The highest post office in the world: Hikkim, Himachal Pradesh

The highest post office in the world: Hikkim, Himachal Pradesh

There is a beautiful village called Hikkim in the Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh; it is set at an elevation of 4440 m (14,567 ft above sea level). The location is credited for being the World’s Highest Post Office with the pin code 172114.

Facts about Hikkim and its post office

Located about 15 km from the town of Kaza in Spiti Valley, Hikkim has a population that is majorly Buddhist. For most of the months, this place remains cut off from rest of the world due to heavy snowfall over the passes. Hence, you would want to visit Hikkim when the weather is pleasant.

In existence from November 5, 1983, the post office too gets shut down for six months due to extreme climatic conditions. Considering the rugged terrains and remoteness of the village, the journey uphill to this post office is quite a tough one. We can just imagine how difficult it must be for the post master,  to send out mails from here.

The journey of these mails

Old post office building – Hikkim

Well, it is quite a long journey from here for the mails. All the posts and letters are firstly sent on foot to Kaza every day. These are then taken to Reckong Peo by bus and then to Shimla. Later, mails are loaded on a train and sent to Kalka; from here, a bus takes the cargo to Delhi. The mails’ journey to its real destination begins from Delhi. So, there is a lot sweat and hard work involved in this entire mail trail!

Is it all not fascinating? The journey, the job, and everything related to this post office that makes it a must-visit in India. If ever you get a chance, do not miss out on exploring this amazing place.

New post office building – Letter box shape

Chief Postmaster General Vandita Kaul inaugurated (JUNE14, 2022) first letter box of India post office started functioning at world’s highest vehicular village Hikkim in Kaza Subdivision of Lahaul-Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday. It was inaugurated by Ms Vandita Kaul, Chief Post Master General, Himachal Circle, Indian Postal Department in presence of . was ADC Kaza Abhishek Verma. Assistant Public Relation Officer Ajay Benyal said that first letter box started Commissioning at height of 5500 meter from sea level at Hikkim under Rampur Postal Circle, 14 km from Kaza became country’s highest altitude letter box of Indian post. The world’s highest post office was running in Hikki village since 1983 now being given a new face lifting or new look.