How many steps are there to climb Sigiriya Lion Rock?

Getting up to the summit of Sigiriya Lion Rock means you are ascending about 1,200 individual steps, give or take.

The path feels like several stages strung together, starting with the lower Terraced Gardens, then a spiral stairway that winds to the Mirror Wall and the Frescoes, and finally a very steep metal ladder fixed to the sheer rock face that rises above the Lion’s Paws. A visitor with moderate fitness can reach the top in 45 to 60 minutes, though if there is heavy foot traffic during the busiest morning stretches, the time can lengthen quite a lot.