Brahmatal Lake : The best alternative to the Roopkund trek
Trekking is an adventure of choice for many people and they like to indulge in discovering new trekking routes. The Himalayan region of Uttarakhand is one of the most popular sites for trekking and there are several options. The high-altitude lakes are often the points of attractions. The Brahmatal lake trek is one such option that allows the participant to trek to the high-altitude lake.
The most popular trek which led to a glacial lake was the Roopkund Trek which is now closed due to a court order that prevents people from camping in the high altitude meadows. The trek was especially famous due to the beautiful forests and the lake contains mysterious human remains. People are disheartened as they wouldn’t be able to take the trek anymore, but they should always look for alternatives as the possibility of trekking in the Himalayas are endless.
One such alternative can be the Brahmatal Lake Trek. It is also present in the Uttarakhand and takes the trekker to a final altitude of 12,225 ft. which is exquisite. A great thing about the trek is that the difficulty level is easy to moderate, so even the beginners will be able to participate in it. Here we will mention some of the reasons for which the Brahmatal Lake Trek can easily become an alternative trek for people who were interested in the Roopkund Trek.
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Keypoints of the two treks:
As we have said earlier, the main points of attraction in both the Brahmatal LakeTrek as well as for the Roopkund trek are the beautiful high-altitude lakes. In both of the treks, you are going to get a bonus of one plus one lake.
In the case of the Roopkund trek, the main lake is present on reaching the summit. Rather than the lake itself, people are more attracted to the skeletal remains. It is a glacial lake, so it remains frozen during the winters but during summer, people used to find it dry revealing the bones.
The beauty of the barren land and the lake makes the setting quite unique. While on the trek, people stopped at Bedni Bugyal which is known for its beauty; from there they had the option to taken an excursion to the Bedni top to check out the Bedni Kund which also has the Nanda Devi temple.
You as a trekker will be greeted by the same one plus one offer on the Brahmatal Lake Trek as on the way to reach the Brahmatal you will find the Bekal Tal which is surrounded by beautiful oak trees. The Brahmatal Lake is also mesmerizing and it is said that Lord Bramha, an important God of the Hindus, meditated beside this lake.
If you are planning to visit during the winter months, then you will find them frozen in time and they glisten as the sun shines on the surface of the lake. The Bekal Tal is a brown lake caused due to organic matters from the surroundings. You can reach the lake by a walk from the campsite. On the other hand, the Brahmatal lake is a crater lake sitting in between a grassland. The lake glistens as the sunlight is reflected. You wouldn’t find many trees beside the lake but if you walk a little far you will be able to find stretches of grassland.
Trekkers have a thrilling experience when they finally manage to reach the summit. Most people are pretty excited about the last leg of their journey as they will finally see the region of interest. On reaching Brahmatal which is about 10,440 ft. you will feel starkly different as you have a look at the forests and nearby mountains. Trekkers need to climb to the Brahmatal top which is a steep climb to finally experience looking at the lake. Looking at Mt. Trishul is a hot favourite among the trekkers. They also get a great view of the valleys surrounding their path.
At the summit, people are greeted with a 360-degree view of the different peaks and ranges. They can also experience the fresh air that greets them at the summit. If you are visiting during the winter months, then the trekking paths will be covered in snow and you will feel that the mountains have covered themselves in fluffy cotton.
The summit experience at the Brahmatal top is quite similar to the one present in the Roopkund summit. The final trek to Roopkund starts early in the morning and it is quite a steep climb. It is lined with snowy flanks which makes the trek difficult and exhilarating at the same time.
Roopkund Lake is a crater and it is quite bigger compared to its pictures that you see on the internet. The summit height of Roopkund is about 15,750 ft. compared to the 12,225 ft. of the Brahmatal Top. After the trekker has taken a look at the look they were look up at the majestic view of Mt. Trishul and the surrounding mountainous area that was covered in snow. The summit also provides a similar view of different peaks to the Brahmatal trek.
In the Brahmatal trek summit, you will be exhilarated to see the panoramic view of the Himalayas and the wide-open valley. The view is closer than compared to the view of the Jhandi top. It is a great place to have a small picnic after passing through the narrow and steep ridge to reach the place. When you ascend from the summit you will again find the forests greeting you.
In the Roopkund summit, trekkers were thrilled to see the barren land amongst which the crater lake lies. The rock-strewn glaciers and snow-clad mountains are the only views that one can get in the high-altitude. People were also fond of the rock face, Junargali which lies in the North and of the Chandania Kot situated in the east.
Rather than just thinking about attaining the summit, trekking is more about experiencing the whole adventure that takes you through different terrains. This includes exploring and knowing more about the flora and fauna of a place. Both the Brahmatal as well as the Roopkund treks are known for their mesmerizing forest areas and vast stretches of meadows. The forests are indigenous to the regions and they are quite beautiful and unique in their own ways.
The trek to the Brahmatal Lake takes you through beautiful forests of Silver Oaks and Rhododendrons. The area surrounding the Bekaltal Lake is especially known for the lofty oak trees and you also find them when you are on the way to Brahmatal. Compared to this, the way to the Roopkund trek is especially known for the ‘bugyals’ or large stretches of meadows. As people went higher in the Roopkund trek, they found the path to be more rugged and devoid of vegetation due to the high altitude. Bedni Top has its ample share of beauty due to the bugyal. The most of the share of forests were seen between the trek from Ghairoli Patal to Bedni Bugyal as the trekkers passed through Oak and Rhododendron forests just like the Brahmatal trek.
We have already touched on this, the Roopkund trek was mostly known for the vast stretches of bugyals which acted as rest stops for tourists between treks. Both the treks have the same starting points at Lohajung. While on the way to Bekaltal in the Brahmatal trek, people will reach a wooden bridge which leads them to Begum.
Crossing this point leads the trekkers to an amazing view of the bugyals and they will be able to experience the enigmatic stretch of the green meadows. Camping is not allowed, so it generally takes place by the Khopdaliya Lake. The meadows last till 11,500 ft. in the Brahmatal trek and the meadow of Telandi is also quite beautiful.
After this point, trekkers meet the snow-covered rustic and rugged trek that leads to the Brahmatal top. In the Roopkund trek, people got to experience vast stretches of bugyals like the Ali Bugyal which led to Ghora Lotani which made its way to the rugged and almost barren path to the Roopkund skeleton Lake.
During the Brahmatal trek, you will have sights of the Garhwal mountains which you would not be able to forget. Lohanganj is a place made up of several villages and you can mingle with the locals. This was also the starting point for the Roopkund trek. When you cross the bugyals you will find pristine oak forests leading to Bekaltal.
You will be drawn by the brown lake and on the next day, your journey will take you through more such forests leading you to Brahmatal. The Jhandi point lets you have a panoramic view of the surroundings and the mountains that lay ahead. At the Brahmatal lake point, you can experience the crater lake along with the grasslands that surround it.
The Brahmatal trek is comparable to the Roopkund trek because of similar sights. Trekkers are able to see similar oak trees and the vast meadows. Both provide an amazing view of the Himalayan ranges.
One of the mesmerizing sights to behold on reaching the summit is of the peaks. Uttarakhand is known for providing a great view of many peaks and nothing is different for the Roopkund trek as well as for the Brahmatal trek. As we have said earlier, both provide great views of the majestic Mt. Trishul and it is a sight to behold and photograph.
Apart from that the Brahmatal top also provides mesmerizing views of Neelkanth, Chaukhamba, and Nanda Ghunti. It is said that on a clear day, about 7000 peaks can be seen from the Brahmatal top.
The Roopkund summit also provides an amazing view of the Neelkanth peak and the Chaukhamba range along with the view of Kedarnath. When you are at the summit of Brahmatal trek, just take out your time to look at every single detail that you can grasp because it will help you to remember the moment throughout your life.
Another important part of trekking is the campsites that are being chosen. Roopkund trek was quite well-known because the participants got to camp in the bugyals which are a sight to behold. The court has banned it as the pollution created by humans can endanger the ecosystem present in the meadows. Roopkund trek also lasted longer compared to the Brahmatal trek.
In the Brahmatal trek, you will be able to trek by the beautiful Bekaltal campsite in tents which is quite close by the beautiful lake and you will be witnessing the pristine oak forests. Then you will spend the night at the Brahmatal campsite which provides you with the experience of camping in the mountainous grasslands along with Rhododendron or Oak trees.
Your final campsite will be that of Khorurai which is the land of brown oaks along with flat grasslands present in harmony. All of them are natural wonders present in the Himalayas of Uttarakhand. The campsites are pristine and they haven’t been marked by the horrendous attitude of human beings. On a clear day, stargazing will be a sight to behold in the pollution-free sky.
This is quite similar to the Roopkund trek where the nights were spent in the campsites of Ali Bugyal which provides an experience of staying in the vast green meadows of Uttarkhand, Ghora Lotani which is the last point after which the terrain becomes rugged and naked which leads to the Roopkund lake.
Roopkund also lets you experience the Bhagwabasa campsite which is at 14,000 ft. and it has nothing expect scaterred blocks of stone, but it is an amazing place to catch the sights of peaks. So, the campsites of both the treks are quite similar to each other and you do not need to feel sad because of the closure of the Roopkund trek.
So, we think that the Brahmatal Lake Trek works as a perfect alternative to the forbidden Roopkund trek. They are quite similar according to the parameters that we have discussed above. The Bramhatal Trek is a great option for beginners as it isn’t much difficult, so it is perfect for those who want to explore the hidden parts of Himalayas.
The trek is also great for those who do want to avoid the high-altitude that was present in the Roopkund trek. In the trek, the participants will be able to witness beautiful crater lakes along with the famous bugyals of Uttarakhand.
These days the Bramhatal trek is also well-connected and well-guided, so you wouldn’t have difficulty in achieving the summit and to reach home safely. We hope that you will have a nice experience when you finally begin on your journey to explore Brahmatal. Plan accordingly, as the trek works out well especially during the winter months. Brahmatal trek is also one of the only winter treks in Uttarakhand that doesn’t remain closed during the winters. A plus of this trek is that it can also be enjoyed by a beginner, so hop on it to explore the pristine Himalayas!
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