Adam's Peak and Kitulgala in 2 Days

2 DAYS 3 places by WaTrips

Rafting at Kitulgala, then the night climb up Adam's Peak and the Maha Saman Devalaya.

Two days of adventure in the hills. Day one rafts the Kelani river at Kitulgala, where The Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed. Day two is the night climb of about 5,500 steps up Adam's Peak (Sri Pada) to watch sunrise and the peak's triangular shadow, then a visit to the Maha Saman Devalaya in Ratnapura. The pilgrimage season runs from about December to May, when the path is lit.

STOP 1 OF 3

Kitulgala

Kitulgala is a small town in the wet zone forest on the Kelani River, on the Colombo to Hatton road. It is the centre for white-water rafting in Sri Lanka, with rapids suited to beginners. The Oscar-winning film The Bridge on the River Kwai was shot here in 1956. The nearby rainforest is good for birdwatching.

Best weather: Jan – Mar Heavy rain: Nov

STOP 2 OF 3

Adam's Peak

Adam's Peak, or Sri Pada, is a 2,243-metre mountain with a footprint-shaped mark in the rock at its summit. Buddhists hold it to be the footprint of the Buddha, Hindus of Shiva, and Muslims and Christians of Adam. Pilgrims climb thousands of steps by night to see the sunrise and the mountain's triangular shadow. The season runs from December to May.

Best weather: Jun – Sep Heavy rain: Nov

STOP 3 OF 3 · LAST STOP

Maha Saman Devalaya

Maha Saman Devalaya, about 3 km from Ratnapura, is dedicated to Saman, the guardian deity of Adam's Peak. A shrine was founded here in the 13th century under King Parakramabahu II; the Portuguese destroyed it and built a church, and the temple was rebuilt in the Kandyan period. Its Esala perahera in July or August is among the oldest on the island.

Best weather: Jan – Mar Heavy rain: Nov

Seasons from 20 years of NASA POWER climate data.

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