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URL Source: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/-/media/nparks-real-content/gardens-parks-and-nature/diy-walk/diy-walk-pdf-files/treetop_walk_eguide_lres.pdf

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This trail takes you from Windsor Nature Park to

TreeTop Walk, a 250m-long freestanding suspension

bridge between the two highest points in the

Central Catchment Nature Reserve (MacRitchie),

and the first of its kind in Singapore. From the

suspension bridge, you may delight in a bird’s

eye view of the forest canopy and spot different

wildlife in their natural habitat. You can also enjoy

panoramic views of the verdant greenery of the

Central Catchment Nature Reserve and the placid

waters of Upper Peirce Reservoir.

Singapore’s very own Bukit Timah and Central

Catchment Nature Reserves are home to more than

1000 species of flowering plants and over 500 species

of animals. These include towering trees, climbing

palms (better known as rattans), ferns, orchids,

gingers, and wonderful blooms such as the White Bat

Lily ( Tacca integrifolia ).

The terrain of this trail is undulating with

steep slopes at certain points. Do ensure

that you are suitably attired with proper

footwear like track shoes or sneakers.

This trail is not suitable for pregnant

ladies, young children, and the disabled.

People with a fear of heights or a pre-

existing heart condition should also not

attempt this trail.

The trail is designed for visitors to walk

in one direction only, especially while

on the bridge. Do follow the direction of

flow. For your safety, please do not run or

jump on the bridge.

In the event of lightning, thunder

storms or heavy rain, please follow the

instructions of the duty personnel and

exit the bridge immediately.

Dogs and other pets are not allowed

on this trail or in the nature reserve

in general. Help protect our natural

heritage by not removing plants or

animals from the forest.

In the event of an emergency, please

seek help from the duty personnel on

site or call the NParks helpline at

1800-4717300.

Bukit Timah and

Central Catchment

Nature Reserves

Opening hours:

Weekdays: 9am to 5pm

Weekends & PHs: 8.30am to 5pm

*Closed on Mondays (except PHs)

**Last entry at 4.45pm

Distance (round trip from Windsor

Nature Park to TreeTop Walk and

back): About 7km

Estimated walking time: 3 to 4 hours

Level of difficulty: Moderate to difficult

the TreeTop Walk

Walking Trail

A Guide to N

0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0km Singapore Island Country Club (Bukit Course) Singapore Island Country Club (Island Course) Upper Peirce Reservoir MacRitchie Reservoir

Windsor Nature Park Central Catchment Nature Reserve MacRitchie Reservoir Park

Jelutong Tower TreeTop Walk PIE Lornie Road Upper Thomson Road Island Club Road BKE Rifle Range Road Sime Road Venus Drive Dillenia Jelutong Tempinis Terap Medang Rambai Macaranga Petai Terentang Petaling Chemperai Jering

Rifle Range Link Golf Link Chemperai Boardwalk Petai Boardwalk Prunus Boardwalk Jering Boardwalk Lornie Trail Terentang Trail MacRitchie Nature Trail Sime Track Petaling Boardwalk One Way Venus Loop Venus Walk Venus Link Peirce Track

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Highlights

• Bird's-eye view of the forest with its tall and large forest

trees that rise above the canopy

• A close encounter with interesting plants along the trail

• Sights of native creatures of the forest like the Clouded

Monitor Lizard ( Varanus nebulosus ), Common Sun Skink

(Eutropis multifasciata ), and Plantain Squirrel ( Callosciurus

notatus )

• Glimpses of native birds like the Greater Racket-tailed

Drongo ( Dicrurus paradiseus ), Pin-striped Tit-babbler

(Macronus gularis ), and Olive-winged Bulbul ( Pycnonotus

plumosus )

How to get to this walking trail

By Car:

Park at the Windsor Nature Park car park at Venus Drive

(car park opening hours: 7am to 7pm daily).

By Bus:

Take bus 132, 163, 165, 166, 167, 855, or 980 and alight

along Upper Thomson Road (Opp Flame Tree Pk, Bus

stop ID: 53071; Flame Tree Pk, Bus stop ID: 53079).

Alternatively, take bus 52, 162, 162M, or 410 and alight

at Sin Ming Ave (Blk 454, Bus stop ID: 53361; Opp Blk

454, Bus stop ID: 53369).

Toilet Fitness

Corner

Public

Phone

Shelter Ranger

Station

Refreshment Fishing

Area

Car Park Bus Stop Boardwalk No Entry Mapboard

the TreeTop Walk

Walking Trail

A Guide to 1 2

Signs of a former kampung

Upon entering Windsor Nature Park, begin

your journey on Venus Loop in the direction of

TreeTop Walk. Some of the common plants you

will encounter here include Coconut Palms ( Cocos

nucifera ) and Cordylines ( Cordyline fruticosa ) – sun-

loving plants with red leaves and edible roots.

Rattans are another common sight. These unique

palms do not stand unaided on their own, unlike

most other palm species. Instead, they grow taller

by climbing around adjacent trees. Look up and

try to spot them, but do watch out for their sharp

spikes!

The presence of these plant species, coupled

with that of others such as the African Tulip

(Spathodea campanulata ), Rubber ( Hevea

brasiliensis ), and Heliconia ( Heliconia sp. ), reveals

that this area used to house a former traditional

village, also known as a kampung .

Long-tailed Macaques (Macaca fascicularis)

Long-tailed Macaques are a common sight.

Observe their movements in their natural

habitat, but do not feed them as this will disrupt

their feeding patterns and adversely alter their

behaviour. If you are observant, you may notice

some birds flying around the monkeys as they

move through the forest. The Greater Racket-

tailed Drongo cleverly picks up insects that

are stirred up when the monkeys rustle the

vegetation.

Signs of forest regeneration

As you continue along this trail, look out for signs of

forest regeneration. The presence of Fishtail Palms

(Caryota mitis ) of a healthy size is a good indicator

that the forest is regenerating. Look out too for lianas,

which are long-stemmed, woody climbers that are

rooted in soil and that twine around trees, up towards

the canopy in search of light. The presence of large

lianas also signal the age and maturity of the forest.

Similarly, lichens, which appear as white patches on

tree trunks, serve as good indicators of the forest's

air quality. The more numerous and the bigger the

lichens, the better the air quality.

Getting to TreeTop Walk

As you venture further into the trail, you will reach a

junction. Cross the bridge to take the boardwalk route

(Squirrel Trail and then Drongo Trail), or opt for the

nature trail route by taking the path to your left (Venus

Link). Either route will lead you to TreeTop Walk.

Flora at Peirce Track

After making your way past Ranger Station, begin your

ascent up Peirce Track to TreeTop Walk. You will notice

that Peirce Track is lined with logs from trees that

had fallen many years ago. These logs illustrate that

many tropical forest trees are composed of hardwood,

which takes a long time to decompose. If you examine

the surface of these logs, you will likely see bracket

fungi growing. Fungi play a vital role in the rainforest

Long-tailed Macaque

Cordylines

Heliconia Rattan

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Lianas

Lichens

Greater

Racket-tailed

Drongo Fishtail Palm

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the TreeTop Walk

Walking Trail

A Guide to ecosystem – they help to break down dead plant

matter and return the organic matter to the forest

floor, enriching the forest soil.

Look out for interesting plant species like

the Simpoh Air ( Dillenia suffruticosa ), Common

Mahang ( Macaranga bancana ), and Giant Mahang

(Macaranga gigantea ). The Simpoh Air's fruits are

eaten by birds. Its yellow flowers start to open in

the early morning and drop off towards the end of

the day. They are pollinated by insects such as the

Carpenter Bee ( Xylocopa sp .), which interestingly

carries out buzz pollination by grabbing onto

the flowers and buzzing at a specific frequency,

releasing pollen in the process.This is not the only

unique relationship between flora and fauna; the

Common Mahang shares a mutualistic relationship

with a species of ants ( Crematogaster sp .). The plant

produces sweet secretions as food and provides

shelter in its hollow stem for the ants. In return,

the ants protect the plant from herbivores, insects,

pathogenic fungi, and climbers. Insects like bees

and ants may seem insignificant, but they play

crucial roles in the forest ecosystem. As such, be

mindful not to spray insect repellent within the

nature reserve, but rather before entering it.

The Giant Mahang is hard to miss. It is

also known as Elephant’s Ears because of

its distinctively large leaves. It can be found

throughout the trail and also at the end of the

TreeTop Walk suspension bridge.

TreeTop Walk

Before making your way across TreeTop Walk, do stop

at the TreeTop Walk signboard for more information

on how this suspension bridge was constructed in a

sustainable manner.

Enjoy a bird's-eye view of the forest from the

suspension bridge, which is on the same level as

the forest canopy. Observe the different layers of

the forest. At the emergent layer, which features the

uppermost strata of a tropical rainforest, look out for

tall and large forest trees that rise above the canopy

like the Medang ( Litsea elliptica ) and Pulai ( Alstonia

angustiloba ). See if you can spot the trees that make

up the canopy and understorey layers, fighting for

valuable space to reach the sun. The Terentang

(Campnosperma auriculatum ), a sun-loving tree, fills the

gaps in between the other trees. When you return to

the same level as the understorey and forest floor, do

take some time to observe how the many different tree

roots intertwine with one another on the forest floor.

Flora

Linger at TreeTop Walk and see if you can spot

interesting tree species. In particular, look out for a tree

with orange, velvety leaves on the right side of TreeTop

Walk. This is the Rusty Oil Fruit ( Elaeocarpus ferrugineus ).

Newly emerged leaves are ruby red and gradually

turn a rusty orange before eventually becoming

green. Its fruits are much sought after by birds like the

Pink-necked Green Pigeon ( Treron vernans ). Another

tree to look out for is the Cheng Tng Tree ( Scaphium

macropodum ). This tree obtains its name from its seeds,

which contain brown, spongy fibres. These fibres,

which expand when soaked in water, are used in

the local dessert Cheng Tng .

Birds

To date, more than 100 species of birds have

been observed from TreeTop Walk. Come early

in the morning if you would like to catch sight

of these birds. Look out for native forest birds

like the Crimson Sunbird ( Aethopyga siparaja ),

Olive-winged Bulbul, Pin-striped Tit-babbler, Banded

Woodpecker ( Chrysophlegma miniaceum ), and

the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo. The Drongo is a

good mimicker of the calls of many birds; do not be

deceived by its calls!

After traversing TreeTop Walk

As you walk up the flight of stairs past the

suspension bridge onto Petaling Boardwalk, try to

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Bracket fungi Simpoh Air Common Mahang

Pulai

Cheng Tng Tree

Crimson Sunbird Rusty Oil Fruit

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Pin-striped Tit-babbler

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the TreeTop Walk

Walking Trail

A Guide to Torch Ginger flower

clothes! Remember to return the leaf to the ground so it

can play its part in nutrient cycling.

Terantang Hut and Macaranga Hut are the

two other rest stops along Petaling Boardwalk.

Tiny Wetland Habitat

After you cross the pipeline and continue on the

boardwalk, you may be able to spot a wild durian

tree or two. Called the Singapore Durian ( Durio

singaporensis ), this species is native to Singapore. IIts

fruits are thorny just like the commercial durians we

eat ( Durio zibethinus ), but contain very little flesh. You

will subsequently come to a bridge with a small stream

running underneath it. This stream serves as a wetland

habitat for dragonflies and other aquatic life.

Sime Track

The trail that leads you out of the forest towards Ranger

Station is called Sime Track. From Ranger Station,

embark on the last leg of your journey and head back to

Windsor Nature Park.

spot the Torch Ginger ( Etlingera elatior ) with its

long underground stems (rhizomes), as well as

Calophyllum trees which come from the same

family as the Mangosteen ( Garcinia mangostana ).

You can identify Calophyllum species by their

oppositely arranged leaves that have numerous

closely spaced parallel secondary veins. Many

of them also have distinctive diamond- or boat-

shaped fissures on the bark.

Rest stops

There are a number of huts where you can stop

to rest and enjoy the surrounding forest. While

the forest may appear peaceful, there is actually

a great diversity of wildlife around, such as the

Clouded Monitor Lizard, Plantain Squirrel, Giant

Forest Ant ( Dinomyrmex gigas ), and butterflies. You

may also be able to catch sight of shiny skinks, such

as the Common Sun Skink. Skinks belong to the

lizard family and are cold-blooded, which is why

they are often seen basking in the sun. Animals

that are present but less often seen include

the Sunda Pangolin ( Manis javanica ), Malayan

Colugo ( Galeopterus variegatus ), Spiny Hill Tortoise

(Heosemys spinosa ), and even the Lesser Mousedeer

(Tragulus kanchil ).

At Tempinis Hut, remain quiet and see if you can

spot animals like the macaques up in the trees.

Behind Medang Hut, look out for the Cempedak

tree ( Artocarpus integer ). Its flowers are pollinated

by a type of midge that is drawn to the scent

produced by fungi living on the male flowers. Pick

up a dried Cempedek leaf and feel its underside.

Wiry hairs along the midrib of the leaf give it a

unique “velcro” property, allowing it to stick to your

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Clouded Monitor Lizard Malayan Colugo

Sunda Pangolin Common Sun Skink

The present nature reserves in Singapore cover only five percent of

Singapore’s land area but house over 50 percent of our remaining

native biodiversity. Hence, ensuring the survival of our nature

reserves is paramount in the protection of our natural heritage.

A simple case in point is the freshwater crab. There are six known

freshwater crab species in Singapore, of which three are endemic

(unique to Singapore) and only found in our nature reserves. The

role of safeguarding and conserving our biodiversity does not just

lie with the people managing the nature reserves but also everyone

who uses the nature reserves. After all, we are the custodians of

Singapore’s natural heritage.

We hope you have enjoyed your walk on this trail.

For more intimate encounters with our native

wildlife, visit the MacRitchie boardwalks – Prunus,

Petai, Chemperai, and Jering. To obtain another DIY

trail guide on a walking trail in one of Singapore’s

parks, visit www.nparks.gov.sg/eguides.

Giant Forest Ants

Updated as at September 2021. Information is correct at the time of printing.

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the TreeTop Walk

Walking Trail

A Guide to