Adam’s Peak which is popularly known in the island as Sri Pada is a prominent place of worship among Buddhists. Located in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, this iconic mountain is well loved by tourists as well. The conical mountain peak is quite prominent from many parts of region, as it stands tall and proud with veils of silver mist wrapped alluringly around.
The mountain is located approximately 40 km northeast of Ratnapura and 32 km southwest of Hatton. 6 trails can take you to the mountain and the Nallathanni and Palabaddala routes are the most popular ones among these. The foot of the mountain is connected to the zenith by thousands of cement and stone steps. The ascent is indeed quite arduous! But there are plenty of cheerful shops located on either side of the trail at designated rest stops which offer refreshing repose to all. Night climbing is also quite safe as the trail is illuminated with bright lights. Many actually prefer to climb the mountain at night in order to reach the summit at day break. The dawn of the sun creates such a mesmerizing sight to behold as it floods the mountainous region in ethereal golden light! This spectacular sight well and truly pays off the strenuous climb.
There is a boulder at the peak of the mountain that has a strange indentation in the shape of a footprint. The Buddhists believe that it is the footprint of Lord Buddha. Hence thousands of pilgrims climb the mountain, especially between the months of December and May. The Hindus believe that the foot print belongs to Lord Shiva while some Muslims and Christians believe that it is Adam’s foot print.
Make sure you come arrayed in comfortable shoes and clothes as the climb can take at least a few hours. Bring along bottles of water too. You should also consider packing sweaters as the temperature can get rather cold in the region. Your camera should also be packed because the sights from the top will truly take your very breath away!