Chicham Bridge in Spiti Valley – An Engineers Marvel

An engineering marvel, Chicham Bridge in Spiti Valley is a spectacle worth visiting in Spiti Valley. Standing tall at an elevation of 4150 m, the Chicham Bridge is an engineering feat. It connects Kibber Village with Chicham, over a deep gorge of 1000ft. The 420m long bridge spans a substantial canyon quite similar to the Grand Canyons in Arizona. High-strength steel wires comprise the bridge’s suspension cables, fastened to the rock on either side of the gorge.

Modern engineering tools and methods were used for this massive construction project in Himachal Pradesh. The bridge was built sustainably to reduce the environmental impact.

Before the Chicham Bridge was constructed, it was a challenging task to reach Chicham Village, and took 2-3 hours to reach. Prior to the completion of this bridge in 2017, residents utilized a pulley-driven ropeway to connect Kibber and Chicham villages.

However, with the opening of the bridge, the journey from Kibber to Losar Village has been drastically reduced by 40 km. Another marvel which is worth mentioning while visiting the Chicham Bridge is the deep gorge below. It is a 1000 ft drop and is known as Samba Lamba Nallah.

It is one of the most spectacular places in Spiti Valley and is totally Insta Worthy!

How to reach Chicham Bridge

The suspension bridge is an hour’s drive from Kaza, the sub-divisional HQ of Spiti Valley. Because of the tough terrain, it took 15 years to build the bridge. A popular tourist spot, the bridge is laden with Tibetan prayer flags. During the summer, the road from Kaza to the Chicham Bridge in Spiti Valley is easily accessible. However, during the winter, the road conditions become extremely tough. If you want to arrive at Chicham or Kibber from Manali without stopping at Kaza, you may take the road towards Kibber from Kiato.

There are two ways to go to Chicham village: one from Kaza to Kibber and the other from Manali to Chicham through Kiato.

You can reach Chicham Bridge from Kaza easily by car. The bridge is located about 20 km from Kaza town. You can also visit Key, Kibber and Chicham on a day trip from Kaza while visiting Chicham Bridge.

You can also reach Chicham Bridge from Manali. If you are driving from Manali, the road bifurcates at a place called Kiato. This new road via Chicham Bridge had reduced the distance to Kaza by almost 40 km. However, this road has some rough patches.