Aizhai Bridge

The Aizhai bridge carries the expressway across the Dehang canyon in western Hunan, a single span of 1,176 metres hanging about 350 metres above the valley floor, which made it one of the highest bridges in the world when it opened in 2012. The engineering was unusual: the terrain allowed no conventional approach, so the towers were built into the cliff tops with the anchorages tunnelled into the rock, and the deck was assembled by carrying sections across on cableways rather than lifting from below. A pedestrian walkway hangs beneath the roadway for viewing, and a road viewpoint above shows the whole span with the canyon and the old switchback road below.

What you actually see

• The span - 1,176 metres across the canyon at 350 metres above the floor.
• The pedestrian walkway - the viewing deck slung beneath the roadway.
• The old road - the switchback route the bridge replaced, visible below.
• The canyon - the Dehang gorge and Miao villages in the valley.

When to go

April to June and September to November; the canyon fills with mist on many mornings, which either hides or improves the view depending on level. Winter brings ice and closures of the walkway.

Honest expectations

The walkway closes in high wind and ice, which is common. Access without a car is awkward. The viewing areas are simple and there is little else at the site.

Nearby

Dehang village is in the canyon below; Jishou lies southeast.