Adam's Peak - Sri Pada

The climb that three religions agree upon. The sunrise that justifies the 2am start.

Adam's Peak is 2,243 metres tall and carries, at its summit, a rock formation that Buddhists venerate as the footprint of the Buddha, Hindus as the footprint of Shiva, and Muslims and Christians as the footprint of Adam. The climb --- 5,500 steps from the base --- takes 3 to 5 hours. It must be begun at 2am to reach the summit for sunrise. The pilgrimage season runs from December to May.

Experiences at this stop

• The night climb --- 5,500 steps by torchlight

Begin at the Dalhousie trailhead at approximately 2am. The steps are lit during peak season. The path is shared with Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims who have been making this same climb for a thousand years.

• Summit sunrise --- the shadow triangle

In the minutes before sunrise, the peak casts a triangular shadow across the landscape to the west that is mathematically perfect. It lasts approximately 15 minutes. Then it dissolves. From the summit, on a clear morning, both coastlines are visible simultaneously.

• The sacred footprint

The footprint at the summit --- 1.8 metres long --- is covered by a small shrine and surrounded by bells that pilgrims ring on arrival. Three traditions coexist here without tension, which is itself a statement about what the mountain has been for a thousand years.