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At 2243m, Adam’s Peak is the fifth highest place on the island, but it is its most prominent peak and one of the most popular pilgrimage destinations. Most of the pilgrims are Buddhists, who believe that the giant footprint on the very top was left by Buddha, Hindus attribute this footprint to Shiva, Muslims to Adam and Christians to St. Thomas.
Most tourists climb Adam's Peak from the highland side near Hatton, the so-called Nallathani route. Starting point is Dalhousie, where simple accommodation is available. The 7 km long stairway is claimed to have 4800 steps and usually takes about 4 hours. Thus you should start climbing about 2.00 am in order to rach the summit in time to pray to the rising sun and to see the triangular shadow cast by the conical peak. Weather conditions are often cloudy and changing quickly, however, chances to see the rising sun and the shadow are best between December and April, the so-called Siri Pada season. During the rest of the year the path will not be illuminated and the shops will be closed. However, the traditional pilgrims route is even more strenuous than the touristic route from Dalhousie at the (Hatton side). There are five more routes to the top from the lowlands of Sabaragmuwa Province (Ratnapura side), they are longer and of larger height differences. The Palabadalla route from Ratnapura has been a pilgrimage for millennia. The four other routes join the same stairway as the Palabadalla route and meet the Nallathani from Dahousie stairway at the top. |
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