Adam's Peak (Sri Pada) from Nallathanniya

From the Nallathanniya (Dalhousie) bus station follow the lane to the start of the Nallathanniya - Sri Pada Foot-path, which OpenStreetMap maps as a path, and climb the pilgrim way through the Peak Wilderness: a mapped mountain path for much of it and steps for a third of the line, to the summit of Sri Pada (2,243 m on OpenStreetMap), about 5 km from the start. Sri Lanka Tourism describes the sacred footprint as a 1.8 m rock formation near the summit, and UNESCO says around two million pilgrims visit Adam's Peak each year. Come down the same way.

It is 10.1 km round with 997 m of ascent; allow about 6½ hours of walking, more for rests and for the crowds on busy nights. The grade is Hard: a long, steady climb from 1,254 m, more than 5 km of the line mapped as mountain hiking and a third of it steps.

Sri Lanka Tourism says the mountain is most often climbed from December to May, that in other months it is hard to climb because of very heavy rain, extreme wind and thick mist, and that the peak pilgrimage season is April, when the aim is to be on top at sunrise. Many climbers therefore go up at night: Sri Lanka Tourism says the path is lit and there are rest stops along the way, but carry a torch and warm clothes for the wait at the top. The summit is a place of worship: cover legs and shoulders, and take off shoes and hats at the shrine, as the FCDO advises for Buddhist temples. The FCDO also warns of wild elephants, venomous snakes and insects in many parts of Sri Lanka, and of heavy rain, flooding and landslides.

No page we read gives a number of steps, a charge for the climb or rules for the reserve, so none is stated here. The walk starts at the bus station at Nallathanniya.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.