Adam's Peak, Sacred mountain in Ratnapura district, Sri Lanka

Adam's Peak rises 2243 meters above the Ratnapura district and draws visitors up a stone staircase with 5200 steps leading to a temple at the top. The climb passes through dense forest and open rock faces, while the final sections grow steeper and reveal views of the surrounding mountain ranges.

Travelers from the 13th and 14th centuries already described the chains that held pilgrims steady on the way up. The summit served as a pilgrimage destination for different faith communities over centuries, with each interpreting the rock formation in their own way.

The summit houses a rock formation resembling a footprint, which Buddhists attribute to Buddha, Muslims to Adam, and Hindus to Shiva.

Most hikers begin their climb in the early morning hours from the village of Nallathanniya to see the sunrise from the top. Warm clothing is advisable, as temperatures at the summit are considerably cooler than in the valley.

At sunrise the mountain throws a triangular shadow onto the mist below, a shape seen from the summit itself. The shadow is cast on the fog layer, not on the plains, and pilgrims greet the sunrise with calls of "Sadhu, Sadhu".