Little Adam's Peak, Ella: The Easy Hike and How It Got Its Name
Little Adam's Peak is the easiest big view in Ella. The hill rises to just over 1,100 metres about 2.5 km south-east of town, and a well-trodden path climbs to the top through a tea estate. Most people are up and back in one to two hours, and from the summit you look across to Ella Rock and down the Ella Gap.
Little Adam's Peak at a glance
- Height: just over 1,100 metres (published figures range from 1,141 to 1,172 metres)
- Where: about 2.5 km south-east of Ella town, off the Passara road
- Time: one to two hours there and back from town
- Difficulty: easy, on a clear path with steps near the top
- Sinhala name: Punchi Sri Pada, the little Sri Pada
Why it's called Little Adam's Peak
It isn't named after Adam, at least not directly. It is named after a mountain about 60 km to the west: Adam's Peak, Sri Pada, the great pilgrimage summit of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Tourism says Ella's hill took the name because the two look alike, and in Sinhala it is Punchi Sri Pada, the little Sri Pada.
The big mountain has many names because it is sacred to many faiths. Buddhists honour the footprint on its summit as the Buddha's, and Hindus as Shiva's. In Muslim tradition, Adam first set foot on earth there after leaving paradise, and Arab traders carried that story across the sea, which is how the name Adam's Peak spread. The traveller Ibn Battuta climbed it in 1344, using iron chains fixed to the rock.
Sri Pada rises about 2,240 metres. Little Adam's Peak is half that height and a far gentler walk. There is no footprint on Ella's hill, and nobody wrote down who first called it Little Adam's Peak. The likeness was enough.
The walk up
From town, follow the Passara road east and take the well-used turning towards the peak; anyone in town can point you to it. The path runs through a working tea estate, where you may pass pluckers at work, then climbs a ridge with steps on the steeper sections. There are several knolls along the ridge, each with its own view, so it is worth walking on past the first one.
From the top you can see Ella Rock across the valley, the Ella Gap opening to the south, and on a clear day the Namunukula range. It is an easy climb, but the path can be slippery after rain, so wear shoes with grip.
When to go
Early morning gives you soft light and a cooler climb, and you will share the top with fewer people. Late afternoon is lovely too, with the sun setting over the hills behind Ella Rock. December to March is usually clearest, but the hill is worth climbing all year.
What to bring
- Walking shoes with grip rather than flip-flops
- Water, a hat and sunscreen; the top is open to the sun
- A light rain jacket in the green months, when showers arrive quickly and pass just as fast
- A camera; this is one of the best viewpoints in Ella
Little Adam's Peak is one of the four stops on our Heart of Ella tour, along with the Nine Arches Bridge, a tea factory and Ravana Falls.
Ready for something harder? Try Ella Rock. For everything else, see our Ella travel guide.
Questions travellers ask
How long does it take to climb Little Adam's Peak?
Most people take one to two hours there and back from Ella town. The path is clear, with steps near the top, and there are several viewpoints along the ridge.
Is Little Adam's Peak hard?
No. It is the easiest of Ella's classic hikes, on a clear path through a tea estate. Wear shoes with grip, because the path can be slippery after rain.
Why is it called Little Adam's Peak?
It is named after Adam's Peak, Sri Pada, about 60 km to the west, because the two mountains look alike, according to Sri Lanka Tourism. In Sinhala it is Punchi Sri Pada, the little Sri Pada. There is no footprint on Little Adam's Peak itself.
How high is Little Adam's Peak?
Just over 1,100 metres. Published figures range from 1,141 to 1,172 metres. That is about half the height of Adam's Peak, which rises about 2,240 metres.
Is there a tour that includes Little Adam's Peak?
Yes. The Alpine Activities Heart of Ella tour visits the Nine Arches Bridge, a tea factory, Little Adam's Peak and Ravana Falls in about 6 hours, with hotel pickup from Ella, Haputale or Bandarawela. It costs $30 per person, plus $6 for the tea factory tour, paid on the day.