Top 10 Fascinating Facts About Tree-Top Walk at MacRitchie Reservoir

Tree Top Walk at MacRitchie, Singapore photo by Mokkie – Wikimedia commons

Top 10 Fascinating Facts About Tree-Top Walk at MacRitchie Reservoir

Tree-top walkways also known as ‘canopy walks’  are a dream come true for a nature lover. They provide unprecedented access to the kind of habitat which we are normally locked out of through physical restriction.

Tree canopies are home to a whole host of interesting creatures, as well as being a great vantage point from which to survey the natural world, and develop a deeper understanding of the trees themselves. Anyone who is already imbued with a sense of wonder and delight in the natural world will leap at the chance to walk among the canopy.

We all know that a healthy love of nature can bring untold benefits for both physical and mental health, so most parents are keen to get their children interested in the Great Outdoors. One area that has one of the eye-catching Tree-top walks is the MacRitchie reservoir.

MacRitchie Reservoir is Singapore’s oldest reservoir. The reservoir was completed in 1868 by impounding work from an earth embankment and was then known as the impounding Reservoir or Thomson reservoir. Suspended 25m above the forest floor, the iconic bridge has a spectacular 360˚ view of the lush greenway around, with the neighbouring Lower-pierce Reservoir in the distance.

The Tree-top stroll Singapore is an attraction where walkers and also nature fans visiting Singapore, as well as Singapore’s original natives and residents’ biggest reservoir, the Tree-top walk is an attractive spectacle the world and Singaporeans should not miss.

Located in Singapore’s biggest reservoir, the Treetop walk, as well as the Tree-top route, contains natural attractions. You can experience the trekking trails, the plants and also animals and the beautiful views over the trees.

The Treetop walk opened on 6 August 1996. The bridge was completed in July 2004 and the Treetop was officially launched on 5 November 2004.

From MacRitchie Reservoir park, the distance is approximately 4.5km. A round trip is about 7km to 10km long. Approximately 3 to 5 hours of trek. Here are the top 10 fascinating facts about the Tree-top walk at MacRitchie Reservoir

1. It was officially launched by the minister of state

The Tree-top Walk was officially launched by the minister of state for finance and transport, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, on 5 November 2004. The Bridge was completed in July 2004 before being launched on 5 November 2004.

2. It is a 250m stretch of free-standing bridge

Tree Top Walk at MacRitchie, Singapore photo by Mokkie – Wikimedia commons

The MacRitchie Tree-Top walk is a 250m stretch of the free-standing suspension bridge in the middle of the MacRitchie reservoir. It spans the canopy of the trees and with its highest point at 25m off the ground, it puts you at branch level and gives you a bird’s eye view of the surrounding flora and fauna.

You can see different wildlife in their habitat plus enjoy views of the central catemat Nature reservoir and also the Upper pierce reservoir. It was officially launched on 5 November 2004.

3. The Tree-Top’s closest starting point is from Venus Drive

Although sometimes referred to as MacRitchie Tree-Top walk as it is reachable from MacRitchie reservoir park, its closest starting point is Venus Drive at the upper Thomson road, just before island club road. Trekkers can enter Windsor Nature park and follow the boardwalks (Venus loops, squirrel trail then Drongo trail) towards the Tree-top walk.

You will head past the quaint freshwater streams and a marshland ecosystem along the way.

4. The Tree-Top has two ways to get to it

There are two ways to go on the Tree-top walk. One is from MacRitchie Reservoir Nature park and the other is at Windsor Nature Park. The easiest way to visit Treetop though is from the Windsor Nature park which is quite accessible along Venus Drive from there it takes roughly around 3km to reach the treetop compared to MacRitchie which is about 5km.

5. The Tree-top walk is a One-way route

Photo by chris robert on Unsplash

To prevent congestion, the national parks board decided to enforce the policy to prevent unnecessary altercation on the bridge itself once you enter, you cannot return via the forest path below.

6. It connects the highest hills in the central natural reserve

The Tree-top walks’ suspension bridge connects the 27-meter-high Bukit Peirce with a 25-meter-high Bukit Kalang in the central nature reserve. At its highest point, it is 25 meters above the forest floor. That is roughly equivalent to seven storeys high.

7. It gives a clear view of various rainforest layers

Photo by Maggie Collins on Unsplash

From the Tree-top walk suspension Bridge, a person can observe the various layers of the rainforest. These include from the highest to the lowest, the emergent layer (trees that stick out), the canopy, shrubbery and the ground layer.

Specific flora to look out for include the Medang, Pulai and the captivating Rusty oil fruit with orange-red leaves.

8. The Tree-Top walk can support 30 trekkers at a time

Photo by Suhyeon Choi on Unsplash

The narrow bridge walkway can support 30 walkers at a time, the walkway allows visitors to walk through the park without disturbing the flora and fauna in the forest below.

9. The Tree- Top walk was closed for 14 months

The 250 meters long walkway was previously closed in October 2020 for maintenance work. It was initially expected to open in May 2021 but its reopening was delayed. The Tree-top walk is reported to have quietly reopened on December 15.

10. The Tree-Top Walk led NParks and HSBC into a collaboration

The launching of the Tree-top Walk marked the start of another collaboration between NParks and HSBC that will reap benefits for the community.

As part of the efforts to enhance the Tree-top Walk as an outdoor classroom to promote an interest and appreciation of the natural sciences, HSBC and NParks established the HSBC- GCF (Garden City Fund) Treetop Walk fund to support a host of programs and activities for conservation, education and outreach.

The Tree-top walk is the highlight of several long hiking routes in MacRitchie that brings you through different stages of mature secondary forest. The first of its kind in Singapore and the region.

Besides providing another avenue for nature recreation for Singaporeans, the Tree-top walk also plays an important role in forest canopy research, an area that seemed difficult for researchers to get into because of lack of access.

The Tree-top walk will help to facilitate surveys and plant identification work and further understanding of the working of forest ecosystems.