Adam’s Peak is a well-known mountain located in the Samanala mountain range in the Sabaragamuwa district of Sri Lanka and is identified by many epithets such as Sri Pada, meaning sacred footprint, Samnathakuta and Butterfly Mountain. While the sacred and holy nature of the mountain has been well chronicled in the Deepawamsa and Mahawamsa, two historical sources in Sri Lanka, other chronicles also observe that the King Valagamba found refuge in the many forests of the mountain from Indian invaders, other kings such as King Vijayabahu and travellers such as Fa Hien, Marco Polo and John Davy are believed to have visited the Mountain as well.
As a result of its religious and historical significance, it is a frequently visited tourist destination by those residing in hotels in Sri Lanka. Regardless of where you may reside in, a visit to Sri Pada is often opted for and tourists staying in Aitken Spence Hotels in Negombo, and Ahungalla can opt for an overnight trip. Given its importance to Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Muslims alike, Sri Pada is considered a holy mountain by all denominations living in the island.
Because of the onset of the rainy season from June onwards, the best time to scale the mountain is generally considered to be between December and May when the weather is conducive for climbing and the views from the summit are unobscured by rain, wind and mist.
Sri Pada can be accessed via multiple trails but it is the Hatton-Nallathanni and Ratnapura-Palabaddala trails that are considered the best by those who traverse the mountain. The Hatton trail is considered to be the steepest but it is favoured by many because it is also the shortest of the trails. While climbing the mountain, one will also come across a Peace Pagoda, built by Nipponzan Myohoji.
Intrigued by history, art and food, Lavinia Woolf is a writer who is passionate about the extraordinary and writes of the exhilarating and enchanting. Google+
