INTRODUCTION
The hustle of modern life ends up draining our inner spirit slowly making us lethargic and low on energy. But one can do outdoor activities like trekking and camping to recharge yourself and make your spirits high as ever. In this article, we will be exploring the Brahmatal Trek, a trek perfect for winters with scenic beauty and a mythical lake.
The Brahmatal Trek is a popular winter destination for trekking situated in Chamoli district of the Uttarakhand, the state of hills. It is well known for its lovely views of snow-covered peaks, beginner friendly difficulty, warm and friendly local people, lush greenery and the mythical Brahmatal lake. This trek is a treat to eye for nature lovers as they slowly see the transition of landscapes and finally reach the snow top.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TREK:
BRAHMATAL LAKE:
The trek gets its name from the serene Brahmatal Lake, which is frozen in the winter. It is surrounded snow laden mountains and offers a breathtaking view. Mythological it is believed that God Brahma the creator of the universe according to Hindus, once descended on earth and meditated beside this lake. Hence, it is called Brahmatal Lake since then.
SNOW CAPPED PEAKS:
The journey provides panoramic views of some of the most famous peaks of the Garhwal Himalayas namely, Trishul I and II, Nanda Ghunti, and Mrigathuni. All of the snow creates a stunning winter homeland view will calms the mind of anyone who looks at it throughout the long journey.
LEVEL OF CHALLENGE:
This trek is that of moderate level of difficulty, making it a suitable one for both novice and seasoned trekkers. The trail includes both ascent and descent through snow covered landscapes, which adds to the overall experience and allows one to admire the dreamy beauty that snow creates along with mountains, small paths and alpine vegetation.
CAMP SITES:
The various sites for camping in the route offer people the opportunity to enjoy the charm of mountains and the forests with alpine or winter land vegetation. These forests are painted in beautiful colour combinations of brown, yellow, red and green by the greatest of artist’s “Nature.” Trekkers can enjoy a peaceful night in the centre of nature on snow filled land while listening to melodies of birds.
FLORA AND FAUNA:
The route passes through oak, pine and rhododendron forests initially and as you ascend you get to see the alpine harsh meadows and flowers, offering you to experience a transitional flora. Fauna is diverse in this area; you might spot birds like Himalayan Monal and animals like foxes and martens.
LOCAL CULTURE:
The life of the people living in the mountain and of those whose means of livelihood highly dependent on the trekkers lead a different life altogether in comparison to the city life of hustle. This trek will provide you with one of few chances of interacting with local people living there, knowing about them, their culture, their thoughts and dreams.
SELF REJEVUNATION
This trek is not just a journey of reaching the destination that is the Brahmatal Summit, it is far more than just this. It is about taking a break from the ordinary struggle of city life which has seeped into you like a daily routine, to self-introspect your life, decisions and dreams, to meet new people, to reestablish the lost connection by Nature by going deep into exploring it and to have gratitude for the things you have in your life.
TREK ITINERARY:
The Brahmatal trek usually takes around six to eight days to complete and it is a total distance of around twenty-four kilometres, depending on the starting point, route taken and the pace of the trekking group. The itinerary normally includes the following points:
LOHAJUNG:
It is the base camp of the Brahmatal Trek, from here one can see the peak of Nanda Ghunti and experience its beauty as sun rays hit it as the sun rises and sets. This place has a small market where first-time trekkers can make trek gear and essentials which might prove to be useful later on. It is at 2300 metres above sea level and is used a base camp for various treks.
BEKALTAL LAKE:
It is the first stop on the Brahmatal Trek where the trekkers set up their first camp. The route to Bekaltal Lake Campsite is not of much ascent and it mostly takes about five hours at max. It is a beautiful lake surrounded by brown and red shades of oak forests which leave a surreal image in one’s mind. One can see start seeing Mount Nanda Ghunti starting from here.
BRAHMATAL TOP:
The destination of Brahmatal Trek is both the Brahmatal Lake and Brahmatal Top. The lake is frozen beauty in winter, with its clear still look it makes one get lost in the gap and erases the gap between what is real and what is imagination. And the top offers a 360-degree Himalayan Panorama of Mount Trishul, Mount Nanda Ghunti and Mount Mrigathuni. The top is at the altitude of 3750 metres above sea level and from here one gets to see Mount Trishul and Mount Nanda Ghunti, said to be one of the toughest climbs in the Himalayan Range. Both the mountains are considered even for master climbers.
CONCLUSION
This trek is an journey of exploring of both outer and inner worlds. It calls out to people to go on a physical and spiritual journey, revealing the secrets of the mythical lake and snow-capped peaks that watch over as time passes. This trek unveils the grandeur of the Himalayas, their majestic presence and allure.
Pack your bags and go on this journey of feeling the unknown and untouched beauty of Nature.
