Soil Village (Soyal): The Ultimate Camping Destination in Manali
Driven by my never-ending desire to hunt for best camping Places in Manali, I recently ended up in village Soyal (also spelt as Soil).
Honestly speaking, my love for camping has taken to places far away from Manali. It has taken me to different continents, in fact. Australia, for example, is one where I camped and mountain biked once.
My love for camping began during the initial days of my travel blogging stint when I wasn’t making money from blogging and it was absolutely necessary for me to budget travel. I would travel to Himalayan states like Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand, and camp to sleep for free (A-Class frugal travellers would relate well).
This is how I survived my 9-day motorcycle trip in Spiti Valley on a budget of 5000 Rupees.
But this time, as I planned a day trip to Village Soyal, the idea was different. It was to bring to you guys another beautiful destination for camping near Manali.
I visited Soyal (can also be spelt as Soil Village) 3 years ago.
Back then, I was hunting a spot for Footloose Camps (FOR THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW: I RUN A CAMPING BUSINESS IN MANALI REGION WITH THE NAME OF FOOTLOOSECAMPS. Check the Instagram Page). And a few weeks before I actually began my first ever campsite in Sethan village in Hamta Valley, I visited Soyal village too.
For some reason, among all the places I explored back then, including Hallan 1, the unheard-of Fojal Valley, I chose Sethan. And never did I revisit Soyal village, just like others.
I also didn’t blog about it. But it doesn’t mean that I forgot about Soil. During all these years whenever someone asked me about my personal favorite camping locations in Manali, beyond Sethan, I always recommended Village Soyal, for it was a place where glacier water-stream formed a valley, where the word offbeat echoed, where beauty reigned.
So this time as I thought of planning another day trip from my house in Naggar (I hope you know I’ve rented a 2bhk house in Naggar & currently exploring offbeat travel destinations nearby. Read about Kasheri Village) visiting Soyal was an obvious choice.
Before I give more details about the place and mentioned above, I want to make it absolutely clear that this village can be spelt as two different names SOIL as well as SOYAL. Both are the same place: located 14 km from Manali (towards Kullu, or Naggar).
To get there, you can take a bus, a taxi as well as self-drive.
If taking a bus, and travelling from Manali, take any bus that’s going to Kullu. Get off at Mansari Village. From Mansari, Soil Village is 1.8km that can be easily walked or hitchhiked to.
From Soil village the camping location is located 1km away, in the woods. Ask anyone in the village about the location and they would know.
You can also ask where Jungle Junction or River Forest Cafe is located and they would know.
If self-driving a car/motorcycle go all the way to Soil Village (Google navigate for it and cut the red tape here) park your motor in the village which is basically the dead-end of the road and trek 1 km from there. Again, ask anyone you see around for Jungle Junction. It’s a point that most locals know.
Alternatively, just Google Map navigate for Footloose Camps Soil and follow the pointer. You can also contact me on Instagram and I can help you with accommodation/planning a day-trip from Manali. Eating Maggie by river stream is guaranteed.
The 1km trek from the parking ground passes through village Soil where you will find about a dozen houses lined on either side of the trekking route. As you walk past the village, you will be greeted with frequent water streams.
It is quite a walk, to be honest. A cemented path is only to be followed. A few markers will pointers, reading CAFE will take you to the exact location.
Alternatively, Google map navigate for Footloose Camps Soil and use your own sense of direction.
It is possible to do a day trip to this place, eat by the side of the river, or plan an overnight trip.
The best way to do it is, of course, by staying overnight but those who are short on time can do a day trip from Manali too.
There are three cafes where you can eat what you wish for — something as simple as Siddu to as palatable as freshly caught & fried trout fish.
Take a few beers with you (or buy them on-site) and enjoy a peaceful quality time with your friends, family, or alone (just be responsible to bring back all glass/plastic waste).
Alternatively, take a day out of your Manali holiday and plan an overnight trip to village Soil. Book a semi-luxury stay in a tent on a twin or triple sharing basis and enjoy all that the place has to offer — evening bonfires, chilly mornings and a lot of other things in between.
