Brahmatal Trek
One of the top moments of a Himalayan trek is when you trek to an alpine lake. Unfortunately, in winter, most alpine lakes on our treks are out of bounds. Yet, on the winter Brahmatal trek you not only trek to an alpine lake but also camp near it. Getting an opportunity to trek to such a lake in winter is what makes the Brahmatal trek special. When you stand beside the frozen lake at Brahmatal, you are already at around 12,000 feet. The setting is magnificent. The lake is in a crater, the waters crystal clear, a shrine sits beside the lake, and a lone tree stands on the far bank. And just beyond the rim of the lake, you are looking at two of the most beautiful mountains in our country — Mt Trishul and Mt Nandaghunti. If the snow is not too much, we will camp just beyond the lake. The experience of camping in such a setting is in itself an experience.
Brahmatal is a relatively new trek in India. Yet, within a few years, it has become very popular. There is a good reason for it — the trek has almost perfect settings for a winter snow trek. If you want to avoid the crowd though, do the trek in January, February and March. The snow is better than in December minus the crowd on the trail.
TREK highlights
Region
Uttarakhand
Difficulty Level
Easy-Moderate
Altitude
12,500 Ft.
Time Duration
5 Days
Trekking Distance
32 kms
why you should choose brahmatal Trek
Brahamtal and Bekaltal lake:
Brahmatal lake is where lord Brahma meditated according to the local people and mythology and another lake you will come across is Bekhaltal it is where Lord Brahma remains hidden. If you will interact with locals you will get to know interesting mythological stories.
Beautiful oak and rhododendron forest:
You will come across the ancient oak forest and lovely rhododendron which is a feast to the human eye. Brahmatal trek consists of a beautiful forest walk.
The exceptional setting of trek:
Brahamtal trek has a unique place as it gives the view of so many mountain ranges and a panoramic view of Roopkund trek.
Who Can GO For Brahmatal TREK
- First timer can apply, should have some interest in trekking and mountaineering.
- The climber must be fit and have sufficient stamina to cover 5 km of distance in 45 minutes without a stress.
- The climber should be able to carry a 10 kg backpack.
- Heart problem, high blood pressure, asthma, and epilepsy cannot be reconciled on this mission. The climber must not have the conditions mentioned above.
How to reach
The Dehradun Railway station is one of the main stations in the City and it is an old station. It has good connectivity to many places and these include Lucknow, Delhi, and Howrah. Tickets from Delhi to Dehradun by train cost around Rs.350 for a second class sleeper ticket and Rs.890 for a third A/C sleeper ticket. It is essential to book the tickets at least one month in advance as this route is always in demand.
By Train:-
From Delhi take the DDN SHTABDI SPL (02017) Dep. New Delhi at 06:45am. Arrival Dehradun at 12:55pm. or the Uttar KOTA DDN SPL (02401) Dep. NZM at 11:45pm arrival Dehradun at 05:40 am (Overnight Journey).
By Bus:-
Regular buses fly from ISBT Delhi Anand Vihar/Kashmiri Gate station to Dehradun. Buses drop you at ISBT bus station.Tata Sumo or similar vehicles will pick-up you from Dehradun Isbt and Railway
Brief Itenary
Day 1: Drive from Kathgodam to Lohajung – 220 Km by car 10 hours. Lodge
Day 2: Trek to Bekhal Tal – 6 Km – 4/5 hours. Camp
Day 3: Trek to Brahma Tal – 6 Km – 4/5 hours. Camp
Day 4: Brahma Tal to Khamila Top/Jatropani and back to Brahma Tal camping ground– 8 Km – 6/7 hours. Camp
Day 5: Trek down to Lohajung – 12 Km – 6/7 hours. Lodge
Day 6: Drive from Lohajung to Haridwar – By car – 280 Km – 12 hours
Detailed Itenary
Drive from Kathgodam to Lohajung – 220 Km by car 10 hours. Lodge
The journey commences at Rishikesh. Our representatives will pick you up from TTH Head Office, Rishikesh (Tapovan) at 6:00 AM and we will drive to Lohajung, the base village for our trek. Lohajung is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand and is 250 km away from Rishikesh. It takes about 10-11 hours to reach the village. Transportation to Lohajung will be arranged by Trek The Himalayas in Tata Sumo or a similar vehicle. Reaching Lohajung you will check into the guesthouse. From Rishikesh to Lohajung, you will drive across mountain roads, and on a clear day, you can see the Garhwal Himalayas in the distance. Drive along with a tranquil setting with the River Ganga keeping you company. Along the way, you will come across three of the five major holy confluences of the country; Devprayag, Rudraprayag, and Karanprayag. Devprayag sees the confluence of Alakananda and Bhagirathi River. You can see distinct turquoise and teal colors of two rivers merging together. Passing Srinagar, you will come across Rudraprayag, the confluence of Mandakini and Alakananda River, and about 33 kms from Rudraprayag lies the third confluence on your route, Karanprayag – the confluence of Mandakini and Pindar River.
Trek to Bekhal Tal – 6 Km – 4/5 hours.
This is the first day of trekking and we will start from Lohajung to Bekaltal campsite. After a hearty breakfast, we will start towards Bekalatal and along the way, you will be greeted with mesmerizing views of Mt. Nanda Ghunti. Trekking to a coniferous forest of Oak and Firs, the trek concludes at the Bekalatal Campsite after 4 to 5 hours. You will stay overnight here in twin-sharing camps. The trek to the Bekaltal campsite is 6 km long with a gradual incline. The paths are well-defined here and a short walk into the trail will lead you to the first mountain settlement, Mandoli. Mandoli village will be on your left as you tread along the trail. The trail keeps ascending gradually, twirling along the mountains, curving and bending along the way. You will be able to spot the Kali Valley, the meeting point of Kali and Pindari Rivers. After Mundoli, you will mostly walk to dense forests of Oak, Fir, and Cedar along with a distinguished amount of Rhododendron trees. The forest has a distinct woody scent. Late winter and early spring see the Rhodendron in bloom, adding blush to the beauty of the mountains. The trail remains blanketed in snow during the winter months.
Trek to Brahma Tal – 6 Km – 4/5 hours.
It’s a 7 km long trek today that will take you to Brahmatal. Traversing along forest trails you will arrive at Telindi top with the most enchanting views of the Himalayas and a further walk through the snow-covered meadows will take you to Brahmatal campsite. We will stay overnight in tents Start your day with a glorious sunrise view at Bekalatal and after a hot and savory breakfast at the campsite, get ready to trek towards Brahmatal Lake. It is a steep climb through covers of Oak and Rhododendrons, which slowly softens into a gradual ascent making the trek a little easier. The trail gradually descends until you reach the Brahmatal campsite. The initial steep ascent follows the dense forest cover as the Bekaltal Lake slowly retreats away. The canopy of the forest here is so dense that it barely allows any sunlight inside. The lake of sunlight in the region sometimes sustains patches of snow even during the early spring months. Walk for another hour and you will arrive at Telindi top, a viewpoint that offers expansive views of Mt. Trishul & Mt. Nanda Ghunti. Another kilometer from Telindi top is the Jhandi Top, a stunning vantage point that allows you to capture unobstructed views of the mountain ranges ahead. The wide-open skies and the mountain line in the distance are going to leave you awe-struck. You can also get a bird’s eye view of the entire trail leading to Roopkund from here. Jhandi top is the highest point on the ridge and from here on it descends up to Brahmatal
Brahma Tal to Khamila Top/Jatropani and back to Brahma Tal camping ground– 8 Km – 6/7 hours.
Get ready to reach the highest point on your trek today, the Brahmatal Pass. We will trek to the pass and descend to our campsite in Daldum. Walking through a mountain ridge, it takes about 2.5 hours to reach Brahmatal Pass. The highest point on the Pass unfolds exotic views of snow covered mountains. Relishing the view, we will move towards the Daldum campsite. Beginning with a steep ascent, you will arrive at the beautiful Brahmatal Lake 20 minutes into the trek. The Lake is settled beautifully amidst a clearing that remains steeped in snow during the winter months. Beyond the lake, the trail continues to ascend gradually merging with the ridge. Passing through Chota Jhandidar and Bada Jhandidar, you will walk along a magnificent ridge that slopes on either side. During winters, the ridge is covered with snow and our team will provide microspikes and gaiters depending on the conditions of the snow. It takes about two and a half hours to reach the peak and astonishing views of mountains welcome you on the top. It is a grand spectacle of various mountain peaks including Chaukhamba, Neelkanth, Nanda Ghunti, Kamet, Trishul, and Hathi Ghoda Parvat. It feels as if you are watching the mountain ranges on a theatre screen, it is such a surreal sight. From this point, it is a downward trek to Daldum, which takes about 3 hours. The trail slowly retires into the valley below.
Trek down to Lohajung – 12 Km – 6/7 hours.
From Daldum take the trail on the left to reach Lohajung. It’s a short trek of 4 km and takes about 3 to 4 hrs. The descent to Lohajung takes place along a well-marked trail crossing a few streams and again through the forest cover of Oak and Rhododendron that you came along. It’s the same path that you came in initially. Crossing the forest cover, you will come across a group of shepherd’s huts used by locals to keep their livestock.
Drive from Lohajung to Haridwar – By car – 280 Km – 12 hours
Today we will drop you off at Rishikesh marking the end of the incredible trip. Having your final tea with the TTH team, we will head out towards Rishikesh. Rishikesh is 210 km away from Lohajung and it approximately takes 10 hours to drive back. You will reach Rishikesh by 6:00 pm.
Important things to carry for trekking
Basic Essentials
An identity card – Original and Photocopies (MANDATORY)
Back Pack & Rain Cover (50-60 liter)
Day Pack & Rain Cover (20-30 liter, If you hire mule or porter)
1 ltr of pet water bottle or hydration pack
Floaters or Sandals, Trekking Shoes (waterproof are better during snow and rain)
LED Torch/Headlamp (With extra batteries)
Poncho, Rain Coat or Umbrella any one is must (Poncho are lightweight, easy to carry/fit)
Torch with pair of batteries
Clothing & other Essentials
2 Pairs of Quick Dry Tees and Track Pants (Denim are not recommended for treks.)
1 pair of T-shirts (half and full sleeve)
3 Pair of Cotton Socks, 2 pairs of woolen socks
2 Full Sleeve Sweater or Fleece Jacket
Thermal Wear – 1 pair (you can keep two if going on the long trek)
Gore Tex type similar hard shell for rain or snow & to be worn over mid layers like fleece or down jackets.
One down feather Jacket
Sun Cap, One Scarf, Light towel, Gloves (1 woolen, 1 waterproof)
Woolen cap or Balaclava that covers the ear (protection from cold waves), Dark UV Sunglasses
Carry a few plastic bags in case your clothes get wet.
Eatables – Quick Energy During Trek
Glucose, Chocolates, biscuits, Energy bars, Toffees and Dry fruits & nuts.
INCLUSIONS
1.Accommodation. (Guest house, Camping)
2.Meals while on trek (Veg)
3.Trek equipment (Sleeping bag, mattress, Kitchen & dinning tent, crampon, utensils, tent)
4.All necessary permits and entry fees.
5.First aid medical kits, stretcher and oxygen cylinder.
6.Mountaineering qualified & professional trek Leader, guide and Support staff.
EXCLUSIONS
1.Any kind of personal expenses.
2. Food during the transit.
3. Insurance.
4. Mules or porter to carry personal luggage.
5. Anything not specifically mentioned under the head
F.A.Q.
For Brahmatal Trek
Simply select “Contact Us” offered by us from navigation menu and mail us about your Trek Details according to your preferences and make online payment by Debit Card/ Credit Card or Net Banking.
You have to provide a photo identification, medical health certificate and a scan copy of confirmation of payment made.
Yes, you can cancel the booking due to any reason. But you have to give us a written declaration for cancelling the package.