Macritchie TreeTop Walk
I am always looking for new places to bring the kids and today I decided to bring them on the HSBC Tree Top Walk at MacRitchie Reservoir.
The reservoir has existed since I was a small boy. However, I was unfamiliar with where the entrance to the Tree Top Walk was.
I did some research and to my surprise, the nearest entrance to the Tree Top walk is at Venus Avenue which is located after Thomson Plaza (Towards Sembawang). This is very much further from the main entrance of the MacRitchie reservoir, which most of us are used to.
In fact, this is found off Thompson Road, in the direction of Singapore Island Country Club.
The HSBC Tree Top walk is open at these times:
Tue – Fri: 9am to 5pm
Sat, Sun and Public Holidays: 830am to 5pm
Closed on Mondays
Most of us who have kids think that after we park our cars, the HSBC Tree Top Walk would not be too far away.
Well, Be Warned: This TREE TOP WALK…
IS NOT CHILD FRIENDLY AT ALL!!!
First of all, forget about your strollers and prams! You will face undulating terrain!
It is like Army Terrain found in Lim Chu Kang, and most of the time, you are walking along the ala Cross Country Trek that you ran on in secondary school. Check out more of the terrain below:
Not only did we have to deal with the terrain, but we Walked…
The hike is actually about 2.6km to the Ranger Station which leads you to the entrance of the HSBC Tree Top Walk.
However, there were animals that kept us company along the way. The monkeys are actually quite tame and the kids got used to seeing them!
By the time, we reached the ranger station, which was the starting point of the Tree Top walk, the kids and myself included were soaking wet in perspiration.
We then proceeded to the Tree Top Walk which was going to be another 2.5km in distance.
This is the grand entrance of the promise land! We were so happy when we reached this entrance.
The bridge is a 250 m aerial free standing suspension bridge spanning Bukit Peirce and Bukit Kalang which are the two highest points in MacRitchie. Completed in July 2004, the structure is 25 m at its highest point, and offers visitors a panoramic view of Upper Peirce Reservoir and the surrounding lush rainforest.
Narrow and only one and a half man wide, the bridge is also the place of no return! Once on the bridge, you CANNOT turn back!
Walking into Tree Top structure, the kids were greeted with an awesome bridge, that brought us above the tree tops. Even my 20 months little girl, was on the ground and walking!
Here are some pictures of the Promise Land. Check out the greenery and wonderful surroundings!
There were also signs along the way to describe the scenery and vegetation.
After the wonderful view, then came the bad news! It was going to be a 2km walk back to the ranger station!
Check out the long staircases that we had to walk down!
There were in Total…
Check out Nicole’s Dance of Victory!
If you are thinking of going there, here are some simple tips for parents:
Important Parenting Tips:
Parenting Tip No.1:
Do not follow the directions given by the National Parks and park at the Venus Avenue Car Park.
Instead park at the PUB installation off Singapore Island Country Club. Parking here will reduce the walking distance by at least 2.6km.
To find this road, enter Venus Avenue and follow the directions to Island Country Club. Keep on driving past Island Country Club and you will be driving up a hill towards the PUB installation.
Parenting Tip No.2:
I was the only parent there with kids that young! Most of the kids there were in Primary School. In fact, most of the time, I was carrying my 20 month old baby.
So, if you do go, travel light, and drink lots of water!
Parenting Tip No.3:
Apply lots of Mosquito repellent.
The Tropical Rainforest is full of insects and mosquitoes, and therefore go with lots of protection!
January 2nd, 2010 at 3:55 pm
hi Ed, nice writeout, and pics.
Thks for the tips
January 17th, 2010 at 10:30 am
Thanks for visiting!
Really appreciate your comments!
January 12th, 2010 at 4:41 am
The walk looks super tiring! I am glad that I did not bring my kids for the treetop walk!
April 1st, 2010 at 3:29 pm
I chanced upon your site. Thanks for your tips and pictures as I plan to bring my 3 young kids. At least I now know how it’s gonna be like and can mentally prepare what’s to come!
May 19th, 2010 at 10:21 pm
Hi, i was just wondering, since the bridge is only one way, can we then go across from the macritchie reservoir park entrance?
Appreciate any info u can remember… thanks!
jasmine
May 19th, 2010 at 10:31 pm
Thanks for writing Jasmine,
I thorougly enjoyed the walk up to to the bridge but it was really far.
Unfortunately, it is one way, and u can only go via the prescribed route. This route is not from the Macritchie side.
There may be signages that point from trails on the Macritchie side, but inevitably, they will lead you to the same entrance.
May 24th, 2010 at 10:23 pm
hey! its so nice of this post! thanks so much! i got the info my CCA teacher wanted me to find. tht is the closing times. thanks so much! All the best for your parenting!:D
May 25th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
No problem! Tks for dropping by! Hope to see u again!
June 12th, 2010 at 10:20 pm
Hi,
Thnaks for the tips.
. Think he can , since he has been on hill treks before with ease. – but going prepeared for plenty of rests and with light food and plenty of isotinic drinks.
Planning to go down tmr, and was worried whether my 6 year old could make it – no chance of me carrying him
ur blog was encouraging. Thanks
June 12th, 2010 at 10:56 pm
Hi Sun,
Thanks for dropping by. I am sure that your 6yo can do it!
My kids did it without any training, and that probably why we are all drenched in sweat.
For him…It might be a piece of cake!
Hope u guys have fun!
August 14th, 2010 at 5:17 pm
I chanced upon your site. I’m no internet savy but somehow your comments “Why so ungracious” prompted me further to view your writeouts and those pics you posted. Ur words were truthful and i like this short msg you delivered. Singaporeans, why so ungracious? I can sense your sincerity, the readiness to share and care, which is really a rare find nowadays. I hope the world will be “INFECTED” by you and we can all bask in this warmth wherever & whenever we are. Keep it going
August 15th, 2010 at 1:31 am
Many thanks for your encouraging comments!
Hope to see more of you at this Parenting Website!
November 16th, 2010 at 11:59 pm
I am planning to go to Macritchie reservoir this weekend and happened to see this tree top walk which caught my attention. I started to check it in the internet and read your very informative instructions on what to expect on going there. Thank you very much and more power.
November 17th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Thanks. Hope u enjoy the treetop walk as well!
December 9th, 2010 at 11:21 pm
Hi, planning to visit the treetop walk. Regarding the PUB installation off Singapore Island Country Club u mentioned. Is it at the “dead-end” along Island Country Club road? There isn’t really a parking area right? Seem that cars just parked along the road side.
December 9th, 2010 at 11:29 pm
Yes! It is just a road with no official parking. But definitely worth trying out, as the official parking lot is SUPER far away.
Thanks for visiting and hope to see you again!
December 9th, 2010 at 11:55 pm
Yup, thinking of trying out also as the distance on the map is indeed much shorter. Thanks
(hope luck will be good that day for not getting any fine^_^)
May 17th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
Hi!
We decided to take up the challenge encouraged by your post, and we survived! 
I’ve also done a post on my blog of our experience.
Thanks for the great writeup and pictures to guide other parents, like me.
May 20th, 2011 at 4:23 pm
Glad to see that u enjoyed the tree-top walk
June 7th, 2011 at 2:20 pm
Hi,
chanced to visit your blog, thanks a lot for the valuable information about the Treetop Walk !
I’m very interested at the “PUB installation off Singapore Island Country Club” too, planning to take a taxi to that spot and save some breathe…
Is it that we just go all the way to THE dead end of Island Club Road? or is there turns to take note of ?
Thanks again.
June 7th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
Hi Ziggy! Thanks for visiting Ed Unloaded.
I have not been back to the Macritchie Treetop Walk for a while….so my memory is not so good in this area.
But I think that u should take the taxi to the Top of the hill, and keep on going till there is no road left.
The place is really in No man’s land, so u should really go all the way. Hope the info helps!
June 9th, 2011 at 1:59 pm
No man’s land sonuds a little scarry…
but also sounds fun
Thanks for the tip !!
July 4th, 2011 at 2:30 am
Hey, thanks to this post, I enjoyed my last Sunday trip to TreeTop walk with my friends
Thank you so much!
July 4th, 2011 at 3:32 am
Glad to hear that the trip to Macritchie worked out! I should go soon…have not been to the TreeTop walk for some time
December 1st, 2012 at 7:37 pm
thk u for e tips.e pics and information are very useful in our planning(my daughter and I). Looking forward to the longggg walk!!!:)
December 15th, 2012 at 11:10 am
Hope u enjoy your trip!
December 14th, 2012 at 10:51 pm
Hi,
We are again planning to the tree top walk tomorrow. I remembered this post and was searching , enjoyed reading it again. Your kids look so cute . And your tip of entering at the Venus drive PUB Installation was useful.
Keep blogging, especially about such gems in Singapore.
Hope the weather is good tomorrow.
December 15th, 2012 at 11:10 am
Thanks so much for your kind comments!:) Hope u have a great hike up to the Tree Top walk!
December 17th, 2012 at 10:33 am
Hi , had fun despite the intermitent drizzle. Just wanted to let you know the board walk after the tree top is under repairs . We can go on the tree top walk but have to walk back and take a slightly different path. One caution , the path from mid way of reservoir ( after the golf course, before the exit on lornie) is quite soggy and a little slippery due to very wet clay.
Happy x’mas and a prosperous New year.
January 29th, 2013 at 2:15 pm
WOW! That is amazing!
I do not think I could drag my kids across that bridge! My son (who is 9) would never do it. I loved the picture of the monkey. What a spectacular place!