Sissu
What it is
The first village of Lahaul on the far side of the ridge: a scatter of flat-roofed houses on a shelf above the Chandra river at 3,120 m. A waterfall drops down the opposite wall of the valley, and a small lake and meadow sit below the road. Since the Atal Tunnel opened it has become Manali's easiest day out: an hour each way, no permit, and a change of country at the north portal that no other drive from Manali gives you.
Photos: Navneet Sharma (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Timothy A. Gonsalves (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Avantikac98 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Timothy A. Gonsalves (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Getting there
North out of Manali past Solang and Dhundi to the tunnel, through it, and down: about 39 km and an hour from the bus stand. Shared taxis and a few buses leave in the morning; a taxi for the half day is the usual way and lets you stop at Kothi or Solang on the way back. Nothing needs booking and there is no permit.
When to go
Any month, for different reasons. June and September to October for the valley in colour; December to February for snow on the meadow and the roofs, when the road above Solang is cleared after each fall and a later start is wiser. July and August bring slides on the approach road that can close it for hours.
What to do
Walk down to the lake and the meadow below the road; look across at the waterfall, which is at its fullest in early summer; walk up through the village to the monastery; eat at one of the dhabas on the road. Two hours covers it. Deeper Lahaul — Keylong, Jispa, Chandratal — is a separate trip with its own nights and its own planning; do not try to bolt it onto a day.
Staying over
A handful of homestays and guesthouses in the village, most of which close in winter. A night here is worth it for the evening light and for going on north the next day. Our stays page shows what we know is open; the map has the rest of the valley.
Plans that include this
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Day plan · FriendsRoad trip
1 night · 2 days · BikersRoad trip
2 nights · 3 days · FriendsRoad trip2 nights · 3 days · FriendsRoad trip2 nights · 3 days · First visitClassic
2 nights · 3 days · FriendsRoad tripQuestions people ask
How far is Sissu from Manali?
About 39 km by road, roughly an hour each way through the Atal Tunnel. Shared taxis and a few buses run from the Manali bus stand in the morning; a taxi for the half day is the easy way and lets you stop at Solang on the way back. No permit is needed for the tunnel or for Sissu.
What is there to see at Sissu?
The waterfall on the far wall of the valley, the first thing you see as the road drops from the tunnel. The lake and meadow below the road, where people walk and picnic. The village with its old houses and a small monastery. And the valley itself, bare and dry and nothing like the Kullu side. Two hours is enough.
Is there snow at Sissu?
For most of the winter and often into April, yes; that is why the day trip exists. Sissu is at 3,120 m in a valley that keeps its snow. In December and January the meadow, the road and the roofs are white; the road above Solang is cleared after each fall, so leave later in the morning.
Can you stay overnight in Sissu?
Yes, in a handful of homestays and small guesthouses in the village, many of which close in winter. A night at Sissu is worth it for the evening light on the valley and for going deeper into Lahaul the next day, towards Keylong or Chandratal, which is a separate trip. Our stays page shows what we know is open.