Imagine spending the night in an air-conditioned tent under the stars, surrounded by lush greenery and with animals all around you. Here’s your chance to experience all of this – and you don’t even need to go on an African safari.
The Singapore Zoo’s Glamping In The Wild is back for its third edition on Saturday (Apr 1). Priced at S$1,699 for four people, the unique outdoor dome tent experience will be held on select dates in April before resuming in October and running until early 2024.
This year’s edition has been refreshed to provide guests with behind-the-scenes access to the zoo’s inner workings. These include visiting the Wildlife Nutrition Centre to visit the central kitchen where all the food is prepped for the animals, and the Wildlife Healthcare and Research Centre where one can catch a vet in action.
CNA Lifestyle was recently invited to try out the experience and here’s a peek at what I did during my two-day, one-night stay.
03:31 Min
Fancy retreating to air-conditioned tents after a day of meeting and greeting the animals at the Singapore Zoo? We got a taste of the zoo’s Glamping In The Wild programme.
DAY 1
1.30pm: I arrived at the zoo entrance and was greeted by friendly Mandai staffers who ushered us into the Learning Centre’s auditorium. The very first thing that caught my attention was the lone polar bear statue that stood in the corner at the entrace – turns out, it was Inuka, the zoo’s beloved icon, which has been preserved by a taxidermist.
Inuka, a male polar bear who dies on Apr 25, 2018, has been taxidermised and sits on display in the Auditorium at the Singapore Zoo's Learning Centre (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Animal exhibits that were once living residents of the Singapore Zoo, on display in the Auditorium at the Singapore Zoo's Learning Centre (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Arrival and registration. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
2.15pm: After a brief introduction, we headed out. Our bags were transported to the glamping site while we headed for our first activity of the day – to “Meet our Asian Elephants”. On the way, I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a white tiger as it took a dip in the water.
A white tiger is seen in its enclosure during a walkabout in the Glamping in the Wild experience (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Vietnamese Pond Turtle. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Children surrounding the tank to get up-close to the Pygmy Hippo at the Singapore Zoo. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
2.45pm: Seeing the elephants were fun. There was Jati, an Indian elephant who was born in 1984, and Komali, a Sri Lankan elephant born in 1970. And we all had the chance to touch and hand-feed them. Jati’s quite nimble with his trunk, which felt rough and hairy. Definitely an experience.
A participant of the Glamping in the Wild experience feeds a carrot to Jati, an Indian elephant, during the Meet our Asian Elephants activity. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Guests can feed and touch the elephants during the "Meet our Asian Elephants" activity at Glamping in the Wild. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
3.30pm: We then went to two places that are new for this edition: The Wildlife Healthcare and Research Centre, and the Wildlife Nutrition Centre. I had a behind-the-scenes look at the dry store, where about a week’s worth of animal food is kept in an air-conditioned storage facility before it gets restocked.
Animal food stored in the dry store at the Wildlife Nutrition Centre. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Animal food stored in the dry store at the Wildlife Nutrition Centre. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Animal food is kept and shelved neatly in the dry store at the Wildlife Nutrition Centre. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The central kitchen,
The central kitchen where meat and vegetables are chopped and divided into specific portions for all the various animals' diet. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The central kitchen where meat and vegetables are chopped and divided into specific portions for all the various animals' diet. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The final part of our special backstage pass – which isn’t accessible to the public – was at the Wildlife Healthcare and Research Centre, which is a short buggy ride away. Here’s where you might get to see the vets in action at the veterinary hospital. Unfortunately (or fortunately for the animals), there weren't any cases when we visited.
The Singapore Zoo's Veterinary Hospital at the Wildlife Healthcare and Research Centre. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Surgical equipment laid out on an operating table in the Singapore Zoo's Veterinary Hospital. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Equipment that are used at the Singapore Zoo's Veterinary Hospital. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long) (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
5.00pm: After a peek at what goes on behind the scenes, it was off to the Splash Safari Presentation, which offers a hint at what to expect – especially if you’ve got front row seats. The adorable Philipp, a 22-year-old Californian sea lion, can get very excitable, which means you can get very wet.
Philipp the Californian Sea Lion hands over a watch that it was tasked to fetch in the water, to its trainer. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Philipp the Californian Sea Lion performs during the Splash Safari Presentation. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Philipp the Californian Sea Lion performs during the Splash Safari Presentation. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
5.30pm: The Wild Africa Guided Tour was the last activity before dinner. And if you’ve never seen wild African animals, or been to an African safari for that matter, this is definitely one of the highlights. Be prepared to whip out your cameras.
Meerkats in their enclosure during the Wild Africa Guided Tour (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Meerkats in their enclosure during the Wild Africa Guided Tour (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The Southern White Rhino is one of many animals at the Wild Africa area (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The Southern White Rhino is one of many animals at the Wild Africa area (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
African Painted Dog is seen playing in their enclosure during the Wild Africa Guided Tour (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The Nyala is an antelope, amongst many other animals at the Wild Africa area (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Zebras in their enclosure during the Wild Africa Guided Tour (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The Rothschild's Giraffe is one of many animals at the Wild Africa area (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
After this, you head over to Ah Meng Restaurant – but don’t forget to enjoy the evening walk, made more enjoyable by the setting sun’s rays glimmering through the trees. I was also pleasantly surprised to see the footpath being covered with “cotton-like” fibres from the kapok tree.
The evening sun shines through the forested footpath at the Wild Africa route in the Singapore Zoo (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Fibres from the Kapok tree lay scattered on the ground at the Wild Africa area (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Fibres from the Kapok tree lay scattered on the ground at the Wild Africa area (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
6.45pm: For dinner, there’s a variety of dishes which I was asked to choose from at the start of the day. I’d chosen the “Mala Xiang Guo Chicken with rice” and the serving was quite generous that I struggled to finish – which also meant I didn’t even have to think about supper later on!
The Mala Chicken Xiang Guo is one of a handful of selected dishes available to choose from, for dinner at the Glamping in the Wild experience (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Participants of the Glamping in the Wild having dinner at Ah Meng Restaurant (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
7.15pm: Our bellies full, we were taken back to the Wild Africa area to try and spot wildlife at night. The zoo was already closed by then and the animals mostly out of sight in their enclosures. The serenity from all the quietness was really nice and it’s not something that I’d ever get to experience in the zoo if not for this tour.
The dome tents under a starry night at the Glamping site, next to the Upper Seletar Reservoir (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
8.00pm: Finally, the moment of truth I had been waiting for – getting to see the glamping tent and taking in all the fresh air at the site, which is situated right beside Upper Seletar Reservoir. Being welcomed by fairy lights dangling on the rails, lighting up the footpath, was such a nice touch.
The glamping dome tent, which is air-conditioned and has an interior size of 25 sqm, includes 2 double beds (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The glamping dome tent, which has an interior size of 25 sqm, includes 2 double beds (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Welcome gifts for participants (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
8.10pm: Entering the dome tent for the first time was exciting. It looked way more spacious from the inside. Each air-conditioned tent fits up to four people and are 6m by 6m in size. It had two double beds with blankets, four pillows and four cushions. On top of the portable air-conditioner provided in the tent, which far exceeded its job of cooling the room, there was also a fan provided.
Take out the panda lantern during your night walk at the glamping site to spice up the evening (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
You could, of course, stay inside and enjoy the aircon and the room’s warm moody lighting, but they also provided two portable chairs you could bring outdoors. And since there were two lanterns included in the welcome gift pack, I decided to use one and take a stroll outside to enjoy the natural breeze.
The 'Wine Down' Basket, an optional add-on which guests can pre-order (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
9.30pm: After a quick shower to freshen up, I finally decided to take advantage of the tent and enjoy the cheese platter. There are two optional add-on baskets that guests can pre-order for a price: The “Wine Down” or the “Wild Supplies”. I opted for the former.
The dome tents under a starry night at the Glamping site, next to the Upper Seletar Reservoir (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
10.30pm: It was finally lights out for me – but you don’t have to as long as you stay within the glamping site, which is demarcated by the lights.
DAY 2
Sunrise at the Glamping site, which is situated right beside Upper Seletar Reservoir (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
7.00am: I was up early to catch the sunrise. It’s not a moment that I wanted to miss and neither did most of the guests.
The glamping experience was wrapped up with a hearty buffet breakfast at the Ah Meng Restaurant (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
9.00am: After packing up my bags, we went back to Ah Meng Restaurant for breakfast, a spread of local and international flavours, which comes with a view.
One of the highlights during the "Breakfast in the Wild" activity, is the encounter with a great white pelican, where participants can get up-close and personal with the bird (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Some animals including the orangutans will make a showcase during the "Breakfast in the Wild" morning buffet (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
During the "Breakfast in the Wild" activity, participants and diners can get up-close and personal with the animals (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
During the "Breakfast in the Wild" activity, participants and diners can get up-close and personal with the animals (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
And some cameos from the zoo’s residents. As guests, we had reserved seats all the way at the front, and priority to get our pictures taken with the animals over the regular restaurant patrons. This experience definitely brightened up my day, as I got to go up-close and personal with animals such as the great white pelican. It’s also not every day you get to feed a reptile while it politely keeps still for you.
10.00am: Do all good things really have to come to an end? Wrapping up breakfast marked the end of our Glamping In The Wild experience.
And it has truly been a refreshing one for me, despite having gone to the Singapore Zoo multiple times. The programme’s given me some fresh perspectives about a place I thought I already knew, by visiting areas that aren’t accessible to the general public and discovering a little bit more about the inner workings of a zoo. It was definitely a very memorable moment.
For more information on Glamping In The Wild, go here.
Continue reading...
The Singapore Zoo’s Glamping In The Wild is back for its third edition on Saturday (Apr 1). Priced at S$1,699 for four people, the unique outdoor dome tent experience will be held on select dates in April before resuming in October and running until early 2024.
This year’s edition has been refreshed to provide guests with behind-the-scenes access to the zoo’s inner workings. These include visiting the Wildlife Nutrition Centre to visit the central kitchen where all the food is prepped for the animals, and the Wildlife Healthcare and Research Centre where one can catch a vet in action.
CNA Lifestyle was recently invited to try out the experience and here’s a peek at what I did during my two-day, one-night stay.
03:31 Min
Fancy retreating to air-conditioned tents after a day of meeting and greeting the animals at the Singapore Zoo? We got a taste of the zoo’s Glamping In The Wild programme.
DAY 1
1.30pm: I arrived at the zoo entrance and was greeted by friendly Mandai staffers who ushered us into the Learning Centre’s auditorium. The very first thing that caught my attention was the lone polar bear statue that stood in the corner at the entrace – turns out, it was Inuka, the zoo’s beloved icon, which has been preserved by a taxidermist.
Inuka, a male polar bear who dies on Apr 25, 2018, has been taxidermised and sits on display in the Auditorium at the Singapore Zoo's Learning Centre (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Animal exhibits that were once living residents of the Singapore Zoo, on display in the Auditorium at the Singapore Zoo's Learning Centre (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Arrival and registration. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
2.15pm: After a brief introduction, we headed out. Our bags were transported to the glamping site while we headed for our first activity of the day – to “Meet our Asian Elephants”. On the way, I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a white tiger as it took a dip in the water.
A white tiger is seen in its enclosure during a walkabout in the Glamping in the Wild experience (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Vietnamese Pond Turtle. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Children surrounding the tank to get up-close to the Pygmy Hippo at the Singapore Zoo. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
2.45pm: Seeing the elephants were fun. There was Jati, an Indian elephant who was born in 1984, and Komali, a Sri Lankan elephant born in 1970. And we all had the chance to touch and hand-feed them. Jati’s quite nimble with his trunk, which felt rough and hairy. Definitely an experience.
A participant of the Glamping in the Wild experience feeds a carrot to Jati, an Indian elephant, during the Meet our Asian Elephants activity. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Guests can feed and touch the elephants during the "Meet our Asian Elephants" activity at Glamping in the Wild. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
3.30pm: We then went to two places that are new for this edition: The Wildlife Healthcare and Research Centre, and the Wildlife Nutrition Centre. I had a behind-the-scenes look at the dry store, where about a week’s worth of animal food is kept in an air-conditioned storage facility before it gets restocked.
Animal food stored in the dry store at the Wildlife Nutrition Centre. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Animal food stored in the dry store at the Wildlife Nutrition Centre. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Animal food is kept and shelved neatly in the dry store at the Wildlife Nutrition Centre. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The central kitchen,
The central kitchen where meat and vegetables are chopped and divided into specific portions for all the various animals' diet. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The central kitchen where meat and vegetables are chopped and divided into specific portions for all the various animals' diet. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The final part of our special backstage pass – which isn’t accessible to the public – was at the Wildlife Healthcare and Research Centre, which is a short buggy ride away. Here’s where you might get to see the vets in action at the veterinary hospital. Unfortunately (or fortunately for the animals), there weren't any cases when we visited.
The Singapore Zoo's Veterinary Hospital at the Wildlife Healthcare and Research Centre. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Surgical equipment laid out on an operating table in the Singapore Zoo's Veterinary Hospital. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Equipment that are used at the Singapore Zoo's Veterinary Hospital. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long) (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
5.00pm: After a peek at what goes on behind the scenes, it was off to the Splash Safari Presentation, which offers a hint at what to expect – especially if you’ve got front row seats. The adorable Philipp, a 22-year-old Californian sea lion, can get very excitable, which means you can get very wet.
Philipp the Californian Sea Lion hands over a watch that it was tasked to fetch in the water, to its trainer. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Philipp the Californian Sea Lion performs during the Splash Safari Presentation. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Philipp the Californian Sea Lion performs during the Splash Safari Presentation. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
5.30pm: The Wild Africa Guided Tour was the last activity before dinner. And if you’ve never seen wild African animals, or been to an African safari for that matter, this is definitely one of the highlights. Be prepared to whip out your cameras.
Meerkats in their enclosure during the Wild Africa Guided Tour (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Meerkats in their enclosure during the Wild Africa Guided Tour (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The Southern White Rhino is one of many animals at the Wild Africa area (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The Southern White Rhino is one of many animals at the Wild Africa area (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
African Painted Dog is seen playing in their enclosure during the Wild Africa Guided Tour (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The Nyala is an antelope, amongst many other animals at the Wild Africa area (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Zebras in their enclosure during the Wild Africa Guided Tour (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The Rothschild's Giraffe is one of many animals at the Wild Africa area (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
After this, you head over to Ah Meng Restaurant – but don’t forget to enjoy the evening walk, made more enjoyable by the setting sun’s rays glimmering through the trees. I was also pleasantly surprised to see the footpath being covered with “cotton-like” fibres from the kapok tree.
The evening sun shines through the forested footpath at the Wild Africa route in the Singapore Zoo (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Fibres from the Kapok tree lay scattered on the ground at the Wild Africa area (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Fibres from the Kapok tree lay scattered on the ground at the Wild Africa area (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
6.45pm: For dinner, there’s a variety of dishes which I was asked to choose from at the start of the day. I’d chosen the “Mala Xiang Guo Chicken with rice” and the serving was quite generous that I struggled to finish – which also meant I didn’t even have to think about supper later on!
The Mala Chicken Xiang Guo is one of a handful of selected dishes available to choose from, for dinner at the Glamping in the Wild experience (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Participants of the Glamping in the Wild having dinner at Ah Meng Restaurant (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
7.15pm: Our bellies full, we were taken back to the Wild Africa area to try and spot wildlife at night. The zoo was already closed by then and the animals mostly out of sight in their enclosures. The serenity from all the quietness was really nice and it’s not something that I’d ever get to experience in the zoo if not for this tour.
The dome tents under a starry night at the Glamping site, next to the Upper Seletar Reservoir (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
8.00pm: Finally, the moment of truth I had been waiting for – getting to see the glamping tent and taking in all the fresh air at the site, which is situated right beside Upper Seletar Reservoir. Being welcomed by fairy lights dangling on the rails, lighting up the footpath, was such a nice touch.
The glamping dome tent, which is air-conditioned and has an interior size of 25 sqm, includes 2 double beds (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The glamping dome tent, which has an interior size of 25 sqm, includes 2 double beds (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Welcome gifts for participants (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
8.10pm: Entering the dome tent for the first time was exciting. It looked way more spacious from the inside. Each air-conditioned tent fits up to four people and are 6m by 6m in size. It had two double beds with blankets, four pillows and four cushions. On top of the portable air-conditioner provided in the tent, which far exceeded its job of cooling the room, there was also a fan provided.
Take out the panda lantern during your night walk at the glamping site to spice up the evening (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
You could, of course, stay inside and enjoy the aircon and the room’s warm moody lighting, but they also provided two portable chairs you could bring outdoors. And since there were two lanterns included in the welcome gift pack, I decided to use one and take a stroll outside to enjoy the natural breeze.
The 'Wine Down' Basket, an optional add-on which guests can pre-order (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
9.30pm: After a quick shower to freshen up, I finally decided to take advantage of the tent and enjoy the cheese platter. There are two optional add-on baskets that guests can pre-order for a price: The “Wine Down” or the “Wild Supplies”. I opted for the former.
The dome tents under a starry night at the Glamping site, next to the Upper Seletar Reservoir (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
10.30pm: It was finally lights out for me – but you don’t have to as long as you stay within the glamping site, which is demarcated by the lights.
DAY 2
Sunrise at the Glamping site, which is situated right beside Upper Seletar Reservoir (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
7.00am: I was up early to catch the sunrise. It’s not a moment that I wanted to miss and neither did most of the guests.
The glamping experience was wrapped up with a hearty buffet breakfast at the Ah Meng Restaurant (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
9.00am: After packing up my bags, we went back to Ah Meng Restaurant for breakfast, a spread of local and international flavours, which comes with a view.
One of the highlights during the "Breakfast in the Wild" activity, is the encounter with a great white pelican, where participants can get up-close and personal with the bird (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Some animals including the orangutans will make a showcase during the "Breakfast in the Wild" morning buffet (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
During the "Breakfast in the Wild" activity, participants and diners can get up-close and personal with the animals (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
During the "Breakfast in the Wild" activity, participants and diners can get up-close and personal with the animals (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
And some cameos from the zoo’s residents. As guests, we had reserved seats all the way at the front, and priority to get our pictures taken with the animals over the regular restaurant patrons. This experience definitely brightened up my day, as I got to go up-close and personal with animals such as the great white pelican. It’s also not every day you get to feed a reptile while it politely keeps still for you.
10.00am: Do all good things really have to come to an end? Wrapping up breakfast marked the end of our Glamping In The Wild experience.
And it has truly been a refreshing one for me, despite having gone to the Singapore Zoo multiple times. The programme’s given me some fresh perspectives about a place I thought I already knew, by visiting areas that aren’t accessible to the general public and discovering a little bit more about the inner workings of a zoo. It was definitely a very memorable moment.
For more information on Glamping In The Wild, go here.
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