Sissu is the first village on the far side of the Atal Tunnel, and the landscape changes at once. In Manali the hills are green and wooded, but here in the upper Chandra valley of Lahaul, the monsoon barely reaches, and the mountains are bare, brown and grey, with glaciers hanging on the heights. The village sits at about three thousand metres beside the river, with a waterfall that tumbles down the cliff, and poplar and willow trees along the stream. Manali is sixteen kilometres or so behind, and Kyelang, the district town, lies further north.
Riding out of the tunnel is a strange experience. After nine kilometres in the dark, you emerge into bright sun and a different world, with a wide valley and snowy peaks. The road to Keylong is good, a smooth ribbon of tarmac along the river, with long bends and views of the Lahaul mountains. Be careful of sudden changes in weather, and of gravel and meltwater across the road where streams come down from the slopes. The altitude here is enough to make some riders feel a little breathless.
Lahaul is a land of Buddhist monasteries and villages with flat-roofed houses and prayer flags, where the culture is closer to Tibet than to the plains of India. The people grow barley, peas and potatoes in the short summer. The mountains here are crowned with ice, and the river that runs beside the road, the Chandra, is a milky grey from the glacier water. Marmots and mountain birds live on the higher slopes.
Fuel is not sold in Sissu itself, so make sure you have filled up in Manali, and plan to refuel at Tandi, the last pump before Leh. A few dhabas and guesthouses serve travellers, and the food is simple but hot. The road is usually open from about May or June to October, though the tunnel makes it accessible earlier than before. The weather can be cold, and rain or snow can come at any time, so pack warm and waterproof clothes.