Chicham bridge connecting two villages in Spiti valley under Himachal Pradesh in India is considered as the highest suspension bridge in Asia. The writer shares his experience of visiting Chicham bridge along with some wonderful photos of the bridge and surroundings.
Imagine yourself in a remote corner of the world where a cellular network is a luxury. A road exists, but it cannot be called a proper road for most of the part. The average height of that place is more than 4000 meters from the sea level. You can reach there through a beautiful as well as exciting journey. During winter, the temperature goes 40 degrees Celsius below 0. The relentless snowfall cuts this place from the rest of the world for more than half of the year. The villages are so remote, and rugged, you will feel disconnected from the rest of the world. The internet is a luxury, the cellular network mostly does not work, if you post a letter in the post office, it will take weeks to reach its destination.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen – that’s Spiti valley for you in the Himachal Pradesh of India nearing the Tibet border. You will find a bridge there which is like no one in entire Asia.
Book a guided full day Niagara exploration tour
Which is the highest bridge in Asia?
I am talking about the Chicham bridge in Spiti valley which is the highest bridge in Asia. This suspension bridge, 4145 meters or 13596 feet above the sea level, connects two high altitude villages in Spiti valley named Chicham and Kibber. You can visit the Chicham bridge from Kaza, the major town of Spiti valley, through a breathtakingly beautiful scenic drive of an hour.
There you will find this yellow suspension bridge hanging in the air dramatically on top of a 1000 feet deep gorge keeping Himalayan mountains in the background. My head spun as soon as I laid my eyes below from the bridge. The bridge is wrapped with colorful Tibetan prayer flags of 5 colors – blue, white, red, green, and yellow. It was difficult to build the bridge in such a deep grand canyon. It took about 15 years of effort to construct it. Prior to the inauguration of this bridge in 2017, the villagers used a pulley driven ropeway to traverse between Kibber and Chicham villages. The Chicham bridge cuts down the journey by half an hour, a significant improvement in terms of time and safety.
Nowadays, Chicham bridge has become an attractive tourist destination in Spiti valley. You will always find some people on the bridge to take photos. The view below from the bridge is simply mind-blowing. The drivers are aware of the visitors, so; they go slowly on the bridge, giving the tourist the flexibility to grab photos.
How to go to Chicham bridge in Spiti?
The easiest way to visit Chicham bridge is to hire a 4WD from Kaza. You can also cover Chicham and Kibber villages with the same trip. It’s a good day trip from Kaza. You can reach Kaza from Manali in a day.
Did you visit the highest suspension bridge in Asia named Chicham Bridge in Spiti Valley as part of your week long Spiti valley trip? How did you like it?
Leave a reply