Ever been to a zoo after dark? Night Safari at Singapore Zoo gives you the opportunity to visit the zoo and see it come to life with nocturnal creatures.
The zoo is teeming with over 1000 animals although you can’t always spot them! When other zoos are shutting for the day, the Night Safari is getting ready to open running from 7:15pm to midnight each night.
Our visit starts with the Creatures of the Night show. It’s an entertaining 20 minute show presented by two zoo employees.
The show asks for volunteers from the audience so sit down by the front if you want a chance to be involved.
The real stars of the show are the nocturnal animals which come out to demonstrate their sense of hearing, smell and other skills which help them thrive in the dark. These include a racoon, a binturong, snake, owl and even a demonstration from an African Serval leaping for prey.
After the show, we have the opportunity to get up close to the owl and the binturong for a meet and greet.
It’s then time to hop on an open air tram which takes us through six of the world’s geographic regions. There’s a large line for the tram but it moves quickly as people are loaded up onto trams. It’s exciting to be on the trams. We’re close enough to see the animals yet we’re at a safe distance away. (The zoo uses moats and cattle grates to keep animals in their enclosures). As we travel on the trams, a recorded audio commentary provides us with information about each of the animal enclosures.
If you stay on the tram, it’s a 40-minute expedition. However, you can also alight from the tram and explore the zoo using the walking trails. These trails provide an opportunity to get up close to more animals, many of which cannot be seen along the tram route. Each trail takes anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes.
We get off at Station 3 to explore to explore the Leopard Trail. Soon we’re face to face with the leopard who is separated from us by a glass barrier.
A highlight for me is the Lion Lookout which provides a vantage point to observe lions and lionesses.
Further along the trail we see civets, fruit bats, porcupines, golden cats and giant flying squirrels. We can also hear creatures as well, their animal sounds echoing in the dark.
After exploring the walking trail, we jump back on the tram to finish out the journey around the park.
The Night Safari gives a completely different view of the zoo. It’s an after dark experience we won’t forget. It’s educational and entertaining to see nocturnal animals that are awake and alert when the rest of us sleep.
Tips for Night Safari
- Night Safari at Singapore Zoo is located about 28 kilometres from the CBD. It’s accessible via an MRT ride to Ang Mo Kio and then the connecting 138 bus which drops you off at the front gate. However, it takes about 1 ¼ hours to get to the zoo. A taxi is faster taking between 30 and 40 minutes and costs $25 until 6pm. From 6pm to midnight, there’s a 25% surcharge. There’s also buses from the CBD which take you to and from the zoo.
- Apply mosquito repellent in case mozzies are biting.
- Time your visit to coincide with the Creatures of the Night Show which runs at 7:30pm, 8:30pm and 9:30pm.
- Be ready for the tropical weather. Bring a poncho or umbrella as Singapore experiences rain.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes as the zoo covers a large area.
For more information, visit the Night Safari website.
Disclaimer: Family Forays was a guest of Night Safari. All opinions are my own.