Singapore Night Safari is the World’s first nocturnal wildlife park.
During this Safari, which starts after dark, visitors get to explore a 35 hectares nocturnal Zoo on a 40-minute tram ride.
Even as the nocturnal animals roam around freely, the Tram winds its way through four wildlife trails with live commentary.
The Night Safari is divided into seven geographical zones.
The zones include the Himalayan Foothills, Indian Subcontinent, Equatorial Africa, Indo-Malayan Region, Asian Riverine Forest, Nepalese River Valley, and Burmese Hillside.
Visitors can see various animals, including tigers, lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, rhinos, hyenas, zebras, and many more.
The animals are active at night, and visitors can observe them in their natural habitats under the moonlight.
This night-time journey into the wilderness attracts 1.3 million visitors annually.
The Singapore Night Safari is a unique and exciting way to experience wildlife and learn more about the animals that call the world home.
This article explains everything you need to know before you buy Singapore Zoo Night Safari tickets.
Top Singapore Night Safari Tickets
# Night Safari tickets with Tram Ride
# Night Safari with hotel pickup
# Singapore Zoo + Night Safari
Table of contents
- Walk and explore or take the Tram?
- Singapore Night Safari tickets
- How to get to Night Safari
- Singapore Night Safari timings
- Best time to visit Night Safari Singapore
- How long does Singapore Night Safari take
- Singapore Night Safari shows
- Keepers Talk at Night Safari
- Singapore Night Safari map
- Night Safari animals at Singapore Zoo
- Restaurants
- Singapore Zoo vs. Singapore Night Safari
- Rainforest Lumina
- FAQs about Singapore Night Safari
Walk and explore or take the Tram?
There are two ways to explore the Night Safari – by walk or by Tram.
Visitors who have been to the Night Safari Singapore multiple times recommend you must do both.
First, take the Tram, do the 40 minutes ride to see everything there is, and then catch one of the walking trails.
The walking paths have enough lighting, and Park Rangers are placed at strategic points to assist.
Tip: Because of the darkness and the vegetation, there are lots of mosquitos and insects. Do carry insect repellent.
Types of Tram
To explore Singapore Night Safari park, you can opt from two types of Trams –
1. Free Tram with English commentary
2. Multi-language Express Tram
Night Safari’s Free Tram
Access to this Tram comes free with all Singapore Night Safari tickets.
There is a queue to get into this Tram, but the waiting time usually doesn’t exceed 15 minutes.
The live commentary on this free Night Safari Tram is in the English language.
Night Safari’s Express Tram
If you don’t want to stand in the queue or if you want the live commentary in a language other than English, you can book the Express Tram.
The Express Tram commentary is available in eight languages – English, Bahasa Indonesia, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Thai and Vietnamese.
When you book the Express Tram at the venue, you must stand in a queue and shell out S$10 for every person (including kids).
Singapore Night Safari tickets
There are three ways to experience Singapore Zoo Night Safari. You can opt for –
1. Only Singapore Night Safari
2. Singapore Night Safari with hotel pickup
3. Singapore Zoo with Night Safari
All these tickets get you one ride on the Night Safari Tram and access to both shows – Creatures of the Night Show and Thumbuakar Performance.
After you book your Singapore Night Safari Entry ticket, you must choose from four time slots for your visit – 7.15 pm, 8.15 pm, 9.15 pm, or 10.15 pm.
Night Safari tickets with Tram Ride
This is the cheapest way to experience Singapore Night Safari and includes a tram ride with audio commentary in English.
You will see more than a thousand nocturnal animals performing their nightly rituals, grazing, hunting, and stalking during the tram ride.
Besides the Night Safari, this ticket also gets you access to Rainforest Lumina.
Ticket price
Adult ticket (13+ years): S$52
Child ticket (3 to 12 years): S$36
Senior ticket (60+ years): S$20
Infant ticket (up to 3 years): Free entry
Adult ticket Tourist (13+ years): S$50
Child ticket Tourist (3 to 12 years): S$34
Infant ticket (up to 3 years): Free entry
Night Safari with hotel pickup
Since this is a nighttime activity, some visitors prefer to book the Singapore Night Safari ticket with transfers.
A local guide picks you up from your hotel, and after you have explored the world’s first night safari, drops you back.
Pickup begins 30 or 45 minutes before the tour starting time, depending on your hotel’s location.
If you prefer, you can upgrade your experience by including a dinner.
Ticket Price
Adult ticket (13+ years): S$93
Child ticket (3 to 12 years): S$65
Infant ticket (up to 3 years): Free entry
Singapore Zoo + Night Safari
Singapore Zoo and Singapore Night Safari are two different attractions, with their entrances next to each other.
Many tourists visit the zoo in the afternoon, and after refreshing at one of the restaurants nearby, they experience the night safari after dark.
When you book this combo ticket, you save approximately 10% on your ticket costs.
Ticket Price: S$93
How to get to Night Safari
Because of the excellent public transport system in Singapore, it is easy to reach Singapore Night Safari.
Location
Many tourists think that Singapore Night Safari and Singapore Zoo are the same, but they are two different attractions.
However, they are close to each other.
Night Safari’s entrance is adjacent to Singapore Zoo’s entry gate.
Address: 80, Mandai Lake Road, Singapore, 729826.
To Night Safari by MRT
Five MRT stations of North South Line are around the Singapore Night Safari Park.
Connecting buses from these MRT stations can get you to the Night Safari Park.
Khatib MRT: Mandai Khatib Shuttle
Choa Chu Kang MRT: Bus No. 927
Ang Mo Kio MRT: Bus No. 138
Woodlands MRT: Bus No. 926*
Marsiling MRT: Bus No. 926*
*Bus No. 926 operates only on Sundays and Public Holidays.
Bus to Singapore Night Safari
If you plan to visit Singapore Zoo Night Safari from Bedok, Sengkang, or Tampines, the Mandai Express Bus service is the best option.
The Mandai Express operates on weekends, school, and public holidays as well.
The adult ticket costs S$3 while kids between 3 to 12 years of age pay only S$1.
To get to the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, other bus service Safari Gate Buses are also convenient.
Driving to Night Safari
Singapore Night Safari is 30 minutes’ drive from the city center.
You can choose to travel via Central Expressway (CTE) or Pan Island Expressway (PIE). Get Directions
Taxis also follow the same route.
Car Parking
The Night Safari shares its parking slot with the Singapore Zoo.
There are two parking areas – one is a covered car park while the second is an open-air parking space.
Cost of parking
The parking charges at Singapore Night Safari work out cheaper if you are carrying a cash card.
First 10 minutes: Free
Next 1 hour: S$3 per hour
Every additional hour: S$2 per hour
The maximum parking charges for a car get capped at S$10.
If you pay by cash, parking your car will cost you S$10 for the day.
Jurong bird park to Night Safari, Singapore
Some tourists plan Jurong Bird Park in the morning and Singapore Night Safari later in the day.
After exploring Jurong Bird Park, you can do the Night Safari because it starts from 7.15 pm and instead of walking you can explore the nocturnal Zoo on a Tram.
SAExpress coaches run between the Bird Park and Night Safari.
The bus leaves Jurong Bird Park’s coach park at 4.45 pm and reaches Singapore Night Safari at 5.15 pm.
This gives you ample time to grab something to eat, stand in the queue, and get in for Singapore Zoo’s Night Safari at 7.15 pm.
Singapore Night Safari timings
From Thursday to Sunday, Night Safari Singapore opens at 6.30 pm and closes at midnight. It also remains open on Public Holidays and on the eve of a Public Holiday.
The last entry into the Night Safari Park is at 11.15 pm.
The wildlife attraction remains closed on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
The ticket counters open early at 5.30 pm and close by 11 pm.
Best time to visit Night Safari Singapore
The best time to visit Singapore Night Safari is 7.15 pm, which is the first time slot.
That’s when the gates open, and you can be one of the first to get in.
This is the best slot because it helps you time your attendance at the shows, pick the Tram ride, and plan your dinner to perfection.
After you purchase your Singapore Night Safari tickets, you will get an email with instructions to select a time slot for your visit. You can choose from 7.15 pm, 8.15 pm, 9.15 pm, or 10.15 pm.
And on the day of your visit, you must be at the Night Safari Park’s entrance at the time mentioned on your tickets.
Recommended itinerary
Once inside the Night Safari Park, everybody rushes for the Night Safari Tram ride. As a result, there are long queues for the Tram.
After the Tram ride is over, they all rush for the shows, crowding them too.
That’s why we recommend you do precisely the opposite.
Once you enter at 7.15 pm, go straight to the Creatures of the Night Show at the outdoor amphitheater.
The official time for this animal show is 7.15 pm, but since the visitors are just walking, you get a few minutes to settle down.
Creatures of the Night Show lasts 25 minutes, after which you can get back to the Entrance Courtyard to watch the 7-minute long Thumbuakar Performance.
The second Thumbuakar Performance of the day is at 8 pm, which means you may have to wait for 10 minutes or so before the show begins.
By 8.15 pm, you will have seen both the shows and will be all set for the Tram Ride.
Even though there are long lines for the Tram Rides, the crowd management is efficient, and within 15 minutes, one can board the Night Safari Tram.
Tip: Buy Singapore Night Safari tickets online to save yourself at least an hour of waiting time.
How long does Singapore Night Safari take
Most visitors spend around three hours at Singapore Night Safari.
Within three hours, you can go on the Safari Tram ride, walk one of the animal trails, see Creatures of the Night Show and Thumbuakar Performance, and also have dinner.
| Night Safari activity | Time taken |
| Creatures of the Night Show | 25 mins |
| Thumbuakar Performance | 10 mins |
| Waiting in Tram’s queue | 15 mins |
| Night Safari Tram ride | 40 mins |
| Walking one of the Trails | 30 mins |
| Dinner | 45 minutes |
If you are in a hurry, you can skip the Trail walk and dinner and explore Singapore Night Safari in about two hours.
Singapore Night Safari shows
The Singapore Night Safari has two shows, both of which are popular with tourists.
Since both these Night Safari shows are in massive demand, we recommend you reach the venue 15 minutes before they start.
Thumbuakar Performance
This show welcomes you to the Night Safari.
Pyro warriors demonstrate their fire-twirling and flame-throwing skills to the beat of jungle drums.
This fire show happens at the Entrance Courtyard, and the objective is to get you all revved up for the Wild Night Safari experience.
The fire eaters perform thrice on weekdays and four times on weekends.
Weekdays: 6.45 pm, 8 pm, 9 pm
Friday, Saturday and eve of Public Holidays: 6.45 pm, 8 pm, 9 pm, 10 pm
Duration:
Approx. 7 minutes
Creatures of the Night show
Creatures of the Night is Singapore Night Safari’s signature show.
Otters, Binturongs, Civets, Heyna, and other animals display their natural talents during this interactive show.
This Night Safari show happens in the big outdoor amphitheater amidst the rainforest.
Weekdays: 7.15 pm, 8.30 pm, 9.30 pm
Friday, Saturday and eve of Public Holidays: 7.15 pm, 8.30 pm, 9.30 pm, 10.30 pm
Duration:
Approx. 25 minutes
*Shows are weather permitting. If it rains, they can get canceled.
Keepers Talk at Night Safari
Keeper chit chat is an interactive session with a wildlife expert who handles the animals.
You can opt to attend these sessions before or after your Tram ride through the 35 hectares of Singapore Night Safari.
Session with Lion’s Keeper
Location: Lion Lookout, along the Leopard Trail
Timings: 8 pm and 9 pm on Friday, Saturday and eve of Public Holidays
Session with Tiger’s Keeper
Location: Malayan Tiger Exhibit along East Lodge Trail
Timings: 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm on Friday, Saturday and eve of Public Holidays
Session with Pangolin’s Keeper
Location: Pangolin Exhibit along Fishing Cat Trail
Timings: 8.30 pm, daily
Session with Wallaby’s Keeper
Location: Wallaby exhibit along Wallaby Trail
Timings: 9 pm, daily
Session with Tasmanian Devil’s Keeper
Location: Tasmanian Devil Exhibit
Timings: 8 pm, daily
Singapore Night Safari map
The Night Safari has four trails –
- Fishing Cat Trail
- Leopard Trail
- Wallaby Trail
- East Lodge Trail
The Singapore Night Safari map comes in handy if you decide to walk one (or many) of these trails.
Even if you decide to stick to the Tram, the Night Safari map will still help you reach the shows and find visitor services such as washrooms, restaurants, etc.
Night Safari animals at Singapore Zoo
Almost a thousand animals from 100 different species inhabit the 35-hectare Night Safari Park.
Since more than 40% of these animals are in danger of being extinct, the Park also practices captive breeding of these species.
Leopard Trail
When you go down this trail (either by the Tram or by walk), you get to see the nightly routine of animals such as Leopards, Lions, Civets, Porcupines, etc.
You also get to see two fantastic walk-through exhibits with flying foxes and flying squirrels on the Leopard Trail.
Some of the other animals you are likely to spot on this trail are Eagle Owl, Giraffe, Fruit Bat, Golden Cat, Otters, Tarsier, etc.
Fishing Cat Trail
The Fishing Cat Trail simulates the jungles of Singapore, which host animals such as Fishing Cat, Binturong, Pangolin, etc.
The Pangolin in Night Safari was a hit and run victim who has now recovered except for a small limp.
When your Night Safari Tram passes through this trail, you can see animals such as Barking Deer, Himalayan Tahr, Indian Gharial, Mousedeer, Striped Hyena, Small-clawed Otter, etc.
East Lodge Trail
This Night Safari Trail is accessible from the East Lodge Tram Station.
It connects the Leopard Trail to the Wallaby Trail and leads you to the section of Night Safari where animals of the savannah (Africa) and the tropics (Asia) live side by side.
Some of the animals you can spot here are Sloth Bear, Bongo, Babirusa, Anoa, Serval, Spotted Hyena, Malayan Tiger, etc.
If you decide to walk this trail, don’t miss the chit chat with Zoo Keepers of Malayan Tigers, at 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm every Friday and Saturday.
Wallaby Trail
This Night Safari trail lines up wildlife from Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea.
The Wallaby Trail has been landscaped in the form of Australian deserts to make it as authentic as possible.
Besides the Wallaby, some of the animals you will spot here are Possum, Sugar Glider, White-lipped Python, etc.
Restaurants
There are four food outlets at the Singapore Night Safari.
1. Ulu Ulu Safari restaurant
Ulu Ulu Safari Restaurant is located at the Night Safari’s Entrance Plaza and is open from 5.30 pm to 11 pm.
The restaurant resembles a charming village and is a perfect place to start or end your Night Safari.
You can order a la carte or opt for either the Asian or the Indian Buffet.
Ulu Ulu Asian Buffet
The Asian Buffet is designed to remind you of the traditional villages of the area.
You can choose to eat your Asian Buffet within the cozy restaurant or dine alfresco (out in the open).
Price: S$ 45/adult and S$ 34/child (Age 6 to 12 years)
Timing: 5.30 pm to 8.15 pm daily
Ulu Ulu Indian Buffet
If you prefer an Indian touch to your dinner, opt for the Indian Buffet at the Ulu Ulu Safari Restaurant.
The Indian Buffet works out better if you are a late eater because it is available till late.
Price: S$ 29/adult and S$ 19/child (Age 6 to 12 years)
Timing: 8.30
pm to 10.30 pm daily
2. Jungle Rotisserie
The alfresco Jungle Rotisserie restaurant is at the Entrance Courtyard and offers a ringside view of the Thumbuakar Performance, where fire eaters get on the stage.
To top it, the restaurant offers some of the best smoky meat around.
It is open from 5.30 pm to 11 pm daily.
3. Safari Sizzles
Safari Sizzles is located at the Entrance Plaza of the Night Safari and is open daily from 5.30 pm to midnight.
They serve an excellent selection of gourmet hot dogs, fried snacks, chapati rolls, and alcoholic thirst quenchers.
4. Ben & Jerry’s
This is where all the ice cream lovers stop before or after their Night Safari.
Since the weather is usually hot and humid, almost everyone lands up at Ben & Jerry’s.
It is open from 5.30 pm to midnight, daily.
Singapore Zoo vs. Singapore Night Safari
Visitors have lots of interesting questions about these two attractions.
They are almost always trying to find out if Singapore Zoo and Singapore Night Safari are the same attractions, and if not what are the differences.
Rainforest Lumina
Many tourists plan Singapore Night Safari and Rainforest Lumina together.
Rainforest Lumina is a multi-sensory, interactive experience where virtual animals take you through the Zoo instead of real animals.
Eight Creature Crew members (virtual animals) take you along a 1 Km (0.6 Mile) long trail, telling you stories with never-seen-before audio-visual effects.
Time: 7.30 pm – 12 midnight daily
Duration of the experience: 45-60 minutes
Dates: 14 June 2019 – 9 February 2020
Rainforest Lumina tickets
To access Rainforest Lumina, you need to buy entry tickets.
Singapore Night Safari tickets don’t get you access to this audio-visual extravaganza.
Rainforest Lumina ticket price
Adult ticket (13+ years): S$ 16.20
Child ticket (3 to 12 years): S$ 12.60
FAQs about Singapore Night Safari
No, they are two different tourist attractions adjacent to each other.
Singapore Zoo is a daytime attraction, like all other Zoos.
Singapore Night Safari is a night-time attraction, which showcases nocturnal animals. Buy Tickets!
It is hard to take sides here because both are award-winning, world-class tourist attractions.
Since they are so different, they can’t be an either-or decision.
If you are traveling to Singapore with kids or have the time on hand, it is best to see both.
Singapore Zoo opens at 8.30 am and closes at 6 pm, while the Singapore Night Safari opens at 6.30 pm and closes at midnight.
And they are within walking distance of each other.
There are two ways to visit the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari on the same day –
Option 1
This is the best approach when you are traveling with kids or elders.
Buy Singapore Zoo tickets online (to avoid wasting time in ticketing lines), and be at the Zoo when it opens at 8.30 am.
Spend 4-5 hours exploring, and then get back to your hotel and rest.
Come back at 6 pm and line up to get into the Night Safari gates, which opens at 6.30 pm
Option 2
If you are all adults or you have older kids, it is best to see both attractions one after the other.
Be at the Singapore Zoo by 1 pm, and explore it till 5 pm.
Since you have an hour and 30 minutes before the Singapore Night Safari opens, you can sit down and relax at one of the restaurants and recharge yourself.
Once the Night Safari gates open at 6.30 pm, you start your second wildlife experience of the day.
If you can choose only one (for whatever reason!), we recommend the Singapore Night Safari. Buy Tickets!
Inaugurated in 1994, it is the World’s first Night Safari ever.
It has been 25 years since and only two more Night Safaris have come up in rest of the World – Taiping Night Safari (in 2003) and Chiang Mai Night Safari (in 2006).
In comparison, there are more than 10,000 Zoos in the World.
There are lots of differences between the Singapore Zoo and the Night Safari. We list them below –
Time: Singapore Zoo is a daytime attraction, while the Night Safari is a night-time attraction.
Weather: If you don’t go early in the day, Singapore Zoo can get hot and humid. In sharp contrast Singapore Night Safari is much cooler.
Duration: You need at least five hours to explore the Zoo, whereas you can explore the Night Safari in three hours or less.
Exploration: At the Zoo, you get to explore the animals at your own pace. At the Night Safari, the exploration happens at the Tram’s pace.
Crowd: Since the Zoo is open for longer hours the crowd seems spread out and the Night Safari seems crowded because it is only open for five hours per day.
Animals: At the Singapore Zoo, you get to see all the animals, while at the Singapore Night Safari, you can only see the nocturnal animals
Cost: At approximately S$48 for an adult ticket the Zoo is cheaper than the Night Safari, where the tickets are priced at S$50.
Photos: At the Singapore Zoo, you can take photographs, but you can’t during the Night Safari because it is dark and flash is not allowed.
Sources
# Mandai.com
# Visitsingapore.com
# Tripadvisor.com
# Wikipedia.org
The travel specialists at TheBetterVacation.com use only high-quality sources while researching & writing their articles. We make every attempt to keep our content current, reliable and trustworthy.
Popular attractions in Singapore
