Singapore has a few great places to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and get out into nature. We always love exploring the natural areas of a country when we travel, so we headed outside Singapore’s city center to the MacRitchie TreeTop Walk. We’d definitely recommend making the trip to the Central Catchment Nature Reserve if you’re interested in seeing some of the country’s rainforests and wildlife.

Getting to the MacRitchie TreeTop Walk Trailhead

The Central Catchment Nature Reserve is a ways outside Singapore’s city center. There are around 20 kilometers of trails in the area and multiple paths you can take starting in different areas of the park to reach the MacRitchie TreeTop Walk.

The main trail access points are MacRitchie Reservoir Park and the Venus Drive trailhead at Windsor Nature Park. There is free parking at Windsor Nature Park and the car park at MacRitchie Reservoir Park is metered. Note that lots frequently fill up pretty early.

Alternatively, you can reach both parks by bus or rail. Singapore has a great public transport system, making it easy to reach the reserve. Take the Thomson-East Coast Line and hop off at Upper Thomson or Bright Hill to get to Windsor Nature Park. Take the Thomson-East Coast Line or the Circle line to Caldecott to get to MacRitchie Reservoir Park.

We took the rail, but the busses will get you a bit closer to the park entrance if you’d prefer that. Many bus lines, including 52, 74, 93, 130, and more, will take you to the MacRitchie Reservoir stop (stop 51071). For Windsor Nature Park, take bus 132, 163, 165, 166, and more to Opp Flame Tree Park (stop 53071), or bus 52, 162, or 410W to Blk 454 (stop 53361).

For more info on the Singapore transit system, visit the official site.

In addition to the MacRitchie Reservoir Park and the Windsor Nature Park, you can also access the trails via Rifle Range Road on the west end of the park or via the Singapore Island Country Club.

Hours

Entrance to the MacRitchie TreeTop Walk is regulated. The hours are as follows:

Monday: closed (except on public holidays)

Tuesday-Friday: 9a.m. – 5p.m.

Weekends & Holidays: 8:30a.m. – 5p.m.

Last entry to the bridge is at 4:45p.m.

MacRitchie Reservoir Park and Windsor Nature Park (two of the main trail access points) are open from 7a.m. until 7p.m. On weekends and holidays, we’d recommend getting an early start and getting to the TreeTop Walk around when it opens, because supposedly, it can get very crowded on those days and a line often forms.

For park updates and more information, check the park webpage.

Fees & Regulations

There is no cost to access the MacRitchie TreeTop Walk and trails. Some parking lots charge a fee for parking.

Please respect the space of all wildlife you encounter and don’t feed the animals. Pets are not permitted in Singapore’s nature reserves. Stick to the designated trails.

Hiking the MacRitchie TreeTop Walk & Trails

Trail Options

Route 3: Moderate 10.3km (6.4mi) out-and-back trail starting at MacRitchie Reservoir Park. This takes about 4-5 hours to complete.

Route 6: Moderate 7km (4.3mi) out-and-back trail starting at Windsor Nature Park. This takes about 3-4 hours to complete.

In addition to these two trails that include the loop that go along the MacRitchie TreeTop Walk, there are other trails you can combine with these to create a loop or just see more of the area. Click here for the trail map containing more info on these routes. Do note that the loop portion of the trail around the TreeTop Walk can only be walked counterclockwise.

We walked Route 6, starting and ending at Windsor Nature park. We incorporated the little section of the Venus Loop as well.

Our Hike

Our morning began early as we wanted to begin hiking before it got too hot or crowded. We hopped off the train in the Upper Thomson area, grabbed some breakfast, and headed to the park.

Before even beginning the trail, we saw tons of monkeys in a large field near the park entrance! We entered the rainforest, walking down the boardwalks among the lush vegetation. There were quite a few people out jogging and enjoying the trails. The trail wasn’t anything too strenuous and we just appreciated being out in nature.

We soon made it to a ranger station where we cut up the hill towards the MacRitchie TreeTop Walk. This part of the trail was a bit steep, but it wasn’t long before we made it to the suspension bridge. Luckily, there weren’t too many people yet, so we could just walk right onto the bridge without having to wait.

The bridge is about 250m long and sits high above the ground at the canopy level, offering a great view over the jungle and a lake in the distance. We didn’t see any monkeys on the bridge like many frequently do, but we saw many elsewhere along the hike. We also saw various different birds, butterflies, and lizards during our excursion.

We took our time crossing the bridge, taking in the views and snapping some photos. We then continued on our way, following the trail back to where we began the hike.

What to Bring

Water: You’ll definitely want some water to stay hydrated in Singapore’s hot and humid climate. There are a couple spots around the nature reserve to refill your bottle.

Bug Spray: It can get buggy in the rainforest.

Comfortable Shoes: The trails are made up of a combination of maintained boardwalks, dirt paths, paved roads, a suspension bridge, and steps, so wear comfortable walking shoes. Note that the trails can get muddy after recent rain.

Sun Protection: Much of the trails lead under the rainforest canopy, providing a lot of shade, but you may want a hat, sunscreen, and/or sunglasses for any unshaded sections.

Camera: If you’d like to capture your adventure and any of the wildlife you may see.

Like this Post? Pin it!