Soulitude
Experiences

Experiences At Soulitude

Days at Soulitude unfold gently, guided by the rhythms of the hills and the changing light of the valley. The surroundings offer an abundance of ways to spend your time. They are all crafted for you to enjoy the forested hills, orchards, village paths, and the clear waters of the Kalsa river—offering countless ways to explore, immerse, and unwind through the day.

Whether it is sharing a leisurely meal, following quiet trails through the forest, discovering birdlife, or simply spending time in spaces designed for rest and reflection, each experience invites you to engage with Soulitude in a way that feels natural, unhurried, and deeply connected to the place.

Curated Retreat Pillars

Browse Experience Areas

Dining at Soulitude

Food Philosophy

Food Philosophy

Food at Soulitude is simple, fresh and deeply connected to the land around us. Our kitchen draws inspiration from home-style cooking, local Kumaoni flavours and seasonal ingredients sourced from our gardens, nearby farms and local orchards. Meals are prepared with care and patience, allowing the natural character of the ingredients to shine through.

Dining here is not hurried. It is part of the experience of being in the mountains, shared conversations, nourishing food and the quiet pleasure of eating well in the midst of nature.

Soulitude Family Table
Shunya Pavilion interior

Gathering Space

Shunya Pavillion

At the heart of Soulitude lies Shunya, a circular pavilion that naturally becomes the gathering space of the retreat. Overlooking the gardens and the gentle flow of the river, it is a place where guests often pause between the day's experiences: to read, play, converse or simply watch the landscape shift with the light.

Inside, comfortable seating, books, board games and quiet corners invite moments of relaxed leisure.

Families gather around a game of cards, travellers browse through a book, and children often settle down with colouring pages. The space is informal and welcoming — a place where time slows and shared moments emerge naturally.

Just outside the pavilion, café-style seating opens to views of the gardens and the river beyond. Guests often spend time here with a cup of tea or coffee, enjoying the open air, finding peace upon arrival or unwinding after a walk through the hills.

True to its name, Shunya — meaning zero or centre; the pavilion feels like a natural home base for the retreat, where the day often begins, pauses and gently comes together again.

"Where the day often begins, pauses and gently comes together again."

Retreats

Retreats

  • Pauseitive
    Pauseitive

    Pauseitive

    Pauseitive is a thoughtfully curated intimate retreat, designed to support women through menopause with knowledge, care and community. For women navigating life and its transitions. Through expert-led sessions, guided conversations and nourishing experiences in nature, it offers a space to understand, reset and reconnect.

  • Himalayan Baithak
    Music Tours

    Himalayan Baithak

    Himalayan Baithak brings together music and the mountains, performed by artists who've toured the world stage yet return to homebase. These intimate gatherings celebrate local, folk and qawwali music in the serene setting of the Himalayas.

  • Bespoke Private Retreats
    Bespoke

    Bespoke Private Retreats

    Create a retreat that is uniquely yours. Our bespoke experiences are thoughtfully customised to suit your interests, group size and pace of travel. From wellness and music to nature and celebration, we help design meaningful moments for your group.

Treks & Trails

The hills around Soulitude offer a variety of trails that pass through forests, river paths and local villages. Each walk reveals a different aspect of the landscape; from hidden lakes and mountain viewpoints to quiet village life. Many treks are accompanied by a local guide and can be experienced at a relaxed pace.

  • Pari Tal — The Mystical Lake

    Pari Tal — The Mystical Lake

    Accessible only through the Soulitude property, this trek begins with a crossing of the river on foot (not during the monsoon). The trail leads through forested paths to Pari Tal, a pristine lake fed by a natural waterslide and surrounded by quiet woodland.

    Revered by locals and steeped in myth, the lake carries a quiet sense of mystery and is considered one of the hidden gems of the valley.

    Duration
    Half Day / Full Day
    Distance
    10 km (Return)
    Cost
    Half Day: ₹2,000 (+18% GST) per room (guide + tea) · Full Day: ₹3,500 (+18% GST) per room (guide + tea)
    Optional Lunch
    ₹700 (+18% GST) per person
  • Bametha Village Trek

    Bametha Village Trek

    This challenging trek climbs nearly 500 metres in altitude through mountain trails and forested slopes to the hilltop village of Bametha, located across the river from Soulitude.

    Ideal for experienced trekkers, the trail offers expansive views of the surrounding valley and a chance to experience the quiet rhythm of life in a Himalayan village.

    Duration
    Half Day / Full Day
    Distance
    Half Day – 6 km (Return) · Full Day – 10 km (Return)
    Cost
    Half Day: ₹2,000 (+18% GST) per room (guide + tea) · Full Day: ₹3,500 (+18% GST) per room (guide + tea)
    Optional Lunch
    ₹700 (+18% GST) per person
  • Pine Forest Trail

    Pine Forest Trail

    A beautiful forest trail that gradually climbs about 150 metres in altitude, leading through tall pine trees towards the mountain road above the valley.

    Along the way, the path passes the home of the village Pujari, who performs the religious duties at the nearby temple dedicated to the local hill deity Saim Devta. The temple itself lies a short 400 metre walk from the road and offers sweeping views of the valley below.

    Duration
    Half Day
    Distance
    2 km (Return)
    Cost
    ₹2,000 (+18% GST) per room (guide + tea)
  • Spring Water Trek

    Spring Water Trek

    A gentle walk across the river leads to a natural mineral water spring nestled in a small clearing within the forest. This spring serves as a clean source of potable water for the village and offers a glimpse into the natural resources that sustain life in the hills.

    The trail begins just beyond the gates of Soulitude, crossing the river before continuing along a quiet village path through wooded terrain.

    Duration
    Half Day
    Distance
    1 km (Return)
    Cost
    ₹2,000 (+18% GST) per room (guide + tea)
    Optional Lunch
    ₹700 (+18% GST) per person
  • Chanfi Village Walk

    Chanfi Village Walk

    This experience offers a glimpse into the everyday life of Chanfi village. The walk begins at the historic 200-year-old Jhula Pul suspension bridge, continuing through paddy fields, farms and village pathways.

    Along the way, guests visit a traditional water-powered mill, observe an ironsmith practicing age-old techniques, and end the walk with tea at a local home. Guests may also have the opportunity to purchase fresh produce grown in the village.

    Duration
    Half Day
    Distance
    6 km (Return)
    Cost
    ₹2,000 (+18% GST) per room (guide + tea)
    Optional Lunch
    ₹700 (+18% GST) per person

Trust Boutique

Soulitude, above all, is our Home. Each space has been personally appointed and thoughtfully styled to make it look and feel warm and welcoming. As people who deeply enjoy crafting spaces, we love to collect, curate and create interesting decor items and artefacts for Soulitude. Thus the objects you see around the room and property have been gathered with care.

We are blessed to have guests who are just as creative and curious as us; admiring these little details, trinkets and comforts. Their interest and enquires has always been so welcome and this mutual delight has given root to a gentle idea — the Trust Boutique.

We invite you to pick up small, handpicked items — whether it be cushions, handmade objects, curios, keyrings and latkans, wine bottle covers, flasks and more. You can take what speaks to you and leave whatever you wish for it in the Trust Box as token of value.

Handpicked curios and handmade items at the Trust Boutique

You can pick up a host of items beyond curios —

Soaps & Body Oils

Our soaps and larger bottles of Himalayan Cedar Body Oil are available on request and follow the same spirit of trust.

From Our Kitchen

Pickles, juices and jams; made by our staff using produce from our own land and served with every meal. Taste, choose, and have them weighed and packed in front of you by the very hands that made them.

Handmade Woollies

If the crisp and chilly mountain air calls, ask to see our handmade woollies! Please ask our staff to show you a range of knitted items, made by our Mother, for whom the rhythm of needles is her happy place. We hope you find the comfort of care and love in each thread — whether you use it here or on another wintery adventure (including snuggled at home!).

None of these offerings we have created and curated have been price-tagged. For us, the spirit of this endeavor is priceless, in more ways than one.

Take what you want and leave what you wish. We hope you will find something that speaks to you.

Birding

Soulitude by the Riverside lies within one of the richest bird habitats in the Kumaon region. The forests, riverbanks and surrounding hills create an ideal environment for birdlife, making the area a favourite among both amateur birdwatchers and seasoned ornithologists. Together with nearby Pangot, this region features prominently on the map of serious birders.

Depending on the season, a remarkable variety of species can be spotted in and around the property itself. Guests may hear the calls of birds through the day and, with a little patience, often observe them along the river, in the gardens or among the surrounding trees.

For those interested in exploring this further, guided birding sessions can be arranged with our naturalist Neer, who will help you identify species while sharing fascinating insights and stories about the birdlife of the region. Reference copies of The Birds of the Indian Subcontinent by Inskipp; considered a classic among birders, are also available to borrow during your walks.

Whether you are an experienced birder or simply curious about the natural world, these sessions offer a wonderful way to discover the remarkable birdlife of the valley.

Please Note

Birdwatching sessions should be booked at least one day in advance. Learn more about the rates here.

A bird in the Himalayas

Leisures & Activities

Rustic Picnics

Rustic Picnics

Enjoy a picnic the old-fashioned way, set against the quiet beauty of the hills.

Picture aloo puri rolls and hot chai, a small radio playing familiar tunes in the background, and a relaxed game of taash (cards) shared with friends or family. Everything is thoughtfully laid out on a traditional chattai — a woven mat — at one of the many scenic spots in and around the property.

Unhurried, simple and full of charm, these picnics invite you to slow down, breathe in the mountain air and savour a moment that feels quietly timeless.

Please note: Rustic picnics should be booked at least one day in advance.

Massages

Massages

Give your body some rest by indulging in a massage by the river.

Choose from a head-to-toe experience, a head and shoulder massage, or a relaxing foot massage. You may opt for a rustic dry rub or a deeply soothing one using our Himalayan Cedar Oil. As the sound of the river calms the mind, allow the skilled, healing hands of our local masseuse to gently restore the body.

Please note: Massages should be booked at least one day in advance.

Horticulture Walk

Horticulture Walk

Take a guided walk through Soulitude's private farm with our local naturalist and explore the fruiting trees, vegetable patches and native plants that grow across the hillside. The walk offers a closer look at the land that sustains the retreat and the seasonal produce grown here.

To complete the farm-to-fork experience, guests may pick vegetables from the farm which are then taken back to the Dhaba, where our chef prepares them in front of you as part of the lunch or dinner service, as applicable. You are welcome to take part in the cooking, and the recipe of the dish will be printed and shared with you.