General Information:

‘Brahmital’ is a high altitude lake located at a height of 4600 meters (15091 feet) above sea-level in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand in India. The trek to Brahmital is a 5 day activity, starting and ending at Jaspur Bend, with camp sites at Panchmilia, Angthewda, Khadathathra and Aadu Top. From Aadu Top, one has to visit Brahmital and return the same day back to the camps below.

The ideal season to visit this lake is from October to December. In winters, 4 to 6 meters of snow is expected on the route of this trek. The trek route has a continuous climb ahead of Angthewda on a narrow trail therefore it is advisable not to attempt this during rainy season.

Altitude Information:

Distance Information:

Difficulty Level:

Easy to Moderate

Trail:

Brahmital Trek Complete Route

• Jaspur Bend to Panchmilia

The trail starts from Jaspur Bend following the road going through the villages of Jaspur and Purali. The initial 2 km trail till Purali is relatively flat. Purali is the last point where water is available on the trail. The next watering point is close to the campsite of Panchmilia. Above the village of Purali, the trail ascends for 1 km gaining around 200 meters in elevation on a well-defined trail of rocks. There is a small shed after the climb which is normally used as a rest point.

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Ahead of the rest point, the ascent is gradual and the trail progresses through pine forest and meadows for another 2.5 km till one reaches two water streams, one after the other. These water streams are source of drinking water and after crossing these streams, the trail reaches Panchmilia after a small climb.

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• Panchmilia to Angthewda

The trail ahead of Panchmilia is through abandoned terrace farms, mountain grassland and pine forest. This is a short climb with gradual ascent, gaining an elevation of 260 meters. The trail to Angthewda provides excellent views of the Harsil valley below, and mighty Himalayas above. The forest has abundance of Monal, which is the state bird of Uttarakhand, very rarely seen in low altitudes. There is no water available midway on the trail to Angthewda. The campsite is located in the abandoned terrace farms surrounded by forests.

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• Angthewda to Aadu Top

Ahead of Angthewda, the route till Aadu Dhaar is steep and narrow (requiring extra cautions), with a few gradual gradient sections. There is an elevation gain of 620 meters over a distance of 3 km. The tree-line diminishes after Angthewda and the vegetation is primarily grass. The narrow steep trail continues for 1.8 km alongside the water stream coming from the glaciers high above, after which it cuts through mountain grassland for another 1 km, arriving at the bottom of a steep climb to Aadu Dhaar.

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The last 50 meters to Aadu Dhaar is an almost vertical climb. Local villagers have paved this climbing trail using rocks, which helps in defining the route till the top of Aadu Dhaar. Atop Aadu Dhaar, majestic Garhwal Himalayan peaks are visible at distance. Aadu Top is approximately 600 meters away from Aadu Dhaar, with the climb along the ridge of the mountain. Aadu Top is the final campsite before Brahmital.

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• Aadu Top to Brahmital

Brahmital lies approximately 2.5 km from Aadu top, with an elevation gain of around 500 meters. The route ahead of Aadu Top is a continuous climb till Brahmital, crossing the ridge of Aadu Top. The trail progresses across several glacial water streams, climbing towards the next ridge in South West direction from Aadu Top. Brahmital lies at an altitude of 4600 meters across this ridge, surrounded by moraine and scree.

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