Gallop Extension At Botanic Gardens Ridge-Top Hiking Trail In Singapore

Hoorah for nature lovers as a new ridge walk and arboretum is now open as part of Singapore Botanic Garden’s Gallop Extension! The new trail called the Mingxin Foundation Rambler’s Ridge, is a ridge-top hiking trail that leads you to the highest point in the gardens at approximately 40 meters above sea level. As you stroll along, you can discover plants from habitats found in the tropical hills of Southeast Asia, including carnivorous plants like the Raffles’ Pitcher Plant. Little ones will be thrilled to find the Ant Plants along the ridge. These unique plants have modified roots, hollow leaves, and stems, which develop into a network of tunnels just for ants to live in! Upon completion of the 350-meter hike, head to the OCBC Arboretum, the other new feature of the gardens. Deemed as a “living library of trees”, this arboretum is touted as the first of its kind in Southeast Asia as it houses more than 2,000 specimens of over 200 species of dipterocarps – giant forest trees that can grow up to 80 meters tall!

More features are set to open within the Gallop Extension next year. These include the HPL Canopy Link, which is a 200-meter long barrier-free bridge, Forest Discovery Centre featuring interactive displays that allow you to learn about the ecology of Singapore’s forests and how they can be involved in NParks’ conservation efforts, plus a Botanical Art Gallery where you can browse rare books and art from the Gardens’ collection.