As you wander around Sri Lanka discovering its beauty, the name Sigiriya is bound to leap out at you from some guidebook or promotional brochure. It's a rock temple, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and without doubt one of the most striking places on the island. The rock massif rises about 200 m above the surrounding landscape, and the whole area forms one enormous archaeological site. Sigiriya, which translates as Lion Rock (after the lion's paws found on the plateau beneath the rock), is in fact the solidified magma plug of an extinct volcano. On its summit there supposedly stood the palace of King Kassapa, though other sources speak of Mahayana and Theravada Buddhist monasteries once located here. Today, up top, you'll see only the remains of royal buildings and the foundations of dwellings.

is very heavily visited by tourists, and the admission fee reflects that, having already climbed to $30 USD per person. All this information led me to have my driver move on a little further so I could climb neighbouring

instead. To climb this rock you pay only 500 rupees — a little over 70 crowns — and you'll certainly enjoy a similar experience and comparably beautiful views over the landscape. The climb up the mountain begins at the

, where there's also an admission fee. In a small temple beneath a rock overhang stands a statue of the reclining Buddha. Up steep steps and then a footpath, you climb higher and higher alongside the rocks. At one point the forest opens up into a lovely viewpoint, right at the spot where the old statue of the reclining Buddha stands (its age is estimated at 1,400 years) beneath a rock overhang. It's large and in a truly lovely spot, so you can admire it at your leisure. Only later did I realise that I would soon be walking on the very rock above this overhang.

Be prepared for the final climb to the summit to be a little demanding, with a stretch where you have to scramble over large rocks for a while. With my big backpack in particular, it was a bit of a struggle to squeeze through the final gap beneath a large boulder. But after a little effort I made it to the top.

It's made up of a huge rocky plateau, and you can look out in every direction and admire the jungle surrounding the rock. It's a somewhat indescribable feeling to stand on such a giant "boulder". I'd expected there to be some vegetation on the summit too, but instead a stone expanse the size of several football pitches awaited me. A truly peculiar place.

But what it's really all about here, first and foremost, is the view of neighbouring Sigiriya. And it is breathtaking. I sat down here calmly and for long minutes couldn't get enough of the sight. I took photos and made some time-lapse videos, and even though the weather wasn't much in my favour and it was fairly overcast — or rather there was an unpleasant sort of haze — the view still had incredible power and atmosphere. Even though tourists come to this place too, you certainly don't have to push through the kind of crowds you get at Sigiriya, and that makes it all the more possible to enjoy Pidurangala Rock.

I wouldn't underestimate the footwear you set out onto this rock in. Even though it may look at first as if you'll be walking on steps the whole time, in the final stretch you'll be glad you're not in "flip-flops". But you obviously won't need any mountaineering kit either.

Bring plenty to drink, so that up top you don't have to rush anywhere and can stay a good while to enjoy the beautiful views.

Respect local Buddhist traditions: you must not enter the temples in shoes, you must keep your shoulders and knees covered, and you must not wear any headwear. This of course doesn't apply to the summit of the rock, but above all to the temple at its foot.

Gear: You probably won't feel like lugging a load of heavy gear up this climb. Well, I'm afraid I won't please you on that front. I brought a tripod for shooting time-lapse videos, a telephoto lens so I could take more detailed shots of Sigiriya Rock, and of course a wide-angle lens and filters for landscape photography. But I've somehow gotten used to it by now, and when my backpack doesn't weigh at least 8 kilograms, I feel uneasy about it.