Brahmatal Trek

Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrive at Rishikesh 
• Day 2: Travel to Lohajung from Rishikesh
• Day 3: Trek to Bekaltal from Lohajung
• Day 4: Trek to Brahmatal from Bekaltal
• Day 5: Trek to Brahmatal Top from Bhrahmtal then to Daldum
• Day 6: Trek to Lohajung from Daldum
• Day 7: Travel from Lohajung to Rishikesh
• Day 8: Travel back home.

Detailed Brahmatal Trek Itinerary:

Day 1: Rishikesh

• Altitude: 1,030 ft (312 m)

The total Brahmatal trek distance is of around 30km. On day 1, arrive in Rishikesh and check in to the hotel. Meet your fellow trekkers in a meet and greet session where you will also be prepped for the upcoming Brahmatal lake trek. In the evening, head out to witness the magnificent Ganga Arati and explore the authentic local cultures of India. Stay the night at Rishikesh. 

Day 2: Lohajung

• Altitude: 7,600 ft (2,316 m)
• Travel Duration: 8-9 hours

On Day 2, you start traveling towards Lohajung from Rishikesh. This is an extremely scenic drive and will also see picturesque pine trees on the route today. When you arrive in Lohajung you will be greeted by the majestic Mt. Nanda Ghunti Peak. Lohajung is basically a small town located in Chamoli District of Uttarakhand. It is also the base for various popular treks like Roopkund, Brahmatal, and Bedni Bugyal. A good evening stroll around the village is perfect to fill up your Instagram feed & to get yourself warmed up for the trek the next morning. Stay the night at the hotel in Lohajung.

Day 3: Bekaltal

• Altitude: 7,600 ft (2,316 m) to 9,689 ft (2,953 m)
• Trek Duration & Distance Covered: 5 hours, 5.8 km
• Gradient: Moderate; Mostly ascending through forests

On day 3 you start trekking from Lohajung to the Bekaltal campsite. The trek distance is approx 5.8 Km. The winding trail takes you through beautiful Oak and Rhododendron forests. You will come across the Mandoli village as you cover a short distance post starting the trek. The trail is well laid out and as you go higher up, you will start seeing the Kali Valley where the rivers Kali and Pindari meet. You need to keep trekking from here and after a certain point, when you reach approx 2,590 m (8,500 ft), you will come across a beautiful wooden bridge of about 10 meters right above a stream. You can stop to fill up your bottles at this stream. When you cross the bridge and trek a little further, you will reach Begum a resting point with views of the magical meadows seen in the distance. As you start trekking again you come across two more streams, the last one being Gujrani Stream. It takes about an hour from Gujrani Stream to reach the beautiful Bekaltal campsite. This last distance takes you through an Oak forest which is a moderate climb. As you reach Bekaltal you will start seeing views of the giant Mt. Trishul on the horizon. 

Bekaltal is your campsite for the day and a 10-minute hike from Bekaltal will take you to the Bekaltal lake while lies amidst Oak trees. The water of this lake is brown unlike that of Brahmatal lake. In winters you will notice a thin sheet of ice formed over the lake. You will notice how quickly time flies when you sit by the Bekaltal lake and just reminisce your journey through the day.

Dinner will be served in the main tent post which you can go to sleep in your allotted tents. 

Day 4: Brahmatal

• Altitude: 9,689 ft (2,953 m) to 10,440 ft (3,182 m)
• Trek Duration & Distance Covered: 5-6 hours, 7 km
• Gradient: Moderate with a steep climb + gradual ascent and descent towards Brahmatal

On day 4 you start your day early with a scrumptious breakfast at the Bekaltal campsite. Post this, you start packing the essentials for the day. Once everyone is ready you start trekking towards the next stop which is the Brahmatal Campsite. The climb will take you through Oak and Rhododendron trees and then a winding ascending trail as you make your way to the next campsite. If you start early enough you can get good sights of the mountains around before the clouds set in. If the skies are clear, you'll have breathtaking views of the mountains all through the trail with views of Mt. Trishul and Mt. Nanda Ghunti specifically. You will constantly gain and drop height as you traverse through the trail today. You will sometimes walk right beside the treeline and sometimes right above it. The treeline will mostly have Rhododendron or Oak trees. You start ascending steep when you climb towards Jhandi Top which becomes the highest point of the ridge.  You can see the mountains in a panorama here and the Roopkund trail is visible from here as well. 

The view at Jhandi Top will leave you awestruck. You spend some time here before you start your descent towards Brahmatal which is about 1.5 km from Jhandi Top. 

You can unwind at the campsite and relax for the day. 

Day 5: Brahmatal Top 

• Altitude: 10,440 ft (3,182 m) to 12,250 ft (3,734 m) and on to 9,640 ft (2,938 m)
• Trek Duration & Distance Covered:  8 hours, 7.5 km
• Trek gradient: Moderate

Day 5 is your summit day so you start trekking early post your breakfast. The brahmatal trek height is of 12,250 ft (3,734 m). From the campsite, it takes about 15 minutes to reach the Brahmatal Lake which is the first stop along the trail to the summit. The lake sits right in the midst of a meadow and the trail leading up to the lake is a gradual ascent. The lake in winters remain frozen and when visited in spring and autumn shows off it's crystal clear beautiful blue waters. The break at the lake also presents a good photo opportunity while we discourage and do not allow nomads to walk on the lake at any given point in time. The lake is accompanied by a lone tree that has snow all over during winters.  

The next step to keep trekking until you find a ridge and from here you get a good view of the entire lake. Again, a great photo opportunity. The first ridge climb is a gentle ascent leading up to the final ridge to the summit. The ridge then opens up to the marvelous views of the mountains you saw at Jhandi Top. This is where you will be resting for lunch. After a 20 minute break you start trekking again but this time it's a descent with mountains to your right and the entire valley to your left. You will now come across closer views of Mt. Trishul, Mt. Nanda Ghunti, and 180 degree views of the entire mountain range with Chaukambha, Mt. Neelkanth, Mt. Mandi, Mt. Nilgiri and many more peaks. This is Brahmatal Top. This is the highest brahmatal trek altitude of 12,250 ft (3,734 m).

Your campsite for the night Daldum is about 3 hours from the Brahmatal Top and you start descending into a forest after spending some time at Brahmatal Top. 

Your tents will be ready to welcome you upon reaching Daldum. You will stay the night here and relax after the long trek.  

Day 6: Lohajung

• Altitude: 7,600 ft (2,316 m)
• Trek Duration & Distance: 4 hours, 2-3 Km 
• Gradient: Easy 

Day 6 begins with a good hearty breakfast post which you pack your things up and get ready to trek back to Lohajung. This descend is again through a forest and the trees will define leave you energized for the climb down. Once you cross the forest you will reach Malling. This is where the forest ends and it takes about 30-40 minutes to reach Malling from your Daldum campsite.  

From here getting back to Lohajung is easy. You'll find houses on the slopes and then trail made of stones which is frequented by visitors. This trail will lead you to Lohajung directly. Upon reaching Lohajung you will check into your hotel and rest there for the day.

Day 7: Rishikesh

• Altitude: 6,170 ft (1880 m)
• Travel Duration: 7-8 hours

On day 7 you start travelling from Lohajung to Rishikesh. You can expect to arrive Rishikesh late in the afternoon. Check in to your hotel and rest for the day. 

Day 8: Your City

Travel back to your city.

Trek Insurance

Trekking in the Himalayas comes with its own set of risks. While adventure is fun and can be extremely thrilling, nature can be unpredictable, and to help secure you during your trek, it is of utmost importance that you are covered with insurance.

We've gone a step ahead and made sure that you don't have to worry about scouting for the best insurance option out there. When you trek with us, your insurance comes as a part of your inclusions. To know more about the benefits covered and sum insured, click here.

Risk and Liability 

We will endeavor to make your program smooth and as pleasant as possible. However, the entire course of trekking depends on the ranges of the mighty mountains, physical health, and environmental conditions. Therefore, TrekNomads shall not be responsible for any changes in the itineraries due to unavoidable circumstances and natural disasters such as landslide, road blockage, flood, snowing, cancellation of flight and delay, any type of sickness including altitude sickness.

Fitness Criteria 

This trek requires a good level of fitness.

If you're not already following a fitness regime, you would need to follow the regime that will be shared with you. The training routine is spread over four months and you would be expected to work out at least 4 times a day. The regime is designed to help you climb smarter even in higher altitudes. The regime consists of a good combination of exercises that works on all parts of your body including - Upper Body, Core, Endurance, Lower Body, Shoulder strength, and streamlining your breathing pattern. When followed religiously, you can rest assured that you will be ready for the trek. Not only does this regime help you with the trek, but it will also help you inculcate a sense of fitness in your day-to-day life. 

Do’s and Don’ts:

• We believe in leaving the mountains in better condition, which is why we follow a no-litter policy on our treks. Each trekker will have to bring back the waste that is created during the trek.
• Trekking is best enjoyed when you’ve worn comfortable clothes. Try and avoid wearing Jeans, bright colors and heavy apparel as much as possible.
• A lighter backpack always helps you have a better trek, try and carry just as much as needed.
• Always be in sight of your trek lead, if you feel the need to stop for any reason at all, please keep the trek lead informed.
• If you do come across any reptiles, animals or even insects during the trek, please keep your calm and let it patiently pass by. Any kind of noise and panic will scare them as well.
• Do not venture out into the forest/waterfalls on your own as it may be dangerous.
• Trekking is a good adventure, having said that, it is our primary responsibility to take good care of ourselves and be compassionate towards fellow trekkers
• If, at any point, during the trek, you feel uneasy or unwell, please inform the trek lead immediately
• Tune in to the sounds of nature while on a trek and avoid carrying speakers or playing music during the course of the trek
• To help you enjoy the trek to the fullest, we avoid smoking and consumption of alcohol, and other intoxicants during the course of the trek