Adam´s Peak (Sri Lanka) > Reviews > Hard work but worth it

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Advantages:	breathtaking scenery, one of the highlights of Sri lanka
Disadvantages:	can be crowded during the season, tiring climb

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I climbed Adam's Peak last December and what an experience it was! I got to the Green House guesthouse at Dalhousie at around 9:00pm, had dinner, went to bed, woke up at 2:30am and climbed the mountain getting to the summit at 6:00am in time to see a wonderful sunrise.

It is probably better to climb the mountain just before the pilgrimage season which starts towards the end of December and finishes in April. If you go during the Pilgrimage season, please don't go at the weekend as you could be crushed by the thousands of people who climb then. When I went up there were only about 12 people climbing and the mountain seemed to exude the air of holiness and sanctity that apparently eludes it during the pilgrimage season. During the season, it is supposed to be the Sri Lankan equivalent of Blackpool with lots of tacky stalls and money hungry con merchants.

Secondly, stay at the Greenhouse. This guesthouse is painted green and is situated at the foot of Adams Peak. The owner is very helpful and friendly and the food they serve is wonderful. As soon as I arrived back at the guesthouse at around 9:00am, they cooked me a wonderful breakfast and I was starving. There is a little stream where you can wash and a nice sun terrace as well.

Give yourself around four hours to climb the mountain and take a jacket and wear some trainers. At the summit, it gets pretty cold. During the pilgrimage season the pathway is lit up. I don't think they do this all year round ( i was lucky as I climbed up a week before the season and the path was lit). Even if it is lit up, take a torch as they are unlit gaps and the steps are not even at all, so be careful.
With a fine sunrise, take care not to miss the pyramidal shadow that the mountain casts on the surrounding area. It only lasts a few minutes, be sure to take a photo of it!

Finally when you make your way back down, you should spend the rest of the day in Dalhousie. off-season it is very peaceful and restful and you can go on walks elsewhere. When the sun shines, it is still very warm even at 5,000 ft above sea level.