Kedarkantha or Brahmatal: which winter trek first?

If you want your first Himalayan snow trek this winter, two names come up again and again: Kedarkantha and Brahmatal. Both take six days. Both are graded easy to moderate. Both give you a summit morning you will remember. The difference is in the details.

Choose Kedarkantha if…

• You want a proper summit. Kedarkantha ends on a pointed top at 3,810 m with a 360° view.
• You like forest. Most of the climb is through pine and oak, so the days feel sheltered.
• You want an easy start. Sankri, the base village, is a long drive from Dehradun but simple to reach.

Choose Brahmatal if…

• You want big mountains close by. Trishul and Nanda Ghunti stay in view for most of the trek.
• You want quieter trails. Brahmatal sees fewer groups than Kedarkantha.
• You like frozen lakes. Bekaltal and Brahmatal itself are both on the route.

What's the same

Both treks start around 2,000 m, climb slowly, and reach the snow line by day three. Both need you to be comfortable walking five to six hours a day. Both are best from December to March, when the snow is deep but the trails stay open.

Our honest advice

If it's your very first trek, pick Kedarkantha: the summit day is shorter and the forest makes the first days gentle. If you have done one trek before, or you simply want views more than a summit, pick Brahmatal. Either way, you'll come home wanting the other one.