Brahmatal: a winter trek to two frozen lakes
Brahmatal is a high lake at around 3,200 metres in Chamoli district, with a ridge above it topping out near 3,700 metres, reached from the village of Lohajung. The name links the lake to Brahma, who in local belief meditated on its shore. For trekkers, Brahmatal has become one of the definitive winter treks in Uttarakhand: it holds deep, reliable snow from December through March, the trail is not technical, and the ridge gives a close, uninterrupted view of Mount Trishul and Nanda Ghunti across the Roopkund valley.
The trek runs over six days, with about 24 kilometres of walking, through forest camps to the lakes and up to the ridge and back. It is graded easy to moderate. For the fuller background see our Brahmatal trek guide, and for how it compares with other winter options, our guide to snow destinations near Dehradun. Everything we run is on the treks page.
Why do this trek
Brahmatal exists on the trekking calendar mainly to answer one question: what is a good first snow trek that is not Kedarkantha? It has a similar profile — four walking days, a non-technical summit, deep winter snow, camps in the forest — but a different and arguably better summit view, straight across at Trishul and Nanda Ghunti, the peaks that stand above Roopkund. The two frozen lakes, Bekaltal in the forest and Brahmatal on the open ridge, give the trek its shape and its best photographs.
It also shares the Lohajung trailhead with the Ali Bedni Bugyal trek and the Roopkund route, and stays below the altitudes most affected by the meadow-camping restrictions, which is part of why it has grown in popularity as those higher routes became harder to run. For many trekkers it is the natural alternative when Roopkund is closed.
Best time for the Brahmatal trek
This is primarily a winter trek. From mid-December to mid-March the trail holds continuous snow above Bekaltal, the lakes freeze, and the summit day is a proper snow climb. January and February are the coldest, snowiest and most reliable for a full winter experience, with camps well below freezing at night. Early December and mid-to-late March are shoulder weeks with less certain snow.
October and November, before the snow arrives, offer a different trek: clear autumn air, golden forest, the sharpest long-range views of the year, and much more comfortable camping, but no snow. April sees the snow melting into slush. The monsoon and high summer are not used for this route. If snow is your reason for coming, aim for January or February and prepare for the cold; if you want the views without the deep cold, come in autumn.
How hard is Brahmatal?
In autumn conditions, easy to moderate: short days, a well-defined trail, a modest summit climb. As a winter snow trek it steps up, not because it becomes technical but because everything is harder in snow and cold. Walking on packed or fresh snow is more tiring per kilometre, summit day involves a continuous climb to the ridge in sub-zero temperatures with an early start, and the camps are genuinely cold, which affects sleep and recovery. The highest point is around 3,700 metres, so altitude is a mild factor — you sleep near 3,200 metres for two nights — and the usual advice applies: hydrate, pace yourself, and report symptoms early.
A prepared beginner can do this trek. You should be able to walk uphill for four to six hours with a daypack; two to four weeks of jogging, brisk hill walking or stair climbing beforehand makes a large difference. Gaiters, micro-spikes and trekking poles are important in winter and are usually available from the operator if you do not own them.
Who this trek suits
Brahmatal is aimed squarely at people who want their first Himalayan snow trek and are willing to be cold in camp for it. It suits prepared beginners, groups with a mix of fitness levels, and trekkers who have done a green-season trek and want to try winter. It is also the trek to consider when the Roopkund route is closed, since it uses the same base and gives a similar payoff at a lower, safer altitude. It is less suited to trekkers who want long trail days, or who cannot tolerate several nights well below freezing — for them the milder pre-monsoon window on Kedarkantha or a meadow trek such as Dayara Bugyal is a better match.
Fitness and how to prepare
Two to four weeks of preparation suits a reasonably active person; give yourself longer from a low base. Build aerobic fitness with jogging, cycling or brisk uphill walking with a loaded daypack, three or four times a week, and add stair climbing or hill repeats to train the summit-day ridge climb. Because this is a winter trek, a few cold-weather walks are worth doing so you learn how your layers, gloves and boots perform in low temperatures before it matters. Practise walking with micro-spikes and poles if they are new to you. Break in your boots, and arrive rested rather than straight off the long overnight journey.
Photography on the trek
Brahmatal is one of the more photogenic winter treks in Uttarakhand. The frozen Brahmatal lake ringed by snow, the ridge line leading to Jhandi Top, and above all the head-on view of Trishul and Nanda Ghunti at first light from the summit are the images people come back with. The forest camps under snow-laden trees photograph well in flat overcast light too. Cold is hard on batteries, so carry two or three spares against your body, be ready to shoot quickly with gloves on during the summit climb, and use a polariser to deepen the sky and control the glare off fresh snow.
The route in detail
Lohajung to Bekaltal
From Lohajung at about 2,300 metres, the trail climbs through dense oak and rhododendron forest, gaining height steadily, to a camp beside the small, tree-ringed lake of Bekaltal at around 3,000 metres. In winter this is often where continuous snow begins.
Bekaltal to Brahmatal
The forest thins and the trail moves onto the ridge, with views opening across the Pindar valley and back toward the Lohajung saddle. Passing the meadow of Telandi, you reach the Brahmatal or Daldum camp near the lake at around 3,200 metres.
Summit day to Jhandi Top
An early start for the climb along the ridge to Brahmatal Top, also called Jhandi Top, at around 3,700 metres. The reward is a full-frontal view of Trishul and Nanda Ghunti, with Chaukhamba, Neelkanth, Maiktoli and Mrigthuni along the skyline. The frozen Brahmatal lake sits just below. Then the descent begins.
The descent to Lohajung
The last walking day drops back through the forest to Lohajung, followed by the long drive out to Rishikesh the next day.
Getting to Lohajung
Lohajung is around 250 kilometres from Rishikesh and Dehradun, a full day of ten to twelve hours on the road via Devprayag, Karnaprayag, Tharali and Dewal, following the Alaknanda and then the Pindar. The nearest airport is Dehradun's Jolly Grant; the nearest railheads are Rishikesh, Haridwar and Kathgodam. The last stretch is narrow and slow, and can be icy in deep winter, so operators plan a buffer and an early start, sometimes breaking the drive at Karnaprayag. If you have spare days near the plains, see our guide to adventure activities around Dehradun.
Where you stay and daily life
The first and last nights are in a guesthouse at Lohajung; the trail nights are in four-season tents at Bekaltal, Brahmatal or Daldum, and a lower camp on the way down, two or three trekkers to a tent with winter-rated sleeping bags and insulated mats. A heated dining tent and a toilet tent are set up at each site. The crew cooks fresh vegetarian food — hot breakfasts, a packed or hot lunch, and dal, rice, roti and vegetables in the evening, with tea served often. Winter days are short: you reach camp in the early afternoon and are in your sleeping bag not long after dark. Bring a power bank, a book and a warm hat to sleep in. There is no phone signal above Lohajung.
What to pack for a winter snow trek
The kit list is a cold-weather one. Waterproof, insulated, broken-in boots and gaiters; a layering system of thermal base layers, fleece, down jacket and a windproof waterproof shell and trousers; insulated gloves over liner gloves, a warm hat, a balaclava and thick socks. Add snow-rated sunglasses, strong sunscreen and lip balm, a headtorch with spare batteries, an insulated bottle or thermos so your water does not freeze, a personal medical kit, and trekking poles. Micro-spikes are important for the summit-day snow and are usually available from the operator. Keep water, snacks and spare warm layers in a daypack even when a mule carries your main bag.
Weather, cold and what to watch for
The main challenges on Brahmatal are cold, snow conditions and short daylight rather than any single hazard. Night temperatures at the higher camps routinely fall to minus 8 to minus 12 degrees Celsius in January and February, and colder in a cold snap, so a properly rated sleeping bag and dry clothes to sleep in matter a great deal. Fresh snowfall can slow the group and, occasionally, force a change of plan on summit day; a good guide will make that call rather than push on. Frostnip on fingers and toes, and mild snow blindness from not wearing sunglasses, are the common minor injuries, both easily avoided. Altitude is a lesser concern at 3,700 metres, but you should still tell your guide about a persistent headache or nausea. The operator should carry a pulse oximeter and have a plan to get an unwell trekker down to Lohajung and onward.
Why Brahmatal has grown so popular
A decade ago, most winter trekkers heading to Lohajung were bound for Roopkund or the Ali Bedni Bugyal meadows. After the 2018 Uttarakhand High Court restrictions on tourism and camping in the state's high bugyals, the higher routes became harder to run and their status now varies year to year. Brahmatal, which tops out on a ridge below the most restricted altitudes and camps largely in forest, absorbed much of that demand. It helped that the trek genuinely delivers: reliable snow, a non-technical summit, a first-class view of Trishul, and a short enough schedule to fit a long weekend plus travel. It is now one of the two or three most-booked winter treks in the country, which is worth knowing if you value quiet — the trail and campsites can be busy in January and February.
Combining Brahmatal with other treks
From the same Lohajung base, the Ali Bedni Bugyal trek covers the big meadows in the greener seasons, and the Roopkund route continues to the glacial lake when it is permitted. For another first snow summit, Kedarkantha and its 5-day snow trek version are the direct comparison. Kuari Pass is the other classic winter snow trek, with Nanda Devi rather than Trishul as its headline view. For meadows in a shorter trip, see Dayara Bugyal. The full picture is in our Uttarakhand trekking guide.
Permits, safety and responsible trekking
The route passes through reserve forest, so forest permits, a registered local guide and camping fees are required and are arranged by the operator, who also carries a pulse oximeter, first aid and an evacuation plan. Brahmatal is a busy winter trek, and the forest camps and the ridge see a lot of traffic, so responsible practice matters: carry out all waste including food scraps and tissue, camp only at established sites, never light open fires, and keep to the trodden trail. Choose your operator on their safety and environmental record — our guide on choosing a trekking operator in Uttarakhand covers the questions worth asking — and take trekking travel insurance that covers helicopter evacuation, as explained in our travel insurance guide.
