Where Brahma sat
Locals say Lord Brahma meditated beside the lake below the summit ridge, and the lake carries his name: Brahma tal, Brahma's lake.
After the summit · the almanac
The trek in four numbers
Brahmatal is an easy to moderate winter trek with two frozen lakes and a summit ridge that looks straight at Trishul.
3,734m
Height of Brahmatal Top
1,400m
Climb from Lohajung
21.5km
Walking, over 4 days
2lakes
Bekal Tal and Brahmatal
💪 Easy to moderate❄️ Best snow: late Dec–Feb⛺ 3 camps🚗 About 220 km from Kathgodam
Day by day
Five days, step by step
This is the Lohajung loop most operators follow. Some do the summit as an out-and-back from Brahmatal instead.
How high you are on each kilometre
- Day 1Kathgodam → LohajungDrive about 220 km via Almora and Gwaldam8–10 h by road🛏️ Homestay in Lohajung · 2,331 m
- Day 2Lohajung → Bekal TalForest climb to a lake4.5 km · 4–5 h🛏️ Tents near the lake · about 3,000 m
- Day 3Bekal Tal → TilandiOut of the trees onto a ridge3 km · 3–4 h🛏️ Tents on the ridge
- Day 4Tilandi → Brahmatal Top → BrahmatalSummit ridge, then down to the lake5.5 km · 6–7 h🛏️ Tents near the lake · about 3,230 m
- Day 5Brahmatal → LohajungThe long walk down8.5 km · 7–8 h🛏️ Homestay in Lohajung
Stories and nature
Why it is called Brahma's lake
Trishul, the trident
The peak that fills the view from the top is Trishul, 7,120 m, named for the trident. Nanda Ghunti, 6,309 m, stands beside it.
A lake that goes quiet
Bekal Tal sits deep in the forest. In peak winter it freezes over, and trekkers remember it most for the silence.
When to go
A winter trek
The season runs from mid-November to mid-March. The deepest snow is from late December to February.
Late Dec–Feb
Deep snow on the ridge and frozen lakes. The coldest and most beautiful weeks.
Nov and March
Less snow, clearer trails, milder nights.
Avoid July–Sept
Monsoon rain makes the forest trail slippery and hides the peaks.
Fixed departures
Bikat Adventures runs weekly batches from late November 2026 to March 2027, up to 15 people each.
Plan your trip
Getting to Lohajung
Lohajung is where the walk starts. Kathgodam is the nearest railhead; Dehradun is the other common start.
- Kathgodam🚕 Taxi or shared jeep: about 220 km, 8–10 h, via Almora and Gwaldam
or from Dehradun: about 290 km, 10–12 h - GwaldamA good place to break the journey
- Lohajung
There are no direct buses from Kathgodam to Lohajung. Most operators sell railhead transport as an add-on.
Bring cash
The last ATM is at Dewal, before Lohajung. Better still, draw cash in Kathgodam or Dehradun.
Cost
Guided treks cost about ₹8,000–12,000 per person. Bikat Adventures charges ₹10,500 + 5% GST.
Weather
Days in single digits °C. Nights well below freezing, coldest in January.
Permits
Operators arrange forest permits. On your own, ask at the forest check post in Dewal or Lohajung.
Hardest part
Summit day, then the 8.5 km descent to Lohajung, the longest day of the trek.
Altitude sickness
Headache, sickness or dizziness? Tell your leader, rest, and go down if it gets worse.
Good to know
The small things
Cash, signal, water, permits and help on the way. Checked October 2026; confirm with your operator.
Little phone signal
Only BSNL works, and only now and then on the trail. Tell family you'll be offline. Bikat Adventures
No charging
No power on the trail. Lohajung is the last place to charge, so carry a power bank. Trekkaro
Carry water
Water is scarce above Tilandi. Carry 2–3 litres. Himalayan Dream Treks
Food
Three veg meals a day, eggs on some days. Bring your own plate, spoon and mug. Bikat Adventures
Stays and toilets
Homestay in Lohajung, tents on the trail. Toilets are dry pits in a toilet tent: bring toilet paper. Bikat Adventures
Offloading
Bikat charges ₹1,600 to have your backpack carried for the trek. Bikat Adventures
Shared cab
A cab from Rishikesh costs about ₹6,500 one way per 5–6 seat car, split between the group. Trekkaro
Direct bus
A direct bus to Lohajung leaves Rishikesh ISBT at 5 a.m. Himalayan High
Nearest hospital
Dewal, about 30 km from Lohajung. Himalaya Shelter
Rescue
The team carries you down to the road head, then a car takes you to a hospital. You pay, unless insurance covers it. Bikat Adventures
What to pack
Your checklist
Tick items as you pack. Your ticks stay saved on this device. Items with a red price can be rented.
Clothing
Shoes
Gear
Papers and money
Health
List from Trekkaro: Brahmatal things to carry.
Rent or buy
Where to get gear
Many operators lend tents, sleeping bags and spikes. Ask yours before you rent.
Dehradun before you leave
DecathlonBuy · thermals, socks, fleece, gloves, torch, polesPlot 1591, Haridwar Bypass Road · Website
Himalayan Dream TreksRent · shoes, jackets, bags, trek pants, ponchos, poles, torches, power banks, gaiters10 B Mothorowala Road, Dharampur · +91 80896 93825 · Website
Shop details are from each shop's own page. Phone to confirm prices and stock.
Who runs it
Choose an operator
We found 8 operators with a Brahmatal page in October 2026; 4 of them list 2026–27 dates. Most run it from November to March.
Prices are base prices from each operator's own page (October 2026); most add 5% GST. Ratings are what each operator shows, not an independent audit. Names marked † show last season's price or one seen only in a search snippet.