Nestled inbetween the hills within the Sri Lankan highlands sits a slightly unassuming village pathed with only one street that acts because the gateway to some of the well-known walks in Sri Lanka – Adams peak or Sri Pada.
For a lot of, a hike as much as Adams peak will make the final word Sri Lanka bucket checklist having simply accomplished it myself, I agree. The hike as much as Adam’s Peak is a really distinctive and humbling expertise bodily, but additionally presents the prospect to dive deep into the tradition and traditions right here in Sri Lanka. Adams peak is no doubt top-of-the-line issues to do in Sri Lanka!
In the event you’re at the moment planning your Sri Lanka journey and don’t know what Adam’s Peak is… Adam’s Peak is a 2,243 meter tall conical mountain positioned in central Sri Lanka. The mountain is a sacred pilgrimage web site for Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians as a result of footprint imprinted at its summit, which every religion attributes to its personal sacred determine.
In the event you’re on the lookout for the most effective time to hike Adam’s Peak, one of the best ways to get to Adam’s Peak, the most effective place to remain for Adam’s Peak and only a common information for Adam’s Peak (what to pack and put on and many others) – you’re in the precise place!
That is an Adam’s Peak journey information.
Pens and paper on the prepared – it’s time to plan your Sri Pada pilgrimage.
Different journey guides you may discover helpful…
Sri Lanka Google Map Legend
How lengthy will you want for Adam’s Peak?
Relying in your health a hike to the summit of Adams peak will take you something between 1-5 hours, there are 5 500 steps!! Sure, this hike isn’t any joke, it’s an journey! On the best way down it’s quite a bit faster for apparent causes, it took us just below an hour and a half to descend.
Don’t worry about your health stage, simply depart your self sufficient time to not fear about getting again for a sure time. There are households with babies strolling this route and there are stopping factors, seats, refreshments and bogs dotted all the best way up. I had no thought what number of services can be on this route – it stunned me! Take some cash and also you’ll by no means be removed from what you want – water, relaxation or glucose.
As a result of early really useful begin time of 2am (if you wish to catch dawn and keep away from the noon warmth), I might advocate reserving an evening earlier than the summit after which an evening after. Getting an excellent sleep earlier than hand is essential. and you’ll positively have to relaxation after! Our legs had been sore for DAYS!
How you can get to Adam’s Peak?
Adam’s Peak is positioned in central Sri Lanka, about 40km northeast of the hill city of Ratnapura. When planning your path to Adam’s Peak, you’ll wish to pop Dalhousie or Nallathanniya into your sat nav, this small city gives the principle entry level to the mountain (which is about an 8 hour drive from Colombo).
There is no such thing as a escaping it. To get to Nallathanniya you don’t have any alternative however to tackle the tough winding roads, coated in gravel and pot holes as you wind via acres upon acres of tea plantations and estates. Whether or not you try this by bus, tuk tuk or automotive is as much as you, we opted for a automotive as we had been travelling from Kandy (3-4 hours) after which onward to Hiriketiya (5-6 hours) and we needed consolation!
Most individuals will get a practice through Columbo / Ella / Kandy to Hatton which is the closest entry practice station to Adams Peak. From there you’ll be able to choose up a tuk tuk or automotive to journey the ultimate stretch!
Tip: In the event you hike throughout off peak season, public buses and tuk tuks are tougher to return by.
The mountain itself sits within the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary, residence to lush montane forests and tea plantations, a mixed journey with visiting some native tea plantations is a should.
Tip: We might extremely advocate our driver Dilshan who drove us from Kandy to Adam’s Peak after which again to the coast! You may contact him on WhatsApp right here: +94 71 985 6115
The place do you keep for Adam’s Peak?
For probably the most comfort and to base your self in the beginning of the path, you’ll wish to discover someplace in Nallathanniya. That is the place the Adam’s Peak stroll begins – you’ll be able to’t get any nearer!
We selected a neighborhood homestay final minute and would extremely advocate Lavendra Visitor Home. It was simply £8 an evening for the 2 of us, double mattress, sizzling bathe, excellent location and a HUGE breakfast upon our return from the hike. See under photos.
When is the most effective time to hike Adam’s Peak?
Time of 12 months
There are some months the place the height is definitely closed and a few months the place the climate will definitely add further problem and so there are positively higher instances all year long to plan your Adam’s Peak hike.
June/July: The monsoon season means the mountain is often closed these months.
August to October: The mountain is open throughout these months too however you threat extra probability of rain. Much less crowded although than the principle season which might be nice!
December to Might: That is the principle pilgrimage season when the mountain is open and circumstances are greatest for mountain climbing to see the dawn. After all although, these are the busier months with the busiest months being April and Might.
I can not write this weblog put up with out warning you about how busy the Adams peak pilgrimage will get throughout public holidays, full moons and different spiritual occasions. As a sacred web site for Buddhists, Hindus and Christians there are a couple of dates particularly the place this route is chaos!
I don’t know what special occasion we unintentionally timed ours with (twelfth March 2023 if anybody needs to enlighten me) however we set off at 2am and had been 1km from the highest by 4.30am nevertheless it took us one other 4 hours (sure!) to really attain the height at 8:23am.
Why? As the trail will get towards the tip it will get steeper and narrower, I’m speaking very steep! Mix this with one other 20,000 folks and a restricted summit space and you’ve got your self a really lengthy visitors jam. At one level we didn’t transfer for an hour!
There have been no indicators (in English anyway) that indicated how far you had been from the highest, it was solely when fellow European travellers tipped us off on their descent that there’s another path to the summit (a fork at one of many temples) that may bypass this fundamental queue!
So if you end up stumbling throughout a really busy summit like we did (which I don’t suppose is that frequent), take the precise turning on the intersection within the picture under and comply with the opposite path!
Time of day
Whenever you learn up on-line about Adams peak and do your analysis you’ll discover that most individuals advocate to start the hike round 2am. I’d agree with this because the solar rises round 6am which provides you 4 hours to succeed in the height and benefit from the daybreak of a model new day from the summit.
Mountaineering earlier than the solar rises additionally means you keep away from the added problem of the warmth – which should you’ve been in Sri Lanka for some time earlier than planning this – you’ll perceive the advantage of.
How a lot does it value to climb Adam’s Peak?
There’s no official entry price for Adam’s Peak however you might be requested to make a donation, signal your identify and also you get a string tied round your wrist in the beginning of the hike. We adopted the lead of the hikers earlier than us and positioned 1000rph down. We don’t know of the really useful quantity, if you already know, please depart a remark!
I might positively advocate bringing money on this hike (and all over the place in Sri Lanka).
What to pack for Adams Peak?
While you wish to go as mild as doable when it comes to weight, additionally, you will want to organize a little bit for this hike. You’ll be breaking a sweat and placing your physique via its paces so some gasoline, water and necessities are wanted. Due to the recognition of this hike, regardless that Dalhousie is a small city, they’ve native stalls and outlets promoting all the things you want together with wooly hats, native glucose stuffed treats, waterproofs, umbrellas – actually something and all the things!
Listed below are a couple of necessities I’d wish to convey to your consideration:
- Comfortable trainers – some folks had been barefoot however I’d be carrying your comfiest lively trainers / mountain climbing boots should you’re travelling with them!
- Head torch or a torch – In pilgrimage season the trail is lit up. Nonetheless, you will want a head torch should you climb Adam’s Peak at another time as there aren’t any lights and the route is totally darkish.
- Layers – should you set off at 2am it’s chilly and so till you heat up (occurs rapidly) you’ll want a layer to entice you away from bed. Whenever you attain the highest and watch for dawn, you might admire your layer once more. Nonetheless when that Sri Lankan sunshine hits – you’ll be taking it proper off! As you’re getting the image – layers is essential to your consolation!
- Money cash – for snacks / donations
- A digital camera – after all!
- Suncream / hat / glasses – you’ll admire the reduction on the best way again down.
- Snacks and water!! As a lot as you’ll be able to carry.
High ideas for Adam’s Peak:
- Have a calming couple of days deliberate afterwards, we may hardly stroll up and down stairs for about 3 days afterwards!
- Attempt among the native sweets within the city earlier than hand, tremendous low-cost and helps the locals!
- Don’t fear about getting hungry or thirsty – there are PLENTY of choices the entire manner up!
- Benefit from the expertise!
My sincere opinion of this journey?
I completely liked it. It was an actual bodily problem (we actually went for it on the ascent) after which it was a psychological problem being at a stand nonetheless for 2-3 hours amongst the locals as we queued to succeed in the summit.
The Sri Pada hike really inspired us to benefit from the journey and never be centered on the vacation spot. We surrendered to the 1000’s of individuals we had been accompanied by and bathed within the laughter and tune of households within the queue in addition to us, all making an attempt to cross the time. It was humbling to see 70-80 12 months olds strolling and to see households actually pull collectively as a unit, holding every others fingers, carrying one another and smiling on the summit.
The summit itself shouldn’t be what you’d count on should you’re used to mountain hikes, it’s a sacred web site and so there are wires and railings throughout making it onerous to see the view. Another excuse to benefit from the journey and never be centered on the vacation spot… the most effective views are on the best way!
Sri Lanka Google Map Legend
That’s it for my Adam’s Peak journey information!
Something you’d add? Any questions? Go away a remark should you’d like to select my brains any extra!
Love as all the time and completely happy adventuring…
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