Quick answer: Pick Brahmatal for frozen lakes, shorter trekking days (about 29 km in all) and a ₹9,000 + GST fee plus a shared cab. Pick Kuari Pass for a wide wall of big peaks led by Nanda Devi, a ₹9,400 + GST fee plus a shared cab, and a longer 13 km pass day. On both treks the cab is paid separately to the driver and split among trekkers. Both are 6-day, Easy to Moderate winter treks in Chamoli.
Brahmatal and Kuari Pass are the two Garhwal winter treks that trekkers compare most. They start a few hours apart in Chamoli district, both take 6 days from Rishikesh, both top out a little above 3,700 m / 12,100 ft, and both carry snow from December. The differences are in what you see, how long the hardest day is and what you pay once transport is counted. Here they are side by side, using the figures on our two trek pages.
Brahmatal and Kuari Pass side by side
| Brahmatal | Kuari Pass | |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 6 days, Rishikesh to Rishikesh | 6 days, Rishikesh to Rishikesh |
| Start village | Lohajung (2,316 m / 7,598 ft) | Pipalkoti (1,883 m / 6,178 ft); trail starts at Dhak (2,050 m / 6,726 ft) |
| Highest point | Brahmatal Top, 3,734 m / 12,250 ft | Kuari Pass, 3,815 m / 12,516 ft |
| Total trekking distance | About 29 km | About 35 km |
| Hardest day | Day 5 descent: about 10 km, 7 to 8 hours | Pass day: about 13 km, 8 to 9 hours |
| Grade | Easy to Moderate | Easy to Moderate |
| Camps | Bekaltal, Brahmatal base camp | Gulling, Khullara |
| Season | October to March; snow December to March | October to April; snow December to March |
| Minimum age | 7 | 8 |
| Transport from Rishikesh | Not included (shared cab, paid to the driver) | Not included (shared cab, paid to the driver) |
| Trekkaro fee | ₹9,000 + 5% GST | ₹9,400 + 5% GST |
| Free Trekking Gear | Yes | Yes |
What do you see on each trek?
Brahmatal is a trek of lakes and one great mountain. You camp beside Bekaltal and walk to Brahmatal Lake, both frozen from December. From Jhandi Top and Brahmatal Top, Trishul (7,120 m / 23,360 ft) and Nanda Ghunti (6,309 m / 20,699 ft) fill the view, with Mt Kamet on clear days and the Hathi Ghoda Parvat ridge. It feels close and intimate: forest, ridge, lake, summit.
Kuari Pass is a trek of one long panorama. It is also known as the Curzon Trail. From the pass you look along a 180° line of peaks that includes Nanda Devi, Kamet, Chaukhamba, Dronagiri, Trishul and Hathi Ghoda Parvat. There are no lakes, but if the point of the trip is to see as many big Himalayan peaks as possible from one place, Kuari Pass wins.
Which is harder, Brahmatal or Kuari Pass?
Both are graded Easy to Moderate, but they are hard in different ways.
- Brahmatal spreads the effort. Trekking days are 6 to 10 km. The summit day is only about 6 km round trip in 5 to 6 hours from a 5:30 AM start. The longest day is the 10 km descent on Day 5, which is tough on the knees in snow.
- Kuari Pass saves it for one big day. Day 2 (6 km) and Day 3 (5 km) are short. Then Day 4 is about 13 km and 8 to 9 hours from Khullara (3,350 m / 10,991 ft) to the pass and back, through a frozen stream and onto a snow ridge that can be windy. Day 5 is another long descent of about 11 km.
If you are a first-timer who tires on long days, Brahmatal is the gentler choice. If you have steady stamina and enjoy one big push, Kuari Pass is very doable. Our Kuari Pass difficulty guide and Brahmatal difficulty guide go day by day.
Trek leader Guddu Panwar's tip: "On either trek, the descent days catch people out, not the climb. Shorten your poles going down, take small steps, and keep your weight over your feet. How your knees feel on the way down decides how much you enjoy the last evening."
What does each trek really cost?
Neither fee includes transport: on both treks we help the group book shared cabs, paid directly to the driver and split among trekkers. Counted from Rishikesh and back, the two come out close, with Brahmatal a little lower:
| Cost from Rishikesh | Brahmatal | Kuari Pass |
|---|---|---|
| Trek fee with 5% GST | ₹9,450 | ₹9,870 |
| Transport (shared cab, paid to the driver) | About ₹6,500 one way per 5 to 6 seat cab: roughly ₹2,170 to ₹2,600 each, return | A share similar to Brahmatal's: roughly ₹1,100 to ₹1,300 each way (cab about ₹6,500 per vehicle one way) |
| Approximate total | About ₹11,600 to ₹12,050 | About ₹12,070 to ₹12,470 |
| EMI (24 months) | From ₹463 a month | From ₹484 a month |
| Backpack offloading (optional) | ₹1,500 + 5% GST | ₹1,800 + 5% GST |
| Single tent (optional) | ₹2,000 + 5% GST | ₹2,000 + 5% GST |
On both treks, transport is not included in the trek fee: we help the group book shared cabs (Rishikesh to Lohajung for Brahmatal; Rishikesh or Dehradun to Pipalkoti for Kuari Pass), paid directly to the driver and split among trekkers, and the cab costs about ₹6,500 one way per 5–6 seat vehicle on both routes. Both treks include meals from Day 1 dinner to Day 5 dinner, two nights in a guesthouse, three nights camping, permits and the trek team, plus Free Trekking Gear (Decathlon shoes, -10°C jacket, poles, gaiters and microspikes) for a ₹3,000 refundable deposit and ₹200 washing charge. Travel insurance is mandatory on both and not included.
Which is better in which month?
- October and November: both have little or no snow on the trail, depending on the year, and clear skies. Kuari Pass nights are around 0°C; Brahmatal base camp is -8°C to -2°C in November.
- December to February: both are full snow treks. Brahmatal's frozen lakes make it the stronger pick for a first snow trek; Kuari Pass's pass day becomes a snow climb.
- March and April: Brahmatal's season ends in March. Kuari Pass runs into April, with days of 13°C to 17°C and rhododendrons in the lower forest, so it is the better spring choice.
Getting to the start
Both treks begin in Rishikesh. Brahmatal pickup is at Jumping Heights, Tapovan, at 6:30 AM for the 9 to 10 hour drive to Lohajung. For Kuari Pass, the trek page lists pickup at Dehradun Railway Station at 6:30 AM or Jumping Heights, Tapovan, Rishikesh at 8:00 AM, for the drive of about 9 hours to Pipalkoti. Book trains to Haridwar or Dehradun early for December, when holiday trains fill fast. If you fly, Dehradun's Jolly Grant Airport is the nearest airport for both. Either way, arrive the evening before Day 1.
Our pick: choose Brahmatal for a first winter trek, children or a slower group; choose Kuari Pass if you want the biggest mountain view or a spring trek.
See Brahmatal dates and book | See Kuari Pass dates and book | Brahmatal in December | Kuari Pass vs Kedarkantha
Frequently asked questions
Is Brahmatal or Kuari Pass better for a first Himalayan trek?
Both are Easy to Moderate and suit first-timers who train for about six weeks. Brahmatal is the gentler choice because its trekking days are 6 to 10 km and the summit day is only about 6 km round trip in 5 to 6 hours. Kuari Pass saves the effort for one big day: about 13 km and 8 to 9 hours from Khullara to the pass and back, on a snow ridge in winter. If you tire on long days, pick Brahmatal; if you have steady stamina and enjoy one big push, Kuari Pass is very doable.
Which trek has better mountain views, Brahmatal or Kuari Pass?
Kuari Pass has the wider panorama. From the pass you look along a 180° line of peaks that includes Nanda Devi, Kamet, Chaukhamba, Dronagiri, Trishul and Hathi Ghoda Parvat, so it wins if you want to see as many big Himalayan peaks as possible from one place. Brahmatal is a trek of lakes and one great mountain: from Jhandi Top and Brahmatal Top, Trishul (7,120 m / 23,360 ft) and Nanda Ghunti (6,309 m / 20,699 ft) fill the view, with Mt Kamet on clear days, and you camp beside frozen Bekaltal and walk to frozen Brahmatal Lake.
Which is cheaper from Rishikesh, Brahmatal or Kuari Pass?
Brahmatal, by a little. Neither fee includes transport; on both treks you pay a shared cab directly to the driver, split among trekkers. Brahmatal costs ₹9,450 with GST plus a cab share of roughly ₹2,170 to ₹2,600 per person for the return trip. Kuari Pass costs ₹9,870 with GST plus a cab share of roughly ₹1,100 to ₹1,300 per person each way (the Rishikesh–Pipalkoti cab is about ₹6,500 per vehicle one way, split among 5–6 trekkers).
Can I do Brahmatal and Kuari Pass in the same season?
Yes. Both run from October, with snow on the trail from December to March, so you can do one in early winter and the other later. In October and November both have little or no snow and clear skies; Brahmatal base camp nights are -8°C to -2°C in November, while Kuari Pass nights are around 0°C. From December to February both are full snow treks. Brahmatal's season ends in March, but Kuari Pass runs into April with days of 13°C to 17°C and rhododendrons in the lower forest, so it makes the better spring trek.
Do both Brahmatal and Kuari Pass include Free Trekking Gear?
Yes. Brahmatal and Kuari Pass both include Free Trekking Gear: Decathlon shoes, a -10°C jacket, trekking poles, gaiters and microspikes. On both treks you pay a ₹3,000 refundable deposit and a ₹200 washing charge for the gear. Both fees also cover meals from Day 1 dinner to Day 5 dinner, two nights in a guesthouse, three nights camping, permits and the trek team. Transport from Rishikesh is not included on either trek; the group books a shared cab, paid directly to the driver and split among trekkers. Travel insurance is mandatory on both and not included.
