Adam's Peak Pilgrim Climb

Climb 5,500 steps through the night to reach a sacred summit at sunrise.

What the Adam's Peak Pilgrim Climb is really like.

Adam's Peak, or Sri Pada, is one of the island's holiest mountains, sacred to Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians alike for the footprint-shaped mark at its summit. In pilgrim season, from December to May, the trail is lit through the night and lined with tea stalls. You climb around 5,500 steps in the dark, joining a glittering line of pilgrims, to reach the temple as the sun rises and casts the peak's perfect triangular shadow. It is demanding but unforgettable.

At a glance

Best season: December – May (pilgrim season)
Typical duration: Overnight (2–4 hour night ascent)
Regions: 2

Moment by moment

How the day unfolds.

Step 01
Start in the dark
Set off around 2am from the trailhead at Nallathanniya, the path ahead marked by a ribbon of pilgrim lights.
Step 02
Step after step
Climb roughly 5,500 stone steps, pausing at tea stalls for sweet tea among the streaming pilgrims.
Step 03
The summit temple
Reach the small summit shrine over the sacred footprint and ring the bell to mark your ascent.
Step 04
Sunrise from the peak
Watch the sun lift over the highlands from one of the most revered viewpoints in the country.
Step 05
The triangular shadow
In clear conditions the peak throws a perfect triangular shadow across the plains below as the sun climbs.