So you’ve abseiled down the tallest buildings, gone paragliding every vacation, and bungee jumped blindfold. What’s next for a thrillseeker? Well, you could try crossing a bridge. That may not sound very thrilling, but we’re not talking nice, stable metal bridges with tons of concrete to support them, we’re talking rope bridges (or suspension bridges). And not just anywhere – these rope bridges are among the highest in the world. So if you’re looking for some excitement on your next vacation, check out the following …
Ghasa Hanging Bridge, Nepal
It’s not just people that use this very narrow bridge – locals cross it with their livestock as well. So watch out – you could be bumping into cows or buffalo, and they’re not likely to give way to a mere human.
Trift Bridge, Switzerland
Does 328 feet sound like a lot? Because that’s how far above the ground you’ll be if you dare to cross the Trift Bridge. You’ll get some pretty amazing views of the glacier, but you’d better have a good head for heights.
Royal Gorge Bridge, Colorado
If the Trift isn’t high enough for you, then head for Colorado and the Royal Gorge bridge. This is a scary 1,000 feet above the Arkansas river – to put that in perspective, that’s over half a mile.
Titlis Cliff Walk, Switzerland
This bridge is so high up that it makes the Royal Gorge look like a children’s playground. It’s an astonishing 1,640 feet up in the air, which is not far off a full mile, and the highest suspension bridge in Europe. Acrophobes would do well to avoid this one.
Siju Hanging Bridge, India
Not all rope bridges are built to the same exacting standards as Swiss and American bridges, so venturing onto the Siju Bridge might be taking your life in your hands. Still, if you’re feeling brave …
Hussain Bridge, Borit Lake, Pakistan
If you’ve ever seen one of those adventure movies where the hero manages to survive a rope bridge breaking by swinging across, you might want to check out this scary dilapidated bridge with its missing planks … or maybe not.
Musou Tsuribashi Bridge, Japan
This is known as Japan’s scariest bridge, perhaps not so much for its height as for the fact that it’s buffeted by strong winds from each side. One for the ultra-thrillseeker perhaps!