The tots have turned 33 months old, and we felt ready and brave enough to bring them up the Bukit Timah Hill! And our verdict? It is achievable! All we need is patience, time and lots of encouragement for the little ones!
Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
Do you know that the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is the first forest reserve in Singapore, established for nature conservation in 1883? The Reserve includes Singapore’s highest hill at 163m. Hmm… not very tall by international standards. But this is where many of us spent our memorable youth hiking and camping and hanging out with our buddies.
Hiking up with the Tots
Since we brought two 33-month toddlers and two elder primary school kids along, we chose the Main Route, which is the easiest to tackle.
Honestly, we were not even sure if the tots would be able to walk up the hill independently. Perhaps, we had to carry both of them throughout the entire journey.
We were so thankful that one of the girls completed the walk all by herself, whereas the other required carrying 50% of the time.
It drizzled when we went less than halfway up the hill, easing the humidity in the forest. Our walk instantly became pleasant and even cooling on the not very tall summit.
Main Route
There are a couple of trails available to explore. The Main Route (Route 1) is paved and easy to walk. Click here for the map for the variety of routes available. Nonetheless, it is not advisable to bring along your prams if you are bringing your little ones along. Midway up are rather steep and is not safe for prams. If need be, babywear your little ones. We saw a couple of families with toddlers too.
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Enter the Reserve from Hindhede Road, where the Visitor Centre is located. As we started late at nearly 5 pm to avoid the hot weather, the Visitor Centre was already closed by the time we finished our 75-min walk.
We frequently stopped along the way, studying the interpretive signs along the main route. And that was where I found the Cheng Teng Tree!
There is a lot more to discover, both fauna and flora, on the way up the Bukit Timah Hill Summit. But being the rowdy, impatient and careless bunch of us, we could only spot the Birds Nest’s Fern and many types of fungus. The cicadas’ symphony was one of the highlights too. Swipe to the last page in the Instagram post below to enjoy the concerto!
Get yourselves prepared
If you also have a family like ours with young kiddos, you may want to prepare yourself with raincoats, water bottles and insect repellant before venturing up the Bukit Timah Hill Summit with kids. You will be happy to know that water dispensers and toilet facilities are available at the foot of the hill.
It would also be a good idea to wear sturdy walking shoes to prevent injuring your knee and back on the way up and down.
Visitor Centre
If you have time, you may also wish to stop by the Visitor Centre before venturing into the Bukit Timah Hill Summit.
Nature Keeper Camp
Check out the Nature Keeper Camp if you want to develop your child’s interest in nature. Link here.
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