for nearly 1,000 years.
The Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Complex
The hills surrounding Ambuluwawa Tower are an official Biodiversity Complex, which means it’s a protected area of land. The mountain is home to over 120 animal/insect species, 200 plant species, and numerous hiking trails if you want to spend time exploring the area.
The Ambuluwawa Multi-Religious Complex
Ambuluwawa is also the very first multi-religious center in Sri Lanka!
Sri Lanka’s religious demographics have always been diverse. The majority of the citizens identify as Buddhists, but there are a growing number of Hindu (13%), Muslim (10%), and Christian (7%) devotees living in the country.
At the top of Ambuluwawa, you’ll find a Buddhist temple, a Kovil (Hindu temple), a mosque, and a Christina church. Monks, priests, and other religious leaders live and work here peacefully together.
closing Thoughts
Ambuluwawa Tower does not get enough hype in Sri Lanka–period.
While it may be crowded at times (even too crowded), the magical tower is still left off most itineraries for Sri Lanka. After two months of traveling through Sri Lanka, we can honestly say that it was one of our top experiences.
Plus, it’s one of the easiest day trips from Kandy, so if you’re here for a few days, there’s no reason not to check it out!
