Atal Tunnel & Sissu
The Atal Tunnel, inaugurated in 2020, is 8.8 km long and is the world's longest single-tube highway tunnel above 10,000 feet. It connects the south portal (near Manali, at 3,060m) to the north portal in Lahaul (at 3,071m), bypassing Rohtang Pass entirely. Before its opening, Lahaul was cut off from Manali for 6 months every winter. Now it is accessible year-round.
The real draw is not the tunnel itself but what is on the other side: Sissu village and the Lahaul Valley. The landscape change on exiting the north portal is immediate and remarkable — you leave a forest and enter a cold desert with rock faces, glaciers, and a different quality of light.
Highlights
- ✓The tunnel drive itself: 8.8 km, well-lit, smooth — passes under the Rohtang ridge
- ✓Sissu waterfall: fed by glacial meltwater, drops in a long plume down the cliff face into the valley
- ✓Lahaul landscape: barren, high-altitude, quiet — dramatically different from the Kullu side
- ✓Solang Valley view from the south portal area on the way back
- ✓No permit required unlike Rohtang — just drive in
What is in Sissu
Sissu is a small village on the left bank of the Chandra River, about 3 km past the tunnel's north portal. The waterfall is the main attraction — it pours down from a glacier above into the valley floor. In monsoon (July–August) it is at its fullest. A small footbridge gives access to the base. There are a few chai stalls and basic dhabas. The surrounding mountains are stark and photogenic. In winter, Sissu gets significant snowfall and is occasionally visited for snow tourism.
Why this is better than Rohtang on a rainy day
Rohtang is famously cloudy in the afternoon and downright unpleasant in rain. Sissu, being in the rain shadow, often has clearer skies when Manali is overcast. The tunnel itself is fully weatherproof. If you wake up to clouds in Manali and your Rohtang permit is useless, the Atal Tunnel trip is a reliable backup. You get the Lahaul landscape, the waterfall, and the dramatic valley without the permit, the crowd, or the altitude sickness risk of Rohtang.
Combining with a Manali-Leh trip
If you are driving the Manali-Leh highway, you will pass through the Atal Tunnel on Day 1 anyway. Sissu is worth a 30-minute stop — park near the bridge, walk to the waterfall base, have chai, take the photos, and continue. The next landmark north is Keylong (67 km), a good lunch stop, and then Jispa (another 25 km) for a first-night halt. Beyond Baralacha La (4,890m) is Sarchu and then the high-altitude desert begins.
Getting there
- →Self-drive from Manali: 25 km on NH3, ~35 minutes to the south portal
- →Taxi from Manali: ₹800–1,200 for a return trip including wait time at Sissu
- →The tunnel is toll-free currently for most vehicles. Entry is 24 hours a day.
- →From Sissu, the Manali-Leh highway continues to Keylong (67 km) and beyond
Best for
- ·Day trippers who want the Lahaul landscape without a full day commitment
- ·Rainy day visits when Rohtang is clouded out
- ·Anyone doing the Manali-Leh drive
- ·Winter visitors (tunnel is open year-round)
Local tip
Open year-round unlike Rohtang. Perfect for rainy days. Sissu waterfall is best in monsoon.