Talking about winter treks in India, the trek to Brahmatal will definitely be one of the most tempting options on your shortlist. The Brahmatal Trek takes you to a height of up to 22,000 ft, to the heart of the mighty Himalayas in Uttarakhand. You trek through a vast meadow of glittering white snow, total distance covered during the trek is around 22 km, spread over the 6 days. The Brahmatal trek is particularly fantastic because of the little or no human interference in these regions, simply letting nature take its course leading to such glorious results.
Vacillating between a myriad of Himalayan winter treks to take this season? With the wide range of options available, deciding which trek to keep on the list and which to remove becomes near impossible! So, here is an honest list of the best and the worst of the Brahmatal Trek to make your choices easier!
Some of the things that I like the most about the memorable Brahmatal Trek are the pretty campsites, the powder of glittering snow, the mind-blowing vistas, the frozen lakes and of course the challenge presented to the takers by the splendid adventure known as the Brahmatal Trek. One of the famous campsites during the trek is a 5 minutes walk away from the awe-inspiring Brahmatal Lake. The campsite is right on the edge of a sheer valley, with a sudden drop that will set your heart on the edge!
With the adventure comes the breathtaking vistas. The Himalayas, covered in the pristine white snow, the sheer valleys, the misty mornings, the unforgettable sunsets and sunrises, the tingling feeling of walking amidst the clouds, the cold, fresh air rushing to fill your lungs and the sky that almost seems within reach together make your days. Your nights will be filled with a black sky glittering with stars, the snow looking making the mountains look ghostly pale in comparison! The feeling of a hot cup of tea or chocolate going down your freezing throat will be out of this world!
One of the most unique aspects of the Brahmatal Trek is the sight of the frozen Brahmatal Lake. And even the Baikal Tal. The two lakes together make this trek the most unique and vibrant amongst all the other Himalayan winter treks. The sight of the lakes, with the thick layer of ice on them, will set your heart singing. Moreover, the short but steep climb takes you to the summit of the mountain, with a view nothing as you’ve ever seen before. Mt. Trishul, Mt. Nanda Ghunti and a lot of other peaks present to the trekkers the most breathtaking vistas of their lifetime. Things like these make Himalayan treks splendid and majestic by their very existence.
However, there are certain things about the Brahmatal Trek that was slightly off-putting as well. Depending on your starting point and time of the year, most of the first day of the trek is through a dusty, stony path with little vegetation to protect you from the sun that seems to get stronger the higher up you go. You will pass through several villages and scattered huts along your route. It’s only as you reach the end of the first day that patches of snow start appearing. Of course, you will hit the jackpot on your second day, especially if it snows during the night (which it really might)! However, as I said, this majorly depends upon the weather, the season and the starting point of the trek, so make sure to plan your trek perfectly! And of course, this is not to say that the vistas of the Himalayas are any less awe-inspiring even during this part of the journey. The slopes of the mighty Himalayas and the sheer valleys will still be enough to bring tears of joy to your eyes!
Another thing that might affect the sheer bliss that is the Brahmatal Trek is the unpredictability of the weather. The weather sometimes gets too windy, making it extremely difficult to not just plant your tents but also to fully enjoy the trek. The camping site near Baikal Tal is especially prone to sudden gusts of violent winds, especially during the nights which make you feel groggy and tired right from the next morning.
But an important thing to note is that not only is this particular problem unique to the Brahmatal trek (all Himalayan trekkers face this problem), but also that it is 100% dependent on the weather and the geographic conditions. Plus, in some ways, extraordinary circumstances like these make your trip even more memorable and exciting. The trick is to be prepared for all kinds of weather conditions since the Himalayan weather is beyond anyone’s control anyway. Plan ahead, pack well and be prepared!