14 things to do at Singapore Zoo (animals, food, rides, and more)

Singapore Zoo is a must-see destination that I recommend to most visitors I guide around Singapore. In addition to hundreds of animals to discover in their habitats, there are rides, food, and interactive activities that add value to your day at the zoo. I put this guide together to help visitors plan our their trip to the Zoo.

In this guide I’ve included details on

Feeding animals
Keeper talks
KidzWorld
Lunch
and more!

Photo Lemur at Singapore Zoo — Getting up close to the animals is of course the number 1 reason to come to the Singapore Zoo

This guide is part of a series I put together on the Singapore Zoo. Check out the Further Reading section at the end of this guide for links to other parts in the series.

1. Visit the Animals

There are a lot of animals from all around the world brought together at the Singapore Zoo. The table below has some examples of the animal zones and who calls them home:

Zone	Feature animal
Orangutan Island	Orangutan
Wild Africa	Giraffe
Fragile Forest	Lemur
Reptopia and Reptile Kingdom	Snake
Tortoise Shell-ter	Tortoise
Primate Kingdom	Chimpanzee
Elephants of Asia	Elephants
Australasia	Kangaroo
Great Rift Valley of Ethiopia	Baboon

Photo Giraffe at Singapore Zoo — Giraffe at the Singapore Zoo

There are many more animals in each zone to check out. My favourite were the birds living in the Fragile Forest - I was captivated watching one build a nest for his mate from the twigs and leaves scattered around the forest floor.

2. Feed the Animals

Some animals at the Zoo seemingly love to be fed by visitors. You can book yourself in at a feeding time, get up-close-and-personal, and feed the animals with your own hands.

Photo of sign at Singapore Zoo — Feeding animals is something you can do at the Singapore Zoo!

When I visited the Zoo in summer 2024, the animals available for feeding included:

Animal	Feeding Time
White Rhinoceros	1:15pm
Giant Tortoise	1:15pm
Giraffe	10:45am, 1:50pm, 3:45pm
Zebra	10:15am, 2:15pm

This schedule is based on animal availability and the Zoo’s own planning - it’s subject to change. Elephant feeding can also be available, but it wasn’t the last time I visited.

Feeding tickets cost S$8 per portion per animal and can be purchased via the app.

3. Listen to a Keeper Talk

Keeper talks are short presentations by the Zoo’s keepers sharing with you some interesting information about the animals, their habitats, their history, and their personalities.

When I last visited there were 16 keeper talks spread throughout the day:

Probiscus monkey, 11:30am
Elephants, 11:30am
African Lion, 1:25pm
Gibbons, 1:30pm
Meerkats, 1:30pm
Cheetah, 1:35pm
African painted dog, 1:40pm
Primate Kingdom (starts at Howler Monkeys), 11am and 2pm
Indian gharial (crocodile), 2:30pm
Pygmy hippo, 2:30pm
Malayan tiger, 2:40pm
Fossa, 3:30pm
Orangutan, 3:30pm
Animal pack (for the kids), 4:15pm
Celebes crested macaque, 4:15pm
Chimpanzee, 4:35pm

You could spend your entire day at the Zoo following the keepers around listening to their talks (you can even see in the schedule above when the keepers take a break for lunch).

4. Watch a Show

The Singapore Zoo schedules free shows throughout the day to share insights into some of the animals at the Zoo. There are 3 such shows which are repeated a few times throughout the day, specifically:

Show	Timing
Animal Buddies - great for kids, located in KidzWorld	11am, 2pm, or 4pm. Runs for 10 minutes
Into the Wild - located at Shaw Amphitheatre	12pm or 2:30pm. Runs for 20 minutes
Splash Safari - located at Shaw Amphitheatre	10:30am or 5pm. Runs for 20 minutes

The shows at the Shaw Amphitheatre involve the keepers introducing you to some of the animals (such as birds who fly over the crowd), sharing with you a bit of their story, and sharing some lessons on how you can help in the conservation efforts for these animals.

Photo of Shaw Amphitheatre — Catch a show in the covered space at Shaw Amphitheatre

There were plenty of seats available in the amphitheatre last time I visited (on a weekday), even though I was 5 minutes late for the start time.

It gets busy on weekends and I usually recommend arriving at least 10 minutes before the start time to secure a good seat.

There is parking for prams and wagons at the top of the amphitheatre; there is also a snack stand.

The KidzWorld show is similar but allows children to get much closer to the animals.

Booking is not required for shows at the Singapore Zoo, unlike the shows at River Wonders. There are no additional charges for shows at the Singapore Zoo.

5. Visit KidzWorld

Children have their own dedicated zone at the Singapore Zoo where they can interact directly with animals and learn more about the Zoo and its conservation efforts. There is also space here to cool down in air conditioning, have a drink, and get something to eat.

At KidzWorld you can:

Meet rabbits, cats, dogs, and other critters
Walk amongst the goats, chickens, and falabellas (a type of horse)
Play in the Play Trees playground, including its two-storey slide

A restaurant (currently KFC) and a souvenir shop are also operating within the KidzWorld zone.

6. Climb the Ropes Course

For adults as well as children, you can climb the Houbii Rope course to get an idea of what it’s like to be an orangutan swinging through the jungle (though for safety, it’s less swinging and more climbing - we humans are not as agile as orangutans).

The Rope Course is located next to the Ah Meng Memorial Garden with a fantastic view over the rivers surrounding the Zoo.

Tickets for the Rope Course are purchased at the counter before you start. The Zoo recommends you wear covered shoes when climbing through the course.

7. Ride the Tram

Every entry ticket to the Singapore Zoo includes unlimited rides on the Tram. The Tram is a shuttle service that navigates along the main road of the Zoo carrying passengers between exhibits and narrating the sights as you go past.

There are four stops on the tram route:

Tram Stop 1: Ah Meng Restaurant
Tram Stop 2: Pavilion By The Lake
Tram Stop 3: Wild Africa
Tram Stop 4: Kidz World

Check with staff at the tram stop to make sure you’re catching the tram in the right direction for where you want to go. The routing can be a bit confusing, especially as Tram Stop 1 and Tram Stop 3 are actually fairly close to each other.

Tram Service operates every 5-10 minutes throughout the day, depending on demand. The last service operates a few minutes after the Zoo’s official closure time to ensure everyone can make it back to the entrance.

Audio commentary is played throughout the journey to highlight some of the exhibits at each stop, or that you’re driving past on your ride. It is possible to sit on the tram for its full journey and simply listen to the audio commentary for each exhibit that you pass (though the tram does not pass all exhibits).

The tram, and each tram stop, have a roof protecting you from the rain. The vehicle itself is not enclosed meaning that if the rain is very heavy you might still get wet.

I saw very friendly staff operating the tram ride, helping elderly climb up and down the step to get on the tram, and helping families with prams. I didn’t see a wagon on the tram, so I’m curious if you’re even allowed to bring them - if you’re planning on renting a wagon and you want to take advantage of the tram, best check with staff first to see if you can bring the wagon on the tram.

I usually recommend that if you are able to walk between exhibits, you should not use the tram. While the tram has a great narration, and offers a relaxing break from walking, you will miss the chance to see animals if you’re always taking the tram.

8. Have Breakfast

Singapore Zoo offers a special buffet breakfast that includes an opportunity to meet some animals (don’t worry, the animals aren’t allowed to steal your food).

The menu is a typical hotel-style buffet that includes pastries, fruit, eggs, cereal, toast, rice porridge, noodles, and more. As with many hotel breakfasts in the region, the buffet does not serve pork. Tea, coffee, and fruit juice are also available.

Breakfast must be booked at least 3 days in advance. The breakfast is served every day of the week.

Breakfast currently costs S$47 for adults and S$37 for children (last updated summer 2024).

Breakfast is served at the Ah Meng restaurant, near the entrance of the Zoo at 9:00am. Animals usually make an appearance between 9:30am and 10:00am. The Zoo itself is open from 8:30am.

9. Eat Lunch

Local and international delights are available throughout the day at a variety of restaurants and eateries, mostly concentrated around the entrance to the Zoo. Food is served all day, so while I’ve called this lunch, you can eat it any time the zoo is open (I often recommend eating early or eating late to avoid the queues).

Some of the options for lunch include:

Dish	Price
Chicken Rice	S$14.90
Chicken Biryani	S$15.90
Laksa	S$13.50
Mala Chicken	S$17.90
Fish & Chips	S$18.90

Photo of menu at Singapore Zoo — Menu at Ah Meng Restaurant

10. Buy a Souvenir

There are 3 shops to explore selling Singapore Zoo souvenirs. These include:

The Singapore Zoo Shop, located at the entrance to the Zoo (you must pass through the shop to exit)
Shaw Amphitheatre shop, located at the top of the amphitheatre
KidzWorld shop, located in KidzWorld

There is also a photo shop located adjacent to the Singapore Zoo Shop where you can have a photo taken and customised.

Highlights of the souvenirs available for purchase at the Singapore Zoo include:

Stuffed animals
T-shirts
Water bottles and tea/coffee mugs
Sun protection (hats)
Binoculars
Branded collaborations (e.g. Lego)
Keychains, coasters, posters, and more

Prices range anything from S$10 to S$100 depending on what you are looking at.

11. Ride a Carousel

The Wild Animal Carousel gives children (and adults) the opportunity to ride on animals in a safe environment. There are tigers, rhinos, and even dinosaurs that you can sit on as you go around the vintage styled merry-go-round.

An additional ticket is required costing S$4 for a single ride (adult or child), or S$8 for three rides. Tickets must be purchased through the app, but can be done so on the spot. If it is raining heavily and lightning is around, the ride will likely not operate.

12. Refill a water bottle

Water bottle refill stations are available extensively throughout the park.

This might not seem like a fun activity on the surface, but it is something I recommend all visitors to the Zoo do. It is very hot navigating your way around the Singapore Zoo and it is easy to get dehydrated.

It is free to refill a water bottle, meaning you can bring your own from home and enjoy free water as you roam around the Zoo (there is also no restriction on bringing your own food and drink into the Zoo).

If you need to purchase a water bottle at the Zoo, the snack stands and Ah Meng restaurant sell disposable (recyclable) bottles for around S$3. The Singapore Zoo souvenir shop also sells reusable water bottles.

Refill stations are located in amenities areas usually nearby the toilets. They are marked on the park map, and you can filter for “water refill” on the app.

13. Go on a private tour

Singapore Zoo offers a small group tour that operates 3 times per day. The Zoo Adventure Tour includes activities such as:

Guided tours of animal enclosures and specific animals
Guided tour through KidzWorld (can be changed if you don’t have kids)
Interaction with some animals (e.g. giant tortoise)
Feeding animals (e.g. giraffe)

Animals visited, interacted with and fed depend on availability on the day. As it is a more personal experience, you can customise this based on your preferences (simply ask your tour guide).

Up to 7 people can be accommodated in each tour. You may have to share the tour if there are only a couple of you going.

Tours take 90 minutes and commence three times a day:

9:30am
1:30pm
3:30pm

The Zoo Adventure Tour costs S$440 for weekdays or S$550 on weekends and public holidays.

Bookings should be made via the Mandai app.

14. Immerse yourself in the jungle

Experiencing safe tropical jungle is one of the experiences I feel Singapore has a unique advantage in compared to its neighbours.

Being curated, you are unlikely to be attacked by mosquitos or animals, and unlikely to injure yourself walking around. Yet at the same time, you get to experience the sights, sounds, and smells of a tropical jungle.

Some highlighted jungle areas I enjoy at the Singapore Zoo include:

Area around the Primate Kingdom
Path from Wild Africa to Reptopia
Walk from Reptopia to Fragile Forest