# Adam's Peak: The Mountain Four Faiths Climb in the Dark URL: https://rapidadventures.lk/blog/adams-peak-sri-pada-guide > Everything you need to know about Adam’s Peak: its 1,000-year history, the 2026/27 season dates, the routes, and the new plastic and permit rules for this season. **Read time**: 15 min **Author(s)**: Chathuranga Madurawala --- Every December, a line of lights appears on a mountain in the middle of Sri Lanka. It starts in the tea country near Hatton and runs up into the clouds. Those lights mark thousands of steps, and on a busy night thousands of people are climbing them toward one small temple at the top. That mountain is Adam's Peak, known locally as Sri Pada. People have climbed it for more than a thousand years. Today pilgrims walk it in prayer, hikers come for the sunrise, and travellers from around the world end up on the same steps at 3 am. This guide covers everything: what the mountain is, why it matters, its long history, the 2026/27 season dates, the routes, and the new rules every climber now needs to know. ## What Is Adam's Peak? Adam's Peak is a cone-shaped mountain 2,243 metres (7,359 ft) high. It sits on the border of the Ratnapura District (Sabaragamuwa Province) and the Nuwara Eliya District (Central Province), in the southern part of Sri Lanka's Central Highlands. (Wikipedia) It is not Sri Lanka's highest mountain. Pidurutalagala is higher. But no other mountain on the island means as much to as many people. ### One mountain, many names - Sri Pada (Sinhala) - "the sacred footprint" - Samanalakanda (Sinhala) - "butterfly mountain" - Sivanolipaatha Malai (Tamil) - "the mountain of Shiva's light" - Samanthakuta (Pali) - "the peak of Saman", the god said to guard the mountain - Ratnagiri - "the jewelled hill", an old Sanskrit name ### The footprint at the top Near the summit there is a footprint-shaped hollow in the rock, about 1.8 metres long. Four religions explain it in different ways: - Buddhists believe it is the left footprint of the Buddha, left during his third visit to Sri Lanka. - Hindus believe it is the footprint of Lord Shiva. - Muslims believe it is the footprint of Adam, who stood here after leaving paradise. This is where the English name comes from. - Some Christian traditions link it to Adam or to St. Thomas the Apostle. That is why you will see Buddhist families, Hindu devotees, Muslim visitors and foreign hikers on the same steps on the same night. Few places in the world are shared like this. ### More than a holy site Adam's Peak is also important for nature. The mountain feeds three of Sri Lanka's major rivers: the Kelani, Kalu and Walawe. (Wikipedia) The forest around it is the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary, declared on 25 October 1940 and managed by the Department of Wildlife Conservation. It covers about 224 square kilometres of rainforest. (Wikipedia) In 2010, UNESCO listed the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka as a World Heritage Site. It includes three areas: the Peak Wilderness Protected Area, Horton Plains National Park and the Knuckles Conservation Forest. (UNESCO) If you've already done Horton Plains or hiked in the Knuckles, Adam's Peak is the third part of the same World Heritage Site. The site is under real pressure. In its 2025 assessment, the IUCN rated the conservation outlook for the Central Highlands as "significant concern." (IUCN World Heritage Outlook) Many of the new rules below come from that. ## A Short History of Sri Pada ### Ancient chronicles The mountain appears in Sri Lanka's oldest written records. The Deepavamsa (4th century) mentions it as Samanthakuta, and the Mahawamsa (5th century) says the Buddha visited the peak. Another chronicle, the Rajavaliya, says King Valagamba hid in the forests around the mountain in the 1st century BCE while escaping invaders. (Wikipedia) The Chinese monk Fa Hien, who stayed in Sri Lanka in 411-412 CE, also wrote about Sri Pada, although it is not clear he climbed it. ### The kings who built the path The first solid evidence of organised pilgrimage comes from the reign of King Vijayabahu I in the 11th century. He saw how hard the journey was for pilgrims, so he gave the village of Gilimale to support them and built rest houses along the way. Stone inscriptions at Gilimale and Ambagamuwa record this. (Britannica) These rest houses, called ambalam, are still part of the climb today. Later kings continued the work: - King Nissankamalla (12th century) climbed with his army and had a protective slab built over the footprint. - Devaprathiraja, minister of King Parakramabahu II (13th century), built roads to the mountain and fixed iron chains on posts to help pilgrims climb the steepest rocks. (Britannica) ### Famous travellers Adam's Peak was known far beyond Sri Lanka. - Marco Polo wrote about it around 1298 as an important pilgrimage site. - Ibn Battuta, the great Moroccan traveller, climbed it in 1344. He described the stairway and the iron chains that helped pilgrims up. (Wikipedia) - The 6th-century Tamil epic Manimekalai mentions the footprints on the peak of Samantakuta. ### The colonial era and after In 1815, Lieutenant William Malcolm made the first recorded climb by an Englishman. Two years later John Davy described a large footprint edged with brass and set with gems. (Wikipedia) British rule also changed the landscape. Large parts of the forest were cleared for the tea estates that still surround the Hatton route today. In 1978, the Japanese Buddhist order Nipponzan Myohoji built the Peace Pagoda halfway up the Hatton trail. It is now one of the best-known landmarks on the climb. ## When Is the Adam's Peak Season? The pilgrimage season runs from Unduvap Poya in December to Vesak Poya in May. Because these are full moon days, the dates change every year. ### 2026/27 season dates Season opens Unduvap Poya, Wednesday 23 December 2026 Season closes Vesak Poya, Wednesday 19 May 2027 These dates follow the official Poya calendar. (timeanddate, Wikipedia: 2027 in Sri Lanka) The Ratnapura District Secretariat usually publishes the season gazette a few weeks before the opening. Last year's came out on 25 November 2025. We'll update this guide when the 2026/27 gazette is published. ### How the season begins The opening is a ceremony in itself. The sacred relic casket, the statue of God Saman and the royal regalia are carried in procession from the Sri Pada Rajamaha Viharaya at Galpoththawela, Pelmadulla to the summit along four different routes. (Daily Mirror) They stay at the top for the whole season and return to Pelmadulla after Vesak. ### Best months to climb - January to March: the best mix of clear weather and manageable crowds. February often gives the best visibility. - December (opening weeks): a festive atmosphere, but the weather is less predictable. - April: very crowded with Sinhala and Tamil New Year and school holidays. - Avoid if you can: Poya days and long weekends. The steps can come to a standstill. ### Climbing Adam’s Peak in the Off-Season (2026 Rules) Yes, but only on two routes, only with a ticket, and it’s a very different trip. Open routes: Only Hatton-Nallathanniya and Ratnapura-Sri Palabaddala. All other routes are fully closed in the off-season, including Kuruwita-Erathna, Dehenakanda-Mukkuwatta, Deraniyagala-Udamaliboda and Marewatta-Sandagalatenna. Using them is illegal, and the Department of Wildlife Conservation can take legal action. Even photos of a climb on a closed route posted on social media can be used as evidence. Tickets: Get your ticket on the day of your climb, before you start, from the wildlife office near the Makara Thorana at Nallathanniya or the wildlife office at Palabaddala. Climbing without a valid ticket is illegal, even on the open routes. Groups of two or more must bring a printed list with everyone’s full name, address, NIC number and phone number. Solo climbers give their details at the counter. Foreign visitor rates are not published, so contact the wildlife office. How long it takes: The Hatton route can be done in one day. The Ratnapura route takes two days. What to expect: - No toilets, water or electricity on either route - The summit compound (Uda Maluwa) is closed, and you cannot stay there - Shops: only one near the Makara Thorana on the Hatton route, and sometimes one at Gangulathenna. Nothing else. - Patchy phone signal. If something goes wrong, help is a long walk away. - No security for parked vehicles and nowhere to leave bags - Severe cold, especially at night - Wild boar, sambar deer and leopards move at night, so sleeping in an unlit ambalam can be dangerous - Fires are banned at all times, whether you stay overnight or not - Rain can cause flash floods and landslides. On the Hatton route, the last 300-500 m at Mahagiridamba is prone to rockfalls, and this happened both last season and this year. - You are responsible for any harm from wild animals - Alcohol, drugs and cigarettes are completely banned Why the rules exist: In years without permits, large numbers of off-season visitors left heavy rubbish in the Samanala (Peak Wilderness) reserve. Routes through highly sensitive ecosystems, such as Erathna, were closed for that reason, and casual workers now clear rubbish on the two open routes. The right mindset: The off-season is when the forest recovers from the pilgrimage season. It suits nature lovers and researchers rather than pilgrims. Go quietly, carry everything out, and treat it as a nature walk, not a pilgrimage. Contact: Sri Palabaddala Range Office (Samanala Range), 045 728 4867 ## What Changed Recently: New Laws and Updates This section matters most if you last climbed a few years ago. ### 1. Plastic and polythene ban In December 2025, the Cabinet approved strict measures to cut plastic and polythene use in the Sri Pada area during the pilgrimage season. (Ada Derana, Daily FT) Banned for both pilgrims and sellers: - Polythene lunch sheets, shopping bags and sachet packets - Polystyrene (Styrofoam) food boxes - Single-use cups, plates, spoons, forks, knives, straws and stirrers - Single-use plastic water and soft drink bottles under 1 litre Throwing away any polythene, food packaging or medicine packaging inside the protected zone is also banned. Shop owners along the routes are now responsible for removing the waste from what they sell. Officials have said enforcement will be zero tolerance. (The Island) What this means for you: bring a reusable water bottle and pack snacks in a cloth bag or reusable box. ### 2. Off-season tickets from the Wildlife Department Climbing Sri Pada during the pilgrimage season has traditionally been free. In the off-season, the Department of Wildlife Conservation controls access, and every climber needs a ticket from the wildlife office at Nallathanniya or Palabaddala before starting. Fees, group rules and what to expect are covered in the off-season section below. Off-season fees have been debated before. When tickets were first introduced in 2023, the chief custodian of Sri Pada publicly objected. (Sri Lanka Mirror) ### 3. Off-season routes cut to two In the off-season, only two routes are open: - Hatton - Nallathanniya - Ratnapura - Sri Palabaddala The Kuruwita - Erathna, Dehenakanda - Mukkuwatta, Deraniyagala - Udamaliboda and Marewatta - Sandagalatenna routes are fully closed in the off-season. Using them is illegal, and the Wildlife Department can take legal action. Posting photos of a climb on a closed route can also be used as evidence. During the pilgrimage season, the routes listed in the official season gazette apply. ### 4. Standing season rules (gazette) Every season, a gazette under the Pilgrimages Ordinance sets the rules. The 2025/26 gazette included: (Gazette 2464/05) - No alcohol, cigarettes or drugs on the route or at shops. Police check at Hatton and along the trail. - No camping or temporary shelters. Rest only at approved ambalam and rest houses. - No fires of any kind. - Bathing and washing only at approved places. - Park only in designated areas. - No staying at the summit. Pilgrims must leave after worship. ### 5. Cyclone Ditwah and repairs Cyclone Ditwah hit Sri Lanka on 28 November 2025 and caused the worst floods the country had seen in over 20 years. (ReliefWeb) The season still opened on 4 December 2025, but landslides damaged the staircase at Mahagiridamba on the main route and made it unsafe for a while. Army teams carried materials up the mountain and repaired the steps. (Sri Lanka Army) The chief custodian confirmed there was no damage to the summit or the sacred site itself. (Ada Derana) The upper section at Mahagiridamba (the last 300-500 m of the Hatton route) is still prone to rockfalls in heavy rain, and falls were reported again this year. Forecasters also expect heavier than normal rain in late 2026 with El Niño, so check route conditions before you travel and take extra care on this stretch. ### 6. A cable car? Not yet In April 2026, the government's Tourism Task Force discussed building a cable car near Sri Pada, along with possible projects in Ella and Kikiliyamana. The focus was on feasibility studies and early approvals. (President's Office, Newswire) Nothing has been built, and no construction has been announced. The idea is likely to be debated, because the mountain is both a sacred site and part of a World Heritage forest. For 2026/27, the only way up is on foot. ## The Routes Explained ### Hatton - Nallathanniya (most popular) This is the route most visitors take. - Start: Nallathanniya (also called Dalhousie), about 32 km from Hatton and 150 km from Colombo - Distance: about 5 km one way - Height gain: about 1,000 m (from roughly 1,250 m to the summit) - Steps: around 5,500 - Time: about 3-4 hours up for a reasonably fit person, 2-3 hours down (sripada.org trail guide) It is the shortest and steepest route but also the best equipped, with lights, tea shops and rest stops all the way. You pass landmarks like the Peace Pagoda, Gangula Thenna and Seetha Gangula, the cold stream where many pilgrims stop to wash before the final climb. Getting there: take the train or bus to Hatton, then a bus or tuk-tuk to Nallathanniya. A private vehicle is the easiest choice for groups and night arrivals. Of all six routes, Hatton has the most open views and the most waterfalls. But it is also the most commercialised, with shops almost all the way up, so experienced Sri Pada climbers often rank it last for natural beauty. ### Ratnapura - Palabaddala (Raja Mawatha, the traditional route) This is the old pilgrim route that kings and travellers like Ibn Battuta used. It is much longer and passes through the rainforest of the Peak Wilderness Sanctuary, with more than 11,000 concrete steps. Many local pilgrims see it as the more traditional climb. Some experienced climbers go up from Hatton and come down this side. ### Kuruwita - Erathna The scenery is similar to the Ratnapura route, but most of this route is a natural forest path rather than concrete steps. It is harder, less crowded and more peaceful. #### The adventure trails Three more routes are rarely used by pilgrims and are better described as adventure trails: - Rajamale - Sandagalatenna: the shortest and quickest of all six routes, but less scenic than the others. - Deraniyagala - Udamaliboda: easier and shorter than Dehenakanda. It runs through forest with several stream crossings and joins the Erathna route, so you pass through three routes on the way to the summit. - Mukkuwatta - Dehenakanda: often called the most beautiful and the closest to nature, but also the hardest, longest and most dangerous. It has the most leeches, no ambalam all the way to the summit, and the longest trip to a hospital if something goes wrong. Route descriptions are based on the experience of the Sri Padaya fans community. Important: In the off-season, only the Hatton and Ratnapura routes are open. All other routes are closed by the Wildlife Department, and using them is illegal. ## How to Plan Your Climb ### Timing - Start around 2 am from Nallathanniya to reach the top before sunrise. - On busy nights, start earlier. Queues near the summit can be slow. - Sunrise at the top is around 6 am. Stay for the triangular shadow the mountain casts across the land below as the sun comes up. ### What to bring - Reusable water bottle (single-use bottles under 1 litre are banned) - Warm layer and a windproof jacket. The summit is cold before dawn. - Head torch, in case of power cuts on the trail - Good walking shoes with grip - Small cash for tea shops, donations and permits - ID or passport for the wildlife counter - Rain cover, especially early in the season ### Etiquette at the top - Remove your shoes and hat near the sacred area. - Dress modestly: shoulders and knees covered. - Keep your voice low and let pilgrims worship first. - Don't use drones without permission. - Take every bit of your rubbish back down. ### Where to stay Nallathanniya, Maskeliya and Hatton all have guesthouses and small hotels. Book early for January to March weekends and Poya days, because they fill up fast. Staying the night before at the base lets you rest for a few hours before the 2 am start. ## Make It Part of a Bigger Hill Country Trip Adam's Peak works well with the rest of the hill country: - Horton Plains and World's End, the second part of the same UNESCO site - The Knuckles Range, the third part, with some of Sri Lanka's best multi-day treks - Kitulgala, about two hours from Hatton by road, for white water rafting on the Kelani river, which starts on the slopes of Sri Pada Planning your Sri Pada trip? Rapid Adventures can help with self-drive vehicle rentals, local driving permits for foreign visitors, stays near the trailhead and hill country experiences. Browse our experiences or email book@rapidadventures.lk and we'll help you put the trip together. ## Frequently Asked Questions Q: When does the Adam's Peak season start in 2026? A: On Unduvap Poya, Wednesday 23 December 2026. It runs until Vesak Poya on 19 May 2027. Q: How long does it take to climb Adam's Peak? A: On the Hatton route, about 3-4 hours up and 2-3 hours down for a reasonably fit person. Allow more time on busy nights. Q: How many steps are there to Adam's Peak? A: Around 5,500 on the Hatton - Nallathanniya route. Q: Is there an entrance fee for Adam's Peak? A: During the pilgrimage season, climbing has traditionally been free. In the off-season, you need a Wildlife Department ticket: Rs. 40 per day for local visitors, plus a Rs. 1,000 service fee per person or group of up to ten. Foreign rates are not published, so contact the wildlife office. Q: Can I bring plastic water bottles? A: Not single-use bottles under 1 litre. Bring a reusable bottle instead. Q: Can beginners climb Adam's Peak? A: Yes, if they go slowly. Children and elderly pilgrims climb every season. The steps are tiring rather than technical. Q: Which route should I choose? A: Choose Hatton - Nallathanniya for your first climb. Choose Ratnapura - Palabaddala if you want a longer, quieter and more traditional route. Q: Can I climb Adam’s Peak in the off-season? A: Yes, but only via the Hatton or Ratnapura route, with a ticket from the wildlife office. There are no lights, toilets or water, and the summit compound is closed. Q: Is it illegal to use the Erathna or Sandagalatenna routes? A: In the off-season, yes. Kuruwita - Erathna, Sandagalatenna, Dehenakanda and Udamaliboda are all closed, and the Wildlife Department can take legal action. Q: Which is the most beautiful route to Adam’s Peak? A: Experienced climbers often name Mukkuwatta - Dehenakanda for its nature, though it is the hardest and most dangerous. Hatton has the best open views but is the most commercialised. Q: Is the cable car open? A: No. As of October 2026 it is only being studied. ## Final Word Adam's Peak is hard to describe until you're on it: cold air, tired legs, chanting in the dark and the slow light of sunrise over the hill country. It has drawn kings, monks, merchants and explorers for over a thousand years. With the new rules, it's now also a place where every climber helps protect a World Heritage forest. Climb it slowly, carry your rubbish down, and stay for the shadow. ### Sources - Adam's Peak - Wikipedia - Adam's Peak - Britannica - Peak Wilderness Sanctuary - Wikipedia - UNESCO: Central Highlands of Sri Lanka inscription (2010) - IUCN World Heritage Outlook: Central Highlands of Sri Lanka - Gazette Extraordinary 2464/05: Sri Pada Pilgrimage Season 2025/2026 - Ada Derana: New measures to minimise polythene and plastic around Sri Pada (Dec 2025) - Daily FT: Strict single-use plastic ban for Sri Paada season - The Island: New measures to protect the Sri Pada region - Daily Mirror: Off-season entry restricted to two routes (July 2026) - Sri Lanka Army: Repairs at Mahagiridamba after Cyclone Ditwah - ReliefWeb: Cyclone Ditwah briefing note - President's Office: Cable car facilities to Sri Pada (April 2026) - Daily Mirror: Sripada season 2025/26 begins - sripada.org: Hatton - Nallathanni trail guide - Department of Wildlife Conservation, Sri Palabaddala Range Office (Samanala Range): 2026 off-season notice, published via the Sri Padaya fans community - සමනල කන්ද රසික එකමුතුව: route guide and off-season advice (2026)