One of the island’s greatest hiking experiences

From the full moon in December to the full moon in May, devotees from all four of Sri Lanka’s religions – most barefoot, some carrying infants, and others on crutches – climb to the top of this peak to pay homage to Sri Pada, or the ‘Sacred Footprint’, which lies at the summit.

Adam’s Peak is typically climbed in the early hours of the morning, from 1:00am onwards, so that you reach the summit at dawn to catch the most spectacular sunrise. The climb is challenging as the 7 kilometre hike is mostly stepped (think over 6,000 steps), and this can tax even seasoned hikers.

From the base of the mountain, it usually takes around 3-4 hours to reach the summit, depending upon your stamina and level of fitness. The route is well marked, and flanked by food and drink stalls (lots of hot rotis, wades, fruits, sweet tea, and sugary treats) catering to weary pilgrims, so it is almost impossible to go hungry.

The descent is quicker and takes around 2.5-3 hours (again, depending on your stamina and fitness), and it feels like a completely different trail as you suddenly have verdant mountains, lakes, waterfalls, cloud forest and hills to appreciate.