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View all Colombo toursAdam's Peak Overnight Pilgrimage Climb from Colombo
An overnight climb of Sri Pada, the mountain sacred to Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians alike, timed to reach the summit for sunrise, with transport from Colombo.
Highlights
- Overnight climb of Sri Pada, sacred to Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians
- Around 5,500 steps from Nallathanniya, climbed through the night with pilgrims
- Sunrise from the summit and the mountain's triangular shadow on the cloud below
- The sacred footprint shrine at the top of the peak
- Private air-conditioned car from Colombo or Negombo, waiting at the base
Adam's Peak Overnight Pilgrimage Climb from Colombo: Key Facts
| Price | From $110.5 per person |
|---|---|
| Duration | 22 hours |
| Group size | Up to 8 people |
| Languages | English |
| Tour type | Guided Tour |
| Booking | Direct with the local operator — no OTA markup |
Full description
Sri Pada, known in English as Adam's Peak, is a 2,243-metre mountain in the central highlands with a hollow in the rock at its summit shaped like a footprint. Buddhists hold it to be the Buddha's, Hindus Shiva's, Muslims and Christians Adam's. Few places are venerated by four faiths at once, and during the pilgrimage season the path is busy with Sri Lankan families climbing through the night, which is a large part of what makes the climb what it is.
The route from Nallathanniya is around 5,500 steps, climbing steeply for the final third. Pilgrims and visitors start in the small hours so as to reach the summit before dawn. Tea stalls line the path and stay open all night, and the string of lights up the mountainside is visible from the base long before you set out. Most people take three to four hours to go up and a similar time coming down, and the descent is harder on the knees than the ascent is on the lungs.
What you climb for is the sunrise, and specifically the shadow: as the sun comes up behind the peak it casts a perfect triangular shadow onto the cloud and hills to the west, holding for perhaps twenty minutes before it dissolves. It is one of the genuine sights of the island, and it depends entirely on the weather.
Transport from Colombo or Negombo is by private air-conditioned car, with the drive to Nallathanniya taking around four hours through Avissawella and Hatton. Your driver waits at the base while you climb and takes you back afterwards.
Be honest with yourself about what this involves. The total trip runs around twenty-two hours, you climb through the night without sleeping properly, and the summit is cold and often crowded. It is demanding, and it is worth it for people who want it for what it is rather than as another sight ticked off.
Tour Itinerary
The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
Hotel pickup in Colombo or Negombo
Your driver collects you in the late afternoon for the drive into the highlands.
Drive to Nallathanniya
Around four hours through Avissawella and Hatton to the base of the mountain.
Rest and prepare at the base
Time to eat, change into warmer clothing and wait at the trailhead before the ascent.
Night ascent
Climb roughly 5,500 steps by the lit path, passing the tea stalls that stay open through the night.
Sunrise at the summit
Time at the footprint shrine and on the summit platform for the sunrise and the mountain's shadow.
Descent
Come back down to Nallathanniya in daylight, with views of the tea country you climbed past in the dark.
Return to Colombo
The drive back with stops, arriving in the afternoon.
Detailed Itinerary
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Includes
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver; hotel pickup and drop-off in Colombo or Negombo; driver waiting time at the trailhead; bottled water; fuel, tolls and parking
Excludes
- Meals and drinks on the mountain; guide on the climb itself unless stated on your booking; accommodation; warm clothing hire; tips; personal expenses; travel insurance
Important information
Meeting point
Hotel pickup in Colombo or Negombo in the afternoon or evening.
Know before you go
- Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts
About this activity
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Traveler Reviews
Terrible service. My friend and I thought we were paying for a guided tour up Adam's Peak but all we received was transport from an extremely unprofessional driver. No water provided and we had to ask the driver to turn on the air conditioning. We were told en route to book a hotel which we did, my friend and I wanted a room each but the driver called the hotel after asking us which place we booked and made the hotel owner put us into the same room but charge us still for 2 rooms which meant we had to pay for his room - this was not agreed at any point during this booking. We had to pay £120 each for this trip, we could have saved a lot of money but just hiring a driver to take us to the area and then take us onto the next area. The driver was also highly inappropriate arguing with a customer from their other business saying they would illegally take money from them if they refused to pay for a service. Please do not waste your money on this trip as it is a scam.
Wonderful experience and taught to find the best spot for see sunrise.