Adam's Peak

Sri Pada rises to just over 2,200 metres as a near-perfect cone, and at the top is a hollow in the rock revered as a footprint: by Buddhists as the Buddha's, by Hindus as Shiva's, by Muslims and Christians as Adam's. That shared claim makes it one of the few genuinely multi-faith pilgrimage mountains anywhere. The climb is done overnight, starting around two in the morning, up a stairway of several thousand steps lit by lamps the whole way and lined with tea stalls, so the ascent is a slow procession rather than a solitary walk. The reason for the timing is the summit at sunrise, when in clear conditions the mountain casts a perfect triangular shadow onto the cloud and plains to the west, an effect that lasts only minutes.

What you actually see

• The night ascent - thousands of lit steps and tea stalls, climbed in procession.
• The summit footprint shrine - the venerated hollow, and the bell rung by pilgrims.
• The triangular shadow - the mountain's own shadow projected at sunrise.
• The tea country views - hills and reservoirs spread out below in the morning light.

When to go

The pilgrimage season runs roughly from the December full moon to the May one, when the path is lit and the stalls are open. Outside it the route is dark, wet and much less safe. Weekends and full moons bring the biggest crowds and slowest climbs.

Honest expectations

It is several thousand steps, steep and relentless in the upper section, and people badly underestimate it. On busy nights the queue can stall for long periods and the summit becomes packed. It is cold at the top, and warm layers matter after a sweaty climb. Cloud frequently spoils the sunrise entirely, and there is no second chance without another night.

Nearby

The tea country around Hatton and Nuwara Eliya surrounds it; Kitulgala's rafting river lies west.