Trek · Chamoli, Garhwal
Brahmatal Trek
A winter ridge walk through snowy oak forest to a frozen lake, face to face with Trishul and Nanda Ghunti.
- Max altitude
- ~3,734 m / 12,250 ft (Brahmatal Top)
- Duration
- 6 days, Lohajung to Lohajung
- Distance
- ~22–28 km on foot
- Difficulty
- Easy–moderate (harder in deep snow)
- Trailhead
- Lohajung, Dewal block
- Best season
- Dec – Mar for snow; Apr, Sept – Nov
- Getting there
- Kathgodam (~210 km) or Rishikesh (~250 km) by road
- Nearest airport
- Pantnagar or Dehradun (Jolly Grant)
About the trek
Brahmatal is a small high lake on a ridge above Lohajung, reached through thick oak and rhododendron forest past a second lake, Bekaltal. Above it rises Brahmatal Top, around 3,734 m, with a view that sweeps from Trishul and Nanda Ghunti across to Chaukhamba, Neelkanth, Mrigthuni and the Hathi–Ghoda peaks. In winter both lakes freeze and the ridges are buried in snow — the main reason people come.
It is one of the gentler snow treks in Garhwal. Campsites sit below the treeline, the climbing is steady rather than relentless, and reasonably fit first-timers manage it well. Because it stays off the high meadows, it has run every winter, making it the most reliable snow trek on our side of Chamoli.
Highlights
- The Brahmatal Top panorama — Trishul, Nanda Ghunti, Chaukhamba, Neelkanth and more
- Two high lakes, Bekaltal and Brahmatal, both frozen in winter
- Snow walking along the open ridges of Talindi and Jhandi Top
- Old-growth oak and rhododendron forest
- Sheltered campsites below the treeline
- An ideal first snow trek
Photos from the route
A typical itinerary
This is the usual shape of the route. We adjust days, campsites and pace to the season, the group and conditions on the ground.
- Day 1
Drive to Lohajung (~2,330 m)
By road from Kathgodam or Rishikesh. Overnight in Lohajung.
- Day 2
Lohajung to Bekaltal (~2,900 m)
Up through the village and into the oak forest to a camp near the lake. About 6 km.
- Day 3
Bekaltal to Brahmatal camp (~3,250 m)
Over Talindi and Jhandi Top, with Trishul ahead most of the way. About 7 km.
- Day 4
Brahmatal Top (~3,734 m)
Summit day for the full panorama, then down to the lower camp. About 8–9 km.
- Day 5
Down to Lohajung
A descent through forest and fields back to the road. About 4–7 km.
- Day 6
Drive back
Return to Kathgodam or Rishikesh.
When to go
Dec – Mar
Winter
The main season. Snow from Bekaltal upward, frozen lakes, clear skies and nights well below freezing.
April
Spring
Snow melting higher up and rhododendrons blooming in the forest.
Sept – Nov
Autumn
Crisp post-monsoon air and the sharpest mountain views; snow usually arrives late November.
Jul – Aug
Monsoon
Not recommended. Heavy rain, landslides on the mountain roads and poor visibility.
Where Brahma sat
The lake takes its name from Lord Brahma, who is said to have meditated here. The ridge runs beside the old route of the Nanda Devi Raj Jat, the great pilgrimage that crosses this part of Chamoli once every twelve years.
Before you go
- A Forest Department permit (Badrinath Forest Division) is required. We arrange it with the range office — carry a government photo ID.
- Brahmatal is not one of the protected bugyal meadows, so camping here was never banned. Leave-no-trace and carry-back-waste rules still apply.
- Winter nights reach −5 to −10 °C. Good layers, gaiters and microspikes are essential; we advise on kit when you book.
- Snowfall can briefly close the road to Lohajung in January–February, so keep a buffer day in your plans.
- Fitness guide: comfortably jog 5 km in about 40 minutes. Summit day is the longest, around 8 hours.
Sources
Photo credits
- Trekkers crossing a snowy ridge towards Brahmatal below jagged peaks — Arijit95jitu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Brahmatal lake frozen in a snow-covered bowl in winter — Arijit95jitu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A tent pitched on snow at the Brahmatal campsite among oak trees — Arijit95jitu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Himalayas, beyond the usual route.
Tell us where you’d like to go. We’ll help with the rest.