Author: 
Travelogue by a local troop of hikers.
It was indeed an inspiring day. Our plan was to hike Adams peak. This is very famous among mostly Buddhists all over the world. But this is a super hiking spot for versed hikers and adventure seekers. But for the sake of all let me share my hiking experience at Adams peak.
Samanala Kanda turned into “Sri Padasthanaya” in years pass by. Adams Peak is the name tourists use mostly. Locals call this Sri Padasthanaya. This is a place of religious importance. It is said that the sacred footprint of Lord Buddha is evident on the summit of the mountain. So that’s how the “Sri Padasthanaya” name has come, meaning the “place of sacred footprint”. Many locals treat the hike to Adams peak as a pilgrimage. They are more concerned with their dresses, the words they use, and even the food they take. Most of the time a freshman has a lot of things to do prior to the hike. Because this is more than a hike. Locals’ aim is to show their devotion. But hiking Adams Peak is an exceptional journey for enthusiastic hikers. Because pilgrims are planned during the season. The peak season is in April. But there is a trend among local and foreign adventure seekers to hike Adams Peak during the off-season. While moving on, I’ll share many interesting things. Let’s go!
We decided to go on a train. So, we caught the Udarata Manike train from the Kandy railway station. It was about 11.30 in the morning. We had our tickets booked. Therefore, we were lucky to travel sitting. We reached Hatton at about 2 in the afternoon. We got our lunch from a restaurant there. We had a lot of bags. Because the main intention of hiking Adams Peak is to witness the sunrise from the top of the mountain. So, it takes two days to complete the hike. It is a practice of both pilgrims and hikers. The first flush of the morning is so crisp and refreshing when you see the sunrise at your eye level.
Then our next and last halt is Nallathanni. The journey to Adams Peak starts at Nallathanni. But you won’t be able to find a bus from Hatton to Nallathanni in just a moment. There’s a schedule for buses. So, we got a bus at around 4 in the evening. It takes about one and a half hours to reach Nallathanni. The road runs around a mountain. Moreover, the route is enclosed by a scenic environment. It was all green and far away from us, mountains stood steadily like giants weighing the sky. All of us kept staring at the beautiful scenery all the way to Nallathanni.
To be more informative, there are two to three trails to hike Adams Peak. The route we used, Hatton to Nallathanni is the shortest and most prominent among them. Also, it is way easier than other routes. The other frequently used trails are Rathnapura, Palabaddala Trail, and Kuruwita, Erathana Trail.
When we got down to Nallathanni, the time was sharp at 6 in the evening. It was not too cold. But it will become colder with the sunset. There are small shops around the place. There is a special thing to buy. They are called, “kodu packets”. you only buy these if you are hiking Adams Peak for the first time as a pilgrim. One or two of bought kodu packets. Also, we bought some gloves, ice caps, and some other stuff from those shops. Now, you might wonder why we are hiking in the evening. Because this is the practice that is prevailing in the past since the aim is to see the sunrise of the other day.
We started the hike at around 6.45 or 7 in the evening. we all had heavy bags with first aid and food. I was with 4 others. So we were a group of 5.
At first, the path is very easy. Therefore, no steps are there. Then you meet the steps towards the Japanese Temple. we started stepping forward. now the road is not just a flat ordinary road. it is becoming sloppy. so the climb is a little bit tough now. also, the environment is getting colder. we were wearing jerseys and ice caps to escape from the cold. but still, we were full of energy. we ate some “aggala” on the way. “Aggla” is a must-eat food while hiking Adams Peak as a pilgrimage. because it is a tradition. rather than a tradition, it is also a good food that can chase away the cold and it can be kept for 2 to 3 days without rotting. if you are a foreigner, Aggala is a Sri Lankan food shaped like a sphere and it tastes spicy and sweet.
when moving forward our legs started to cramp. we managed to reach “Sama Chithya” or the Japanese temple at around 11 at night. the paths are lightened with bulbs during the season. whichever direction I look, it was like a flood of humans. It is very usual during the season.
then we thought of having dinner because we were exhausting. It was a very nice experience to have dinner on halfway of a mountain under the gloomy sky. but the noise and bothersome atmosphere were out of our control. it was not a calm dinner outing yet it remains like a lovely memorandum. we rested there for about one hour.
again, we started climbing. ancient people used to sing songs when climbing “SriPada” to minimize the exhausting. so there are some famous songs from history. always climbing is done as troops. Everyone sings some of these songs. so that different groups co-jointly sing songs. they are like conversations or some people sing question songs and someone sings a return song. likewise, locals climb this sacred mountain with interesting tricks. but tourists who come with the very intention of hiking don’t do these things.
it was midnight when we encountered the next set of steps at a right angle to the ground. Exactly it was like a staircase built vertically. without any doubt, this part would be the worse part! this time it was extremely cold. a cold we hardly bared. the steps were broad. So, we sat on them and collected some energy for the rest of the journey.
“Idikatupana” is a place with an interesting story. This is the place where get used of that “Kodu” packets. If you are a freshman to worship “SriPada” you have to enlighten the Fragrance sticks and keep it there. Why needle and thread? You may be wondering. Get the needle and tie the thread in it. After that, the needle is stuck there and you have to carry the thread with you from “idikatupana” to the mountain sniff. It is also another traditional practice worth following.
At this time, everyone was very exhausted. Then we reached “mahagiridamba”. It was about 2 in the morning the next day. This place is very crowded with people who are waiting to see “ira sevaya” or the first sight of the sunrise. Therefore, we stayed on the same step for some time. We looked around and down. The view is fantastic! The charming rhymes heard like enchanting and the chilling breeze bought the smell of fragrance stick. Yes. it was a vibe I’d never felt before. Still, the mountain is vertical. It is very difficult to climb up. The hope of seeing the first sun rays kept us strong. If not the physical pain definitely prevents us from climbing the rest. You will imagine how difficult it is. But you know, all of this pain become a nice memory in the end.
Anyhow, we came to sniff, it was around 6 or 6.30 in the morning. We worshiped the sacred footprint. No one can see the actual footprint. Because the real print is reserved and you will see a gold-plated covering of the sacred footprint. We were lucky to see the “ira sevaya” also. The sky was light yellow. The sky was just a moment after the night charm. Therefore there were lots of colors which we don’t know the names of. The sun appeared like a half-boiled egg yolk! Our all exhausts and pains disappered for a while. The morning here is a festival you know. All the pilgrims’ hearts get filled with eternal happiness. I could feel that when looking into the faces of people around us.
Rest time! We rested a few hours there. Because we didn’t sleep all night. Our bodies were too weak. There was a place for hot water. So we went to that place and filled some hot water in our hot water bottles. Also, we washed our faces and legs with hot water. We had gotten cramps in our legs. So we applied some balms and we got some pain killers. After that, we were refreshed. Then we thought about climbing down!
If you are a frequent hiker you know that climbing up is easier than climbing down. We planned to climb down as many steps as we can and rest for some time. And, we repeat that way as a trick to maintain a fast and efficient climbing down. It really worked. We made some plain tea on the way and had some snacks from time to time.
I feel like I should share some information about hiking Adams Peak during the off-season. It will be a temptation or rather an invitation for adventurous hikers. Since it is off-season, you can come in any month excluding April. But it will be safe if you chose a dry season. Because the slippery condition of the steps and extreme cold during the rainy season make it risky. And also there are some reports of animal attacks. Especially during the off-season, wild animals cross this way. Not like during the season, it will be very hard to find a single person on the way. Therefore off-season hiking is dangerous yet inspiring. Off-Season and off-road hiking are very popular here. Off-road hiking is the perfect bet for an experienced hiker. It is known to be many routes through the wood and cliffs. You hike Adams peak either as a pilgrimage or as a challenge. Best roads and seasons are yet to be found.
It was some time past noon when we came to the down. When we look back at Adams peak, we couldn’t imagine that we made it there. However, it was sad to think that the hike is finished.
The hike was over and just like we came we left Nallathanni by bus. Then we reached Hatton and we departed from there with lots of memories.
So our journey ended like that. Decide what your journey to Adams Peak will end like. Visit Sri Lanka! Spare two days of your vacation to hike Adams Peak. It will not be a waste, I swear!
Featured Image Credit: Dudarev Mikhail
