*Starry Starry Night by Don McLean playing in the background*

Leave the city skies behind and step into a night that feels like a dream. We’re strolling through a dark forest under a starlit sky to reach the open plateau of Garbett, where the real magic begins. There’s a telescope. There’s a campfire. There are marshmallows and there are games. We’ll watch constellations drift across the sky, tell stories about ancient myths and galaxies, and play around with some astrophotography—all while wrapped in the quiet of the hills. If you`re into starry skies, good company, and a little bit of wonder, this one`s for you.

Difficulty level: Easy

Plateau height: 2,625 ft

Time taken to and fro: 1-1.5 hrs one way

Total distance of trail: 3 km

Duration: 1 day

Meeting point: Neral stn ticket counter (Saturday, 9:45 pm)

Departure point: Neral stn ticket counter (Sunday, 10:00 pm)

Itinerary

9:45 pm: Board the 7:50 pm Karjat (Fast) local from CSMT. Can’t make it from CSMT? No stress—hop on from wherever and meet the Vagabond team at the Neral station ticket counter at 9:45 pm. That’s where the adventure (and a quick round of intros) kicks off.

10:00 pm: We jump into our pre-booked cabs and head towards Matheran, the trailhead to our night in the wild.

10:30 pm: A quick briefing, and we’re off. The forest walk begins—think flashlight beams, hushed laughter, and the kind of peace you don’t get in the city.

11:30 pm: We hit Garbett Plateau and settle in under the stars. Our stargazing expert sets up the telescope, and the skywatching begins. Learn about the galaxies, summer constellations and mythical stories of the celestial bodies.

3:00 am: While the constellations slowly roll overhead, we light up a cosy campfire. Cue a round of marshmallow roasting, light painting attempts, games and constellation tales that go way beyond just “Orion’s Belt.” Try your hand at some astrophotography if it tickles your fancy!

05:30 am: The horizon starts showing off. Watch the sky shift from ink to gold as the sun rises over a sea of green. Breathe it all in—this is the good stuff.

07:30 am: Time to head back. We begin our exit through the forest, still riding that cosmic high.

08:30 am: Back in Neral, and straight to breakfast. Hot food. Full hearts. Slightly sore feet. Perfect combo.

10:00 am: Final hugs, group selfies, and we board the train back home. Sleepy heads, happy memories, and maybe a few new stargazing buddies.

Sky Highlights (12am-3am)

1) Milky Way core visible high in the sky — perfect for naked-eye viewing and astrophotography

2) Saturn rising post-midnight (especially visible on 24th May)

3) Bright summer constellations: Scorpius, Sagittarius, Cygnus, Lyra and many more 

4) Deep-sky objects like the Ring Nebula (M57), the Omega Centauri globular cluster, and other galaxies. 

5) Shooting stars — a chance to catch a few from sporadic meteor activity

Inclusions

1) Transport from Neral station to Garbett Plateau and back (private taxis)

2) Expert-led stargazing session

3) Use of professional equipment

4) LIVE astronomy talk by expert educators

5) Astrophotography session

6) Campfire

7) Breakfast

8) Refreshments

9) Trek guide charges

10) Assistance by Vagabond EMs

11) First Aid assistance