Rock climbing, canopy gliders and a night in a forest tent: The ultimate friends’ weekend, right here in Singapore

Some days out are remembered for the destination, others for the food – and some for the friend who screamed the loudest.

At the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, a casual meet-up can quickly turn into a full-day adventure. Rainforest Wild Adventure puts friendships to the test, whether you are navigating through a pitch-black cavern, soaring above the canopy on a glider or stepping off a platform up to 20m above the ground.

When you need a breather, the park slows things down naturally. Suspended bridges and forest treks offer a quieter way to explore, with wildlife sightings thrown in along the way.

Watch to find out how these two friends conquered their fears.

The adventure-based wildlife park is one of seven attractions at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, alongside Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and Exploria, an indoor multimedia attraction that brings prehistoric creatures, microscopic organisms and deep-sea environments to life.

For groups of friends, that means there is plenty to do beyond seeing animals. Think immersive digital worlds, team challenges, food stops and overnight stays.

And not everything requires a ticket: The Mandai Boardwalk offers a green spot for a post-meal stroll, while the nature-inspired playgrounds give grown-ups an excuse to play again. Both are free and open to the public.

However you spend the day, there should be plenty for the group chat to talk about afterwards.

What to do at Rainforest Wild Adventure

Spanning about 20ha, approximately the size of 28 football fields, Rainforest Wild Adventure is Asia’s first adventure-based wildlife park. Across its east and west zones, visitors can combine wildlife encounters with outdoor activities.

Your admission ticket includes access to up to nine Adventure+ activities which are graded using a five-level thrill meter. This makes it easier for you and your friends to choose something that matches your appetite for adventure – or encourage one another to attempt something outside your comfort zones. 

West zone: Caves, climbing and big drops

In the west zone, ease into the adventure with the level-one Cavern Crawl, which puts your senses to the test. As you navigate the dark cave, you will have to rely on your hearing and sense of touch.

Along the way, feel for stalactites and stalagmites – pointed rock formations that hang from the ceiling or rise from the cave floor – and do not be surprised if you hear the resident Madagascar hissing cockroaches beneath the glass panels.

Rock-climbing enthusiasts will get their buzz from the Rock Wall Climb – rated level four on the thrill meter – with three lanes for different comfort levels. Each promises the same reward of chancing upon the Francois langur, also known as Francois leaf monkeys, who live here as well as a spectacular view of the entire park at the summit.

For the biggest adrenaline rush, the level-five Canopy Jump gives visitors the choice of stepping off a platform 13m or 20m above the ground.

East zone: Treetops, gliders and hidden wildlife

Over in the east zone, the level-two Canopy Glider takes visitors on a 500m ride above the rainforest canopy. Inspired by the flight of a hornbill, the ride passes over animal habitats, where antelopes, crocodiles and African painted dogs may be seen below.

For a more challenging option, the level-three Treetop Traverse has suspended bridges, climbing nets and elevated views of the surrounding forest.

Along the way, spot the endangered okapis, relatives of the giraffe. Native to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, four are now in South-east Asia for the first time.

Impress your friends with this insider tip: one of the okapis is seven-year-old Kisala, who was once a shy creature but it is now one of the 25 Stars of Mandai, animal residents here with iconic personalities.

At Rainforest Wild Adventure, you can also top up your admission fare for two guided Black Adventure experiences. The two-hour Wild Cavern Adventure in the west zone takes you through a cave inspired by Sarawak’s Mulu Caves, where you will scale rocks, abseil into a 60m-deep cavern in darkness and finish the adventure with a slide back out.

Special offers at Rainforest Wild Adventure

There are a few ways to stretch your adventure at Rainforest Wild Adventure. Its opening special runs for two more weeks, with admission including access to up to nine Adventure+ activities until Aug 31, 2026. Regular admission includes five Adventure+ activities on weekdays and three on weekends.

Students can also enjoy special pricing at $35 (u.p. $39) with a valid student ID, while WildPass members celebrating their birthday can enjoy free admission to the parks when accompanied by one paying adult.

Exploria: Five digital worlds to explore indoors

The group isn’t done yet. Set aside at least three hours for Exploria, one of South-east Asia’s largest indoor, nature-themed multimedia attractions.

Located at Mandai Wildlife East, the attraction spreads over two levels and uses augmented reality, reactive screens, sound, light and motion simulators to bring prehistoric creatures, microscopic organisms and deep-sea environments to life across five interconnected worlds.

Collect an RFID wristband at admission before heading to the Biopool, a 4m LED globe, where you can create and customise your avatar. The wristband also tracks your progress across the attraction as you earn points from games and quizzes to redeem vouchers and digital badges – useful if your friend group is the competitive sort.

At Realm of the Giants, an augmented reality station lets visitors see prehistoric dinosaurs move through their surroundings. The Giants Show, meanwhile, uses visuals, light, sound, motion and mist to recreate prehistoric environments from 500 million years ago.

The World of Darkness moves from dimly lit caves featuring rare creatures like the lesser horseshoe bat, Cuban boa and Mexican blind cavefish to deep-sea environments where atolla jellyfish and sailfin rough shark live.

Exploria souvenirs to bring home

Those keen on a souvenir can pick up the Exploria x Mighty Jaxx collectible blind boxes. They feature characters inspired by each of the five worlds, like Bengal tigers of Infinite Wonderland and tardigrades from Micro Worlds.

Minecraft Experience: Save the villagers, defeat the zombies

After Exploria, head to Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue, a team-based game in which players help save villagers from a zombie attack.

Running till Sep 13 at Green Canvas, the immersive game uses projections, theatrical sets and motion-tracking gameplay across eight rooms.

What to eat at Mandai Wildlife East and West

There are plenty of food and drink options across the precinct to recharge and refuel.

At Mandai Wildlife East, cool down with smoothies from Boost Juice, bubble milk tea from Chicha San Chen or coconut shakes from Mr Coconut. You can also end off your meal with churros from Churros Republic.

To satiate your burgers, fries and nuggets cravings, go to McDonald’s flagship at Mandai Wildlife East. The outlet also comes with a playful twist: seating areas designed to look like life-sized Happy Meal boxes.

For a sit-down meal, there’s Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine for dishes like its Sauerkraut Fish in Golden Soup or Sour and Spicy Potatoes.

Over at Mandai Wildlife West, Birds of Paradise Gelato Boutique serves botanical-themed gelato, while Blackball offers Taiwanese-styled desserts such as grass jelly.

Glamping and resort stays at Mandai Wildlife Reserve

Groups that want to extend their visit can stay overnight within the precinct.

Glamping in the Wild – Crocodile Lodge is located in the east zone of Rainforest Wild Adventure and it offers the experience of sleeping close to nature without giving up modern comforts.

Every tent is air-conditioned, and Standard Tents are fitted with a queen-size bed and bunk beds.

Each stay includes four fast passes that let you skip the queues for the Adventure+ activities as well as a private early-morning guided forest trek before the park opens to the public.

During the trek, guests can meet animal keepers and encounter free-roaming animals in selected areas such as Lemur Land.

For those who are looking to celebrate a special occasion, Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree offers a resort stay that keeps you close to attractions such as Singapore Zoo. Groups can consider the Rainforest Two-Bedroom, which provides more space and privacy through connecting rooms for those late-night heart-to-heart talks.

Discover where your next day out with friends could take you at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve.

In partnership with the Mandai Wildlife Reserve