A spectacular Himalayan Winter Trek- Brahmatal Trek

Most of the treks in India are closed during winters (December, January, February & March) because
of heavy snowfall and bad weather conditions. But few of the treks remain open in winters too. Brahmatal Trek is one such winter trek in Uttarakhand which you can opt for in winters and get the complete feel of it.

The icing on the cake are the two frozen lakes, Bekaltal and Brahmatal. Also you get to see the closest views of Mt.Trishul, Mt.Nanda Ghunti and Garhwal Himalayas.                          

Brahmatal Trek is a short trek of 4days. The starting point of the trek is a village named Lohajung in Uttarakhand. It is about a distance of 218kms from Kathgodam Railway station (nearest railway station).

Our pickup vehicle at Kathgodam Railway Station

I went with IndiaHikes on this Brahmatal Trek. IndiaHikes pickup vehicle picked us up from Kathgodam Railway station at around 7am. We reached Lohajung around 6pm in the evening. The very next day we woke up to a magnificent first view of Mt.Trishul from our base camp at Lohajung. We started our trek at 9am. First day we trekked for about 5.8kms from Lohajung(7600ft) to our first camp at Bekaltal (9689ft). Starting with a very steep trail to some moderate steep trails. Most of the trail was through the forest of Pine, Silver oak, Rhododendrons and many more beautiful trees. We stopped for a lunch break and few short breaks in between. It was around 3pm in the afternoon when we got a glimpse of our first camp site on Brahmatal Trek route. It was around 200m away from us. A gradual descent and then we reached our first day destination!

On the way to Bekaltal Campsite

Bekaltal Campsite by IndiaHikes

This campsite in Brahmatal Trek is famous for the high altitude frozen lake Bekaltal. After lunch, in the evening a 1.5km walk took us to the lake. Located in a pocket, surrounded by Alpine trees. The surface of the lake was covered with a thick ice sheet. It was fun to walk on it, on the other hand it was quite dangerous too, as it was very slippery. I took some photos of the lake from different angles and different end. In the evening we played some games with fellow trekkers in such an ambience. It was a bliss!

Bekal Tal 

Bekal Tal, a beautiful frozen lake

Second day was a 7km trek to Brahmatal Campsite. The final campsite in Brahmatal Trek. With initial steep climb for an hour and then there was a meadow region. The initial part took a long time. It was a really steep trail through the forest. Nearly after an hour it opened into a large meadow region and we got to see the range of Mt. Trishul, Mt. Nandaghunti for the first time, standing tall with all valor. We took a break and posed to take some photos and memories that would cherish throughout our lives. After walking all through the meadow there was a pass called Jhandi top. Meadow is basically an open vast land in mountains carpeted with green grass that is usually seen at the edges or at the top of mountains.

We had our lunch at Jhandi top. I can't express my feelings by writing.  Having your lunch with such magnificent views of big mountains, meadows and your fellow trek mates is something an adventurer or mountain lover should definitely try once! We stopped there for an hour or so. After completing our lunch we had a gala time, playing different games. Trekking is not only about walking through the trail. It is something which heightens your feelings. You speak with the inner you and express yourself. You make new friends, you feel the mountains speaking with and the sounds of nature. Away from your daily life you get to experience all these things while you are in a trek!! and Brahmatal Trek is one such trek that will offer you all these.

Then again we started hiking towards our next campsite - Brahmatal, our summit camp for Brahmatal Trek. Walking through the ridge of the mountains, we reached one of toughest part in the trek. There was a boulder zone. And we were required to descend this zone. We started one by one. With such heavy rucksacks on our back we slowly step by step, measuring every movement we reached the foot steps of the zone. Some of my fellow trekkers took a fall because there were a lot of loose rocks and boulders. After this steep descend there was light walk for about 30mins and we reached the day's destination! 

We reached the campsite at around 3 o'clock, followed by a muscle relaxing session lead by our trek leader Bhupi Sir. Then we were allotted with our tents. Soon we took our rucksacks and kept it inside our tents. In mountains you don't get junk foods and aerated drinks. Here you get pure lime water or lemon juice. This is what I loved the most about IndiaHikes! It re-energizes you and also detoxifies. Also you get the love and kindness in it with which the kitchen staff made it! The campsites on the Brahmatal Trek by IndiaHikes are very much hygienic, neat & clean. All the kitchen team members and the supporters are very well behaved and polite.

Brahmatal Campsite by IndiaHikes

A bit of rest. I looked outside my tent and saw the most beautiful sunset ever from the Brahmatal Trek campsite. The flares between the tree leaves looked mesmerizing. I soon took out my camera and came outside the tent to take photographs and cherish it forever. I called my trek mates out of their tents to witness one hell of a view. 

Brahmatal Campsite during sunset

After few minutes the sun went down. We had a bonfire lit by our guide, Raka bhaiya who is a local resident of Lohajung. Then for an hour or so there was a session of telling ghost stories and paranormal experiences! The ambience build up was perfect, sitting under light of millions of stars with your fellow trekkers, and hot tea was a cherry on top. 

Have you ever had an opportunity to stand and look up at millions of stars? If you live in a city, there's a lot of light and air pollution for which you are unable to see them. So to have an ultimate experience travel to some remote location like a village, deserts or high mountains! I had this opportunity that day! You won't believe I actually got to see the GALAXY!! It was delightful.   

Our bonfire

The Galaxy from the campsite

As we were about to climb the summit next day, we had our dinner early and went into our tents. Setting the alarm at 5.30am I dosed off. The alarm rang and I woke up. It was windy that day, our tents were shaking like the wind will blow us away with it. It was around -8c. In Brahmatal Trek the temperature often goes below -10c. I wore my shoes and my jacket and came outside the tent. It was completely dark! I took out my head torch. I went to wash my face, then saw the water surface was frozen and the water was so cold that even after passing it through a man made geyser it was not becoming warm. Anyhow I  managed to complete all the necessary tasks.

We were about to set off for the final summit of Brahmatal Trek ascend at 8 am. But we started 10-15mins late. We simply took our day packs with us. I took my camera bag, water bottle, few medicines and a jacket. The trail was a bit steep, through the rhododendron forests. Read about my Trek to Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary in Sikkim. After a few kilometers, there were no tree or forest cover. Completely meadow. We took rests in between and slowly ascending towards the summit of Brahmatal Trek. We had to climb a height of around 2000ft. The final few kilometers were a zigzag path and then came the summit. At an height of 12,250ft. First time we got see the whole panoramic view of Mt.Kamet (India's 3rd highest peak) in the extreme left corner, Mt.Trishul and Nandaghunti right in in front and also the India's largest meadow, Ali and Bedni Bugyal.  After clicking a lot photographs, posing for some instagram photos and some group pictures.

Our campsite during sunrise

A minute break after a steep climb through the rhododendron forest

Zig-zag trail to summit

Panoramic view from Summit

The Squad with the summit banner.

Me with the banner

Living apart and at peace with.....

 "Keep close to Natures heart..and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods, wash your spirit Clean"

We were there at the Brahmatal Trek summit for an hour or so, and then slowly descended. The trail was same. After an hour we took a tea break. There's a temporary shop owned by a local villagers, who has maggi, lemon tea, lemon water, coffee, milk tea, egg poaches in his menu list. You can order any of them and he is ready to serve you. I took a glass of lemon water. Again a few hours walk and we reached the campsite by 11am. The last day was full of complete rest and enjoyment. 

A garhwal boy at the stall

Next morning we were about to descend to our basecamp at Lohajung, via the Brahmatal lake. We started our trek. After 10mins walk from Brahmatal campsite we reached Brahmatal (tal means lake). I took some photographs, and then headed forward. Upto Jhandi top it was the same route, then it got deviated to a different route. It was a steep descend. While descending you need to maintain your balance because you are carrying a ruck sack behind, and also do not jerk your knees. With some small breaks and stops we reached Lohajung the base camp of our Brahmatal Trek set up by IndiaHikes around 4.30pm. Since it was the longest hike of 9.5kms it was tiresome. 

Brahmatal (11,140ft)

With delicious dinner and rounds of dance forms from different parts our country, we ended our trek. It was few more hours with trek mates and then we part our ways again. It was a lovely experience with my trek mates for this couple of days in Brahmtal Trek. They became close friends, we helped each other in different ways, we had wonderful evenings together, and many more. This is what you learn from a trek or when  you travel with a group. 

"It's the friends we meet along the way that help us appreciate the journey"

Best time to go fot Brahmatal Trek is during beginning of January till the month of April. Because during the Aprils the rhododendrons blooms and the trail looks absolutely fantastic with all the lovely poppy colors of the flowers! 

 By-Tirthankar Ghosh

If you wanna do Brahmatal Trek with IndiaHikes, visit their page on Brahmatal Trek here