The Charles Kuonen suspension bridge located above the Swiss town of Randa and is surrounded by breathtaking views. This bridge is the longest suspension bridge of Switzerland and according to Wikipedia, this suspension bridge is the third longest pedestrian bridge in the world.
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The longest suspension bridge of Switzerland
Getting there
- To get to the suspended bridge we drove to the Swiss town of Randa.
- Randa is about a three-hour drive from Geneva.
- Switzerland is very well served in public transportation, however for this trip and if you’re planning to hike from Randa, I’d recommend renting a car, as it will be a lot easier than using public transport which doesn’t seem to serve well this region.
The Hike
We started the hike on the left side of the bridge, when leaving from Randa, which took us about 2h30 to get to the top. On the way down we did the hike on the right side of the brige and it took us 3h to get back to Randa. Depending on the trail you take the hike itself should take between 5 to 6h round way.
The hike in itself is truly gorgeous, if you’re lucky you’ll even get to see some Alpine Ibex.
The Alpine ibex is a wild species of goat, this species is known for it’s big distinctive curved horns. The Alpine Ibex can be found in the European Alps.
Ideas of what to bring
Bellow you’ll find a few ideas of things you could bring with you :
- Appropriate clothing : Make sure to bring the right cloths with you depending on the season. You might want to pack an extra jacket just incase it gets chilly. Shoes are very important, after all you will be hiking for several hours so bring hiking shoes.
- Navigation : Even though the trail is well indicated and referenced by yellow signs, bring a printed map with you and make sure to have your phone completetly charged if you need more indications or help.
- Food and water : Bring plenty of food and water. You won’t be crossing any shops nor vendors on the hike so make sure to bring more then enough of what you think you might need.
- Binoculars : As said before you could cross wildlife on your hike, so binoculars are a good idea to enjoy wildlife and the panoramic views.
- First aid kit : Bringing a first aid kit is always a good on any hike.
All in all, I’d say the hike isn’t hard in itself but it’s quite strenious if you’re not in good condition.
What to expect
The Charles Kuonen was open to the public in 2017. The bridge is aproximately 500m long and moves quite a bit. The highest part of the bridge is about 85 meters high.
If you’re afraid of heights going across he bridge can be tough.
Crossing people on the bridge isn’t for the faint hearted. To be honest i’m not particulary scared of heights but on this bridge it’s safe to say I was mortified.
After seeing pictures on instagram it seemed to me that since the bridge was made out of metal it would be “rigid” of some sort and would’nt move as much. Well I was wrong and I was really surprised that it moved quite a bit.
Bear in mind the suspension bridge is not open all year long for safety reasons, you can check on the official website when it’s best to plan you hike with the following link : Suspension bridge
Nonetheless the experience was amazing and if you’re not scared of heights and up for an adventure I’d definetly recommend it!
In conclusion, visiting the Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge offers a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in the beautiful Swiss Alps and experience the beauty of the landscape and see wildlife from a truly remarkable vantage point.
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