menu facebook twitter instagram pinterest youtube search chevron-down chevron-up
  • About
    • About Kristin
    • Press
    • Contact Me
    • Work With Me
  • Blog
    • Archives
    • Best of the Blog
  • YouTube
  • Solo Female Travel
  • Home
  • Tours
  • Destinations
  • Travel Resources
    • Outdoors 101
    • Itineraries
    • Spiritual Travel
  • SEARCH

Be My Travel Muse

Solo Female Travel

There May be no Sunrise on Earth like that of Adam’s Peak

01/17/2014 by Kristin 38 Comments

They had said it would be pretty.  They had said it would be a challenging climb.  They had said it held spiritual significance.

They didn’t say it would be the most amazing sunrise view in all of Sri Lanka, or perhaps all of Asia, or dare I say, the world.

Okay maybe not the world but it was definitely in my top 5.

I have a thing for climbing and hiking, especially for a sunrise.  It’s what my family always did together and there’s nothing like the view at the top of a strenuous hike to provide the perfect reward for all that hard work – not to mention you can totally have chocolate milk after.  I mean you’ve earned it, amiright or amiright?

Adam’s Peak (or Sri Prada) is so-named because it is believed that Adam’s footprint rests at the top, if you ask a Musilm or Christian, that is.  If you ask a Buddhist, it is most certainly the Buddha’s footprint, and if you ask a Hindu, it belongs to Shiva.

adam's peak climb off season
The breathtaking view

Either way, it has become a significant pilgrimage place for several faiths, resulting in large numbers of locals making the more than 5,000-stair climb to the peak at 2,243 meters (7,359 feet) over 5 kilometers (3-ish miles) during the months of December to May along a well-lit path.

adam's peak climb off season
That’s a lot of stairs

I elected to go the week right before the pilgrimage season began, which ended up being the best idea ever.

The pathways were not lit during this time, so I brought a headlamp along so as not to stumble and fall, which I am prone to do.

During the peak pilgrimage season, hundreds if not thousands of people flock to Adam’s Peak each day for the sunrise, making it a crowded climb. When I went, there were only about 50 people at the top, which even at this lower number was probably the max that the peak could comfortably accommodate.

Hiking up with the stars (shutting off my headlamp every now and then and just sitting and admiring), not worrying about anyone else passing by, and happily not missing out on The Milky Way that would be shut out by lighting, was perfect to me.

I had read various forums saying that it would be unsafe to try the climb during the off-season, or that it was closed.  I’m happy to report this is untrue and I’d urge anyone who wants to try it, as long as it’s not raining (because that would make it quite unpleasant and muddy), to give it a shot.

Yes, it’s a bit of a challenge to climb up 5,000+ stairs, but it’s well worth it. Even the red-faced couple I ran into about a half hour from the top, worried they wouldn’t make it, arrived in plenty of time to see the sunrise.

And my, what a truly marvelous sunrise it was.

adam's peak climb off season
It’s starting
adam's peak climb off season
And getting more impressive
adam's peak climb off season
Truly gorgeous
adam's peak climb off season
It has risen

The walk down, given all those stairs, was a challenge for the knees, but on the high of the sunrise, I barely felt it.  Once I was done with the steep stairs, I leaped, ran, and bounded the rest of the way down.  Total time was about 6 hours – 4 of which were spent climbing, 2 of which were spent waiting for and then admiring the sunrise.

adam's peak climb off season
Some local ladies asked me to take their picture (and then promptly asked for money, which I sincerely didn’t have on me)

Do it yourself:

  • The base town for Adam’s Peak is Dalhousie where there are guesthouses and restaurants
  • Dalhousie can be accessed by direct bus from Colombo or Kandy during the peak season.  During the off-season, it must be accessed via Maskeliya which can be reached by taking a bus from Hatton where there are both busses and railway stops
  • If you want to take a tuk-tuk from Hatton, thereby avoiding overcrowded and uncomfortable busses, the going rate is about 1,000 rupee (about $6)
  • The tuk-tuk driver will probably bring you to a guesthouse. I can’t recommend any place in particular, but haggle for the room if during the off-season
  • In order to leave ample time to make it to the top, start the hike around 2:30-3am. I arrived at the summit a bit too early and had a cold wait at the top, but I passed by a lot of hikers as well who arrived well after me, so adjust according to your hiking abilities
  • Be sure to bring a headlamp (if hiking during off-season), jacket, and water
  • A little tip: the best viewing for the sunrise is at the small platform to the left of the stairs just a few feet from the top (if you’re facing the peak) rather than the peak itself
  • Cost: 100% free though there are monks near the entrance who will tie a white string around your wrist, say a chant, and ask for a donation, which is completely up to you
  • Little shops will be selling roti and hot tea near the top – even during the off-season

READ NEXT: The Cost of Travel in Sri Lanka

119 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
Get the guidebook for solo female travelers!
« A Visual Tour of Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle
Is Now a Good Time to Travel in The Philippines? »

Hello There!

headshot

Welcome to Be My Travel Muse, one of the top female travel blogs in the world, welcoming over 5 million readers annually.

I'm Kristin, and my vision of a better world is one where more women are empowered and living out their dreams. Solo traveling is the best method I've found to become the best, bravest version of me. This site is all about how YOU can have the adventure of a lifetime in an easy, fun, approachable way, so that you can feel empowered, too. Want to learn more about me?

Click here!

Get the Solo Female Travel Guidebook

Popular Posts

I am currently in:

The USA!

Check it out on Instagram Stories!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Christina says

    01/17/2014 at 7:25 am

    I love having to work to see a sunset/sunrise – makes it so much better! It’s crazy being level with or over the clouds when the sun comes up…we saw the sunrise in Maui at 10k feet and it was awesome! Sri Lanka looks amazing!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      01/18/2014 at 10:30 pm

      Me too. Makes it so much sweeter.

      Reply
  2. Michelle | Lights Camera Travel says

    01/17/2014 at 4:04 pm

    Wow these photos are unbelievable! What an incredible experience

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      01/18/2014 at 10:24 pm

      Thanks 🙂

      Reply
  3. Lunaguava says

    01/17/2014 at 4:19 pm

    We missed Adam’s Peak when we visited Sri Lanka in 2010 (just went straight from Kandy to Ella – amazing train ride), but will definitely try to climb it if we ever return to that gorgeous island. Lovely post and great photos! Good luck and safe travels!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      01/18/2014 at 10:24 pm

      Kandy and Ella are also great choices.

      Reply
  4. A Southern Gypsy says

    01/17/2014 at 6:25 pm

    This is one of my must-dos when I make it Sri Lanka. Gorgeous photos! 🙂

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      01/18/2014 at 10:24 pm

      Thank you and you definitely should!

      Reply
  5. Turner says

    01/17/2014 at 9:46 pm

    Nice shots, as usual.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      01/18/2014 at 10:22 pm

      Thank you 🙂

      Reply
  6. Ryan says

    01/17/2014 at 11:43 pm

    *Picks jaw up off the floor* WOW that is for sure one of the most beautiful sunrises I’ve seen too. I’ve never hiked up a mount for a sunrise, but that is surely changing now.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      01/18/2014 at 10:22 pm

      Lots of great places to do so in Southeast Asia!

      Reply
  7. Kristin says

    01/18/2014 at 10:25 pm

    Glad to hear it! Let me know what you think of it when you go.

    Reply
  8. Stephen says

    01/20/2014 at 7:17 am

    This was easily my favorite moment from being in Sri Lanka, and your photos actually do it justice! While you were on the platform, did you have monks chanting in the background right before sunrise? I hiked up with a Brit/Spanish couple, and all three of us agreed that it was this really beautiful magical thing. I’m happy to see this, though, as I feel like not many bloggers get to Sri Lanka.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      01/20/2014 at 8:11 am

      I didn’t watch it from the platform because the area just next to the stairs, just barely below it, is actually way better viewing and I had it to myself!

      Reply
      • Stephen says

        01/20/2014 at 8:16 am

        Yea its hard to describe exactly where we were. From that bottom set of stairs of what would be properly considered the temple (but before you get to the main area where you can go up to the enclosure housing the ‘footprint’) you can sort of sneak off to the left and get to a little enclosed balcony type thing that looks back out over the east.

        But, at any rate, glad you found somewhere amazing to watch it from!

        Reply
  9. Jamie says

    01/20/2014 at 11:37 am

    Wow that view and sunrise is just breathtaking. I’d LOVE to do that some day and just take a few moments to meditate while up there.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      01/21/2014 at 7:54 am

      It’s a highly spiritual place, so it’s a good selection for meditation 🙂

      Reply
  10. Joe says

    04/26/2015 at 1:59 pm

    I’m planning my trip to Sri Lanka and even with 2 weeks I’m having to scale back my options. However Adam’s Peak has caught my imagination and trying my best to fit in. Is September a good time to climb? And once on the top can you see/view the footprint?

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      04/27/2015 at 6:55 am

      You know, I honestly didn’t try to see a footprint because I was so entranced by the sunrise. I went in December and I would think September is also good. It’s best to go when it’s not pilgrimage season as it is so crowded at that time.

      Reply
  11. Kristin says

    07/25/2015 at 7:14 am

    Definitely won’t be the same but I read other posts about how crowded it gets at the top and decided it might be better to go in the off season, as long as you don’t get rain you should be good!

    Reply
  12. Soh says

    11/14/2015 at 4:30 pm

    Hiya,
    I’ve just read this post as I’m due to climb this in a few days’ time. I feel relieved, I’ll be doing it solo – am wondering if you felt safe doing the hike as a solo female?

    Reply
  13. Alyssa says

    11/19/2015 at 1:59 am

    namaste!

    wondering if its alright to do it solo ? 🙂

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      11/19/2015 at 10:36 am

      Yes I walked most of it on my own and you’ll see people along the way.

      Reply
  14. Brandon says

    12/30/2015 at 10:04 am

    I don’t know what I remember more… the mind-blowing sunrise or how bad my knees hurt climbing down ha ha!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      12/31/2015 at 4:16 am

      yeah I’d much rather climb up than down.

      Reply
  15. Kierstin says

    01/10/2016 at 11:19 am

    Awesome, great posts. Appreciating all of your Sri Lankan posts, as I am going in March. Looking forward to reading your blog about other countries you have visited!!

    Reply
  16. Pam says

    03/11/2016 at 9:10 am

    with your photos I’m gonna try to pitch Sri Lanka to my travel buddy instead of Vietnam 😀
    Love this, and hopefully my painfull knees would be able to survive 5 000 stairs, probably would need double the time to climb up 😀

    Love, peace & pancakes from Croatia

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      03/12/2016 at 12:41 pm

      It’s all good going up! It’s the climbing down my knees always hate. I’m with you there!

      Reply
  17. Carly says

    04/01/2016 at 6:13 pm

    This looks so amazing. We are going to Sri Lanka in three weeks, and I realise that this will be during pilgrimage season- I understand that the crowd is just something that we wont be able to avoid. We will be in Kandy and I hoep to squeeze this in. Do you think that if we organise a driver it is close enough from Kandy to just get picked up very early in the morning and start the hike? Thank you

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      04/02/2016 at 8:08 am

      I would try to stay near the base of the mountain or you’re looking at a midnight pickup I’d guess

      Reply
  18. Dnesh says

    07/27/2017 at 9:27 am

    Hi Kristin, your blog post has got me more excited to do this hike during my next trip to sri lanka. Since i will be travelling from Colombo, i was thinking of catching the last train to Hatton and then get a tuk tuk to Adam’s Peak base. The hike would roughly begin at about 2/3am, is it safe to do this hike during the off-season? But your write up did gave some courage to do this!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      07/27/2017 at 1:17 pm

      I did it during the off season when the path wasn’t lit. You just need to bring a head lamp so that you can see!

      Reply
  19. Saud Khan says

    08/15/2017 at 1:23 am

    Hi Kristin,

    5000 steps – 2-3 hrs uphill, so we require head lamps, water bottles and jacket as it gets cold at the top if we reach early, please advice if their is anything more to be added. I will be visiting Srilanka next month and the peak is on top of my list.

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      08/21/2017 at 1:07 am

      Maybe bring a snack too 🙂

      Reply
  20. Ambroise says

    07/16/2019 at 12:23 am

    Hey Kristin,

    Your post is in opposition with all the reviews saying ‘do not climb off-season’. But after reading your post I think it worth it and is maybe even better than climbing it during the normal season. By any chance do you know if I can access to the peak from Ratnapura? Thanks 🙂

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      07/18/2019 at 12:06 pm

      I’m not sure where I went from, but I liked my off season climb!

      Reply

Stay Connected

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact Me
  • Archives
  • Privacy Policy and Disclaimer

© 2023 · Be My Travel Muse. All Rights Reserved

footer-icon

119 shares