Mihintale sits approximately 12km east of Anuradhapura and is of enormous significance to the Singhalese, as this is where Buddhism originated in Sri Lanka. It was on the summit of this mountain that the great Sinhalese King, Devanampiyatissa, was converted to Buddhism. This half-day guided tour takes you to the summit of the mountain, which is best climbed morning or late afternoon when the temperature is cooler.  A climb of 1840 small steps will take you to the summit of the sacred mountain and along the way you will meet daring monkeys, vendors selling anything from local ornaments to spices, and you may also find the occasional woman or man asking for alms.