Garbett Plateau is a popular trekking destination near Matheran, Maharashtra. It is a relatively easy trek, making it a good option for beginners. The trek offers stunning views of the surrounding hills and valleys.
Planning to trek to Garbett Plateau? Check out this informative guide on how to do it. Happy trekking!
The trek route is easy to navigate and safe. It is an ideal location that you can trek to by yourself and can pitch tents at the summit to stay overnight.
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History of Garbett Plateau
Garbett Plateau doesn’t have a great historical background. It was discoverd and gain importance due to its connectivity to Matheran. The credit for discovering the scenic Garbett Plateau goes to Hugh Poyntz Malet, the Thane district collector, in 1850.
How to reach Garbett Plateau from Mumbai And Pune
Bhivpuri Road Station is the nearest railway station to the Garbett Plateau trek starting point.
Catch a Mumbai local train going to Karjat or Khopoli and get down at Bhivpuri railway station. The starting point is just a walkable distance from the station. You can get any local help there.
Things to do at Garbett Plateau
- Enjoy the panoramic views from the plateau.
- Visit the Garbett Point temple.
- Take a walk through the nearby forests.
- Have a picnic lunch or dinner on the plateau.
Food Availability at Garbett Plateau
Food is not available throughout the route. While we were trekking, we found one stall where the locals were selling lemon juice, tea, and other snacks. But you cannot rely on those. Because, if the weather is not apt, they might not pitch their stalls there.
Hence, carry your own packed food and a good amount of water, as it is a long trek.
You can find many shops and small hotels in the Bhivpuri station area where you can have your breakfast or get your meals.
Height– 2,625 feet (800 meters) above sea level.
What to Expect at the Garbett Point?
The mountain range is often covered with fog. You can capture beautiful timelapse there.
If you are trekking in a rainy season, then you will definitely catch rain.
It is always windy up there and the winds are quite strong.
Trek Distance and Route of Garbett Plateau Trek
There are two routes for the Garbett Plateau trek
1. Bhivpuri – Bhivpuri (16 km)
2. Bhivpuri – Matheran Dastur Naka (around 10 km)
Usually, trekkers prefer the second route where they can start the trek from Bhivpuri and end in Matheran.
There are two routes to reach Matheran Dastur Naka from Garbett Point. One is from inside the village and the other one is a track route that can eventually lead to Neral Station.
The latter offers incredible views of peaks in the Sabyadri Mountain range such as Peb Fort, Irshalgad, Prabalgad, etc.
Trek Difficulty of Garbett Plateau
This trek is easy and can be done by beginners. Although, this is one of the longest treks in Maharashtra and requires a lot of walking and hiking. If you are physically fit and have high endurance, this trek is just for you.
Time needed for Garbett Plateau Trek
Total 6-7 hours (To and Fro)
The ideal time to reach the summit would be 3 hours from Bhivpuri Station. Another 2-3 hours would be needed to descend from the Neral-Matheran Side.
Even if you decide to come back to Bhivpuri’s side, it will take around 3 hours.
This trek route has wonderful waterfalls and mountain trails; we had stopped at many places to enjoy the trail.
I would personally suggest you start trekking early in the morning around 7 a.m. So that, by the evening time you would reach the base village.
Night Trekking and Camping at Garbett Plateau
Yes, you can trek at night here. Also, you can pitch your own tents at the summit. There are no specific rules for that.
Watch out for the winds, as the winds are very strong. Pitching a tent would be difficult. If you are camping in the rainy season, then make sure your tent is water-resistant.
Decathlon has a good range of tents that are specifically made for the Sahyadri terrain. They are water-resistant and sturdy enough to withstand Sahyadri’s harsh weather conditions.
Some of their tents provide UV protection as well making these tents suitable for summer camping as well.
Garbett Point is an open plateau and hence it is almost always colder. If you are going there in the winter season, then be sure, that you are backed up with good winter clothes.
Garbett Point is amidst a mountain range and lush greenery, so carry torches.
Things to carry
- Good trekking shoes (especially in monsoon) as it gets really slippery in the rainy season.
- Enough water (you can refill water at one of the many water bodies you may encounter en route)
- Enough food (There are no shops throughout the trail, so pack your meals in the base village itself)
- Raincoat (avoid umbrellas as it gets windy) (at one point we had to stop walking due to fog and winds)
- Camera (Garbett Plateau offers unique scenery and if you are lucky enough you can also see fog and shoot a serene timelapse.
For Night Camping at Garbett Point
Paid Garbett Plateau Trekking
If you are skeptical about trekking the Garbett Plateau by yourself, you can also join paid trekking groups that can help you with the guidance you need.
Here are some safe and popular trek groups for the Garbett Plateau trek.
My Personal Experience of Trekking to Garbett Plateau
Weekends used to be all about trekking for us. Garbett Plateau had been on our wish list forever. Finally, one post-lockdown weekend, my friend and I decided to go for it. Train tickets were hard to get unless it was an emergency, but somehow we snagged some!
We reached Bhivpuri station, grabbed breakfast, and started towards the base of the trek. The sun was already getting strong. This was a longer trek, so we didn’t see many people around.
The trail was beautiful and kept changing. We crossed farms, jungles, plains, small mountains, even waterfalls and ponds! We took our time, enjoying the scenery.
Finally, we reached a small shop run by a local couple, selling juices and tea. We sipped on lemon juice and chatted with them. They surprised us by saying we weren’t even halfway yet, and there wouldn’t be any more food stops. Noon was approaching, so we decided to pick up the pace.
The couple also gave us tips on the way down, and we took a picture with the friendly uncle before saying goodbye. But within 20-30 minutes, the weather did a complete flip-flop. It got gloomy and super windy. We knew rain was coming.
The wind got so strong we couldn’t move. We were stuck on a narrow mountain path! All we could do was wait and hope the storm would pass.
Our rumbling tummies couldn’t wait any longer, so we enjoyed our packed lunch with a view. The storm finally calmed down, and we were back on the trail.
Then, like a peek-a-boo, the plateau emerged! Surrounded by mountains, it was half-hidden in the fog. We weren’t alone – other hikers were using this route to go down too.
We decided to make our descent from Matheran. We stopped often, just to soak in the beauty around us. The way the fog and wind danced together looked like a nature timelapse come to life!
By late afternoon, we were feeling the trek. To top it off, my fear of heights decided to show up. There were a few small hills to climb, and the rain made them slippery. We were completely alone! But my friend helped me through the panic, and we finally reached the top.
The view was incredible! We snapped some pictures, kicked off our shoes, let our hair down, and even took a nap on the bare ground. All our tiredness seemed to melt away.
After a relaxing break, we started our descent towards Neral. This route was a breeze – a simple jungle path with stunning scenery.
On our way down, we crossed the Matheran Toy Train route and caught a breathtaking sunset. We could even see the forts of Peb, Prabalgad, and others standing tall in the Sahyadris.
We were having a great trek but lost track of time. It got dark fast! Suddenly, we saw a big pile of rocks blocking the way – a landslide! This can happen in monsoons, that’s why the Matheran Toy Train stops running this time of year.
We tried to cross a muddy patch, but our feet got stuck! Even a crane was stuck there. It was getting dark and scary, we didn’t know what to do. Luckily, some locals helped us out and showed us the way.
Finally, we started going down again, this time on a proper road. It was dark and there were no lights, so we felt a little unsafe. We even checked Google Maps and realized we had 6 more kilometers to walk!
But then, good luck! A car stopped and gave us a ride to the station for only 200 rupees.
Here’s what we learned: Start trekking early so you have enough daylight. Don’t underestimate the dangers – you can get lost in the jungle, and the darkness can be risky. Always plan ahead and be prepared!
| Read Also-> Kothaligad Trek: My Thrilling Experience |
Responsible Trekking in Sahyadri
- Be sure that you are only leaving footprints in the beautiful nature of Sahyadri.
- Do not litter garbage.
- Carry a garbage bag for your litter.
- Carry a metal water bottle rather than a plastic one.
- Carry your food in the lunch box rather than plastic bags.
- Avoid feeding wild animals.
- Do not harm plants and animals in the area.
- Do not contaminate the water bodies.
- Do not play loud music in the jungles. Enjoy nature’s peace and let everyone enjoy.
- Do not engage in activities like consuming drugs and alcohol.
- Do not write anything on the historic places such as walls.
- Sahyadri can be really unpredictable in terms of nature. Ensure you are taking every safety measure while wandering.
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