Adam’s Peak Sri Pada
Arrived safely in Hatton around noon , after 5 hours on two different busses.
These buses are pretty jammed , the seats are tiny but ment for 3 people, it works for them but not for me, maybe if I sit with one shoulder out of the window.
Bus is all full, sitting and standing, the driver are trying to beat some kind of time record, this is how it feels.
Fortunately all the people standing up are blocking the sights of the road!
Believe me you don’t want to see this if you got a faint heart.
For me is all about the journey, I love this kind adrenaline!
In Hatton we took a tuk tuk to Dal House , a little village up in the mountains, close to Adam’s peak, this is where people come for the 5000 step pilgrimage up to the top, where you find a temple and the footprint of Buddha.
We checked in a White House, a place we found out about doing some research online, Trip advisor!
This place is growing and growing, got a bunch of bungalows situated next to a river, and a bigger round building “white house” which have the nicer accommodations, those nicer ones are only 3500 rps (25USD/night), then you get the full view of Adam’s peak!
But we went for one of the budget ones, it’s like 5 bungalows all connected.
Decent double bed with a big mosquito net hanging over it, simple bathroom but it’s all clean.
These bungalows are overlooking a small beautiful garden. You got your own little outdoor area to sit at and enjoy the mountain vibe!
We tried their buffe, which was 5-6 different foods, vegetables like ocras and beans all cooked in curries, potatoes, rice and chicken , and to all of this you got the papadums.
A very good meal, that we enjoyed together with an ice cold Lion beer!
Also try the Tea up in these mountains, you can’t get it more fresh then this!
We left at 2:30 am to start our hike to Adam’s peak, everyone want to be up there for the sunrise around 6 am!
We bought a torch from one of the shops not to close from White house, 350 rps and then you can recharge it by just plug it in the wall!
I wouldn’t recommend doing this hike when its actually season for it, after the full moon in December.
It’s supposed to be packed, the village grow large at this point, shops and tea houses all the way up to the top is what we heard!
You don’t want to be stuck in a massive line up where it takes you 20 mins to take one step!
It’s cold up here so you need to bring a sweater or/and jacket , I also recommend having pants!
Once the sun comes up it get super hot, but at night time and 2000m up it’s chilly!
It first started with small longer steps, very enjoyable.
At this time there was a couple of tea house along the way and two places that buddhist monks were sitting to give blessings.
As we came up higher the steps got steeper and steeper, now it was a struggle.
The sweat was pouring down, but we kept on going in a fast pace, passing everyone els.
Of course there was a Norwegian family there showing off how fit they were!
We stopped at a tea house and had a fast morning coffee, and of course more water!
Even up here there was dogs, running up and down every day!
This was probably one of the fastest but toughest hikes I’ve done in my life so far!
Those steps were a killer!
Finally up there after 2 hours we came up to the top, it was still time left until sunrise.
We had to wait probably an hour for it, and this is where it get’s chilly!
But when the sun came up and lit up the landscape everything was totally worth it! WOW!
Sri Lanka is such a “small” country but the landscapes is so diverse, seems like it got all kinds of different flora and fauna, and mountains with some what of a rounder shape then “normal” all around.
A beautiful view, a struggle to get up there for sure!
It doesn’t cost anything, but the monks of course want you to give a donation, but that’s totally up to you!
A great trip for sure!
The way down was almost tougher!
It took us about one hour.
I took us 3 day’s to get over the pain in our calves.
We left Dal house and paid for a tuk tuk all the way to Ella, instead of taking a tuk tuk to Hatton to the train and then a 4 hour journey to the little backpacker mountain village of Ella.
We paid 10000rps (70USD) including the tip for an amazing ride with a great driver.
If you take the tuk tuk and then the train you pay around 20USD for this trip, but we decided to get ourselves into a tuk tuk adventure through the mountains!
Which turned out to be amazing!
