15 Photos That’ll Give You a Glimpse of Brahmatal's Winter Magic

The Brahmatal trek starts from our Lohajung basecamp. The village welcomes you with stunning views of Mt Nanda Ghunti and Mt Trishul. This is how beautiful the village looks after snowfall: It's all white, with patches of green. Photo by Gayatri Karnik

On the first day of your trek from Lohajung to Gujreni, after about 2 kilometers, you will get breathtaking aerial views of Lohajung village. The pine trees create a stunning contrast against the landscape. Photo by Gayatri Karnik

On your way to Tilandi, you come across this serene lake surrounded by Oak, Pine, and Rhododendron trees. This is Bekaltal. Bekaltal is an oligotrophic lake, replete with algae and surrounded by dense forests. Our trekkers love sitting by the side of the lake and sharing stories. Photo by Prajwal Prabhakar 

The Brahmatal trek has a few of the most exquisite campsites, especially the camp at Tilandi, which remains a talking point for every trekker. “The sunset at Tilandi is an especially wonderful experience. You are above a blanket of clouds. The sun is setting as a huge orange ball in the distance. I’ve seen so many trekkers get contemplative or teary-eyed watching this sunset,” says Dhaval Jajal, a Senior Trek Leader, who has led several teams to Brahmatal. Photo by Chandana Puttalingaiah

The forests on the Brahmatal trek are dense and dark, especially between Bekaltal and Tilandi. These forests give off a woodsy smell. In winter, you will be awed by the sight of the Oak and Rhododendron trees soaked in fresh snow. When you wake up in the morning and open your tents, this is exactly what you witness! Photo by Anirban Banerjee

As the altitude increases, you get to see Cirrus clouds. These are thin layered clouds that can be found only in high-altitude regions. The sky looks like it has been painted with subtle brush strokes in white. The Cirrus clouds slowly start fading away as the sun comes up. Photo by Satyen Dasgupta

Through this trek, you walk through some of the most magical Oak and Rhododendron forests. The reality of trekking in the winter includes gloomy days with no sunlight for hours together! It does remind you of the scenes from Chronicles of Narnia, at the same time you yearn for the warmth of the sun. Photo by Vishwajeet Chavan

From the Jhandi Top, you get exceptional views of Mt. Trishul and Mt. Nanda Ghunti. The ridge covered under a carpet of snow is a delight to trek on, and the stunning views of the peaks add to the whole experience. Photo by Divya Ramakrishna

Here’s a view of the Brahmatal campsite during snowfall. This campsite is surrounded by dark, umber-brown oak forests. These Oak forests are centuries old. “The sunsets from here are lovely. When the sun's rays fall on the trees, the barks and branches turn golden brown. It is definitely a sight to behold!”, describes Shachi Tripathi, one of our experienced Trek Leaders. Photo by Santhosh

When you are close to reaching the Jhandi Top, the mountains are hidden behind. After the final climb, the mountains suddenly put up a majestic show and you’re wowed by the views! At Jhandi top, you are almost at the center of the mountain views. To your right rises the massive Mt Trishul and to your left stands Mt Nanda Ghunti. Photo by Satyen Dasgupta

Here’s a photo that’ll remind you of the Windows wallpaper collection. On the way to Brahmatal from Jhandi Top, in the peak winters, you might come across such picture-perfect landscapes that’ll astound you! Photo by Chandana Puttalingaiah

The Brahmatal Lake is one of the major highlights of the trek. The setting of the lake is so picturesque that you cannot stop admiring its beauty. The lake being situated at an altitude of  12,250 feet, is semi-frozen in the winter with the clouds reflecting on its surface. Contradictory to the Bekaltal Lake, the Brahmatal is an oligotrophic lake with low levels of nutrients and lower productivity. Photo by Sudhir Varni

In some regions, the whole ground is covered in layers of snow, which might be around 2 feet deep. Walking on the snow is not very difficult because it gives a soft cushion underneath your feet and helps you have smooth landings. You don't feel the unevenness of the terrain. You also hear the soft sound of snow with each step you keep! Photo by Vishwas Krishnamurthy

This is the ridge that takes you to Brahmatal Top. It is one of the most beautiful ridge walks in our country. It is a challenging and tricky section at the same time. You feel a sense of thrill and adventure as you cross the ridge. Photo by Jitendra Pati

Throughout the trek, Mt Trishul and Mt Nanda Ghunti, are your companions. At the highest point of the Brahmatal trek, Brahmatal Top,  a new set of mountains open themselves up before you. You see Mt Neelkanth, and Mt Hathi Ghoda while Trishul and Nanda Ghunti are to your right. That is why we say Brahmatal is one of the treks with the best mountain views! Photo by Britto Roshan Tirkey