Hiking Adam's Peak and visiting the footprint of Buddha

Sri Lanka Pt. 3 | Climbing 5.500 stairs to catch the sunrise on Adam's PEak

Adam’s Peak is a place of worship and pilgrimage by many religions for more than 1000 years. Also known as Sri Pada, it is home to a foot imprint on a rock at its summit. Depending on the faith, the footprint has been considered that of Buddha, the god Shiva, St. Thomas, and even, Adam after he was expelled from the Garden of Eden.

Setting the base in Dalhousie

text about the long ride, really bad streets.

Arriving in Dalhousie, surprised by the street fair character, lots of locals coming by bus - bus porn. Coffee and nice dinner with owner.

Booked us into the Mango tree - has the add on 'nerarest to Adam's peak' on his name. Smart guy :)

Hiking Adam's Peak

Hiking Adam’s Peak with hundreds of pilgrims in the early morning ring ours - not your basic backpacking experience and that’s why we went for it. We stayed overnight in Dalhousie and went to bed for a quick nights sleep - the alarm ⏰ was set for 2:30 am (seriously, what is wrong?!).

We covered over 5.500 stairs and 1.000m in altitude over a distance of 4.4km in 93% humidity - and you look and feel the part 😓 The evening before our host told us some sort of shortcut at the top to avoid the crowd and actually make it to the monastery and Buddha’s footstep🦶, which is what everyone is coming for.

The entire track is concreted and consists mostly of steps (of different height, which is a pain in the 🍑). A lot of people sleep along the way in order to make it up there for sunrise and there surely is no shortage of various stands all along that sell drinks, food, teddy bears, sweets, foot massages and much more.