Why Adam's Peak (Sri Pada) will steal your heart
At 2am, the village of Dalhousie is wide awake. Lanterns glow, tea stalls are serving steaming cups of sweet tea, and a stream of pilgrims, young and old, begins to climb a lamp-lit stairway into the darkness. They are heading for the summit of Adam's Peak, known in Sri Lanka as Sri Pada, the 'sacred footprint'.
Rising to 2,243 metres, this cone-shaped mountain is sacred to four religions. At its summit is a large footprint-shaped mark in the rock. Buddhists believe it is the footprint of the Buddha, Hindus believe it belongs to Lord Shiva, and some Muslims and Christians believe it was left by Adam when he first set foot on Earth. For centuries, pilgrims of every faith have made the climb together, and that shared devotion gives the mountain a unique spirit.
The path is a stairway of around 5,500 steps, climbing steadily through forest and past small shrines and resting points. It's tough on the legs, and the final section is steep, but you set your own pace, with tea stalls along the way for rest and encouragement. Pilgrims greet each other as they pass, and older climbers are helped by younger ones. Many people say the climb feels like a journey as much as a hike.
You reach the summit in the cold darkness before dawn, wrap up warm and wait. As the sky slowly brightens, the view unfolds across a sea of clouds and mountain peaks. Then, as the sun rises, the mountain casts a perfect triangular shadow across the clouds to the west, one of nature's most magical sights. Bells ring, pilgrims cheer, and the moment stays with you forever.
The main pilgrimage season runs from the December full moon to Vesak in May, when the path is lit and the tea stalls are open, and the skies are clearest. Outside the season, the climb is possible but darker, quieter and wetter.
