The climb of Adam’s Peak, best attempted at night,
can be one of the most moving experiences in Sri Lanka.
In peak pilgrimage season, from December to April, the
stepped mountainside is lit by striplights and rudimentary
stalls (where stallholders sleep on the mountainside for
many months) offering refreshments to fire your resolve
to reach the summit.
The mountain is sacred to three religious groups –
Buddhists, Hindus and Moslems – and the giant footprint
at the top is variously regarded as an imprint either
of Buddha, Siva or Adam.
The mountain takes on average about three hours to climb
and, if you are reasonably fit, an 0300 start should ensure
that you arrive at the summit with the hope of witnessing
one of the finest sunrises in Asia. The temperature drops
dramatically on the climb so take warm clothing. If you
don’t have any – you can buy a thick fleece
in a local market stall.
Nuwara Eliya can be used as a base for climbing Adam’s
Peak, or you can request that we book a bungalow in Maskeliya,
near where the climb begins.
The really ambitious can even request a descent in the
other direction, towards Carney and onward to Ratnapura.
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