A high pressure metal vapor discharge lamp including an outer bulb having a seal portion, an arc tube enclosed within the outer bulb, the arc tube having at least a pair of electrodes and containing at least a light emitting material and a rare gas, a pair of first lead wires of which one ends connect to the electrodes respectively and another ends mounted at the seal portion of outer bulb, a pre-heater disposed within the outer bulb, the pre-heater comprises a heat element and an insulating material covers the heat element and facing the arc tube to give the heat to the arc tube, and a second lead wires connected to the heat element of pre-heater, the portion of the second lead wires which are exposed in the outer bulb are surrounded by a heat-resisting insulator and the base portion of the second lead wires are mounted at the seal portion of outer bulb.