Rising above the Cultural Triangle at dawn – Sigiriya’s volcanic monolith catching the first warm light below, the ancient reservoirs reflecting the sunrise across the north-central plain, wild elephants moving through the surrounding forest – is one of the most extraordinary perspectives available on the island. Balloon flights depart before dawn when the air is calm and the light is at its most exceptional, typically running 45 to 60 minutes above one of the most remarkable archaeological landscapes in the world.