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With 6 km of boardwalks at MacRitchie, exploring the forest has never been easier. The boardwalks are found on the edges of the reservoir as well as in the forest interior.

Here you can find a wide diversity of animal species, including endangered creatures such as the Lesser Mousedeer, the Malayan Pangolin (scaly anteater) and the Flying Lemur at MacRitchie.

The Forests in the more accessible southern area of this 2,000-ha reserve are mostly mature 90-year-old secondary forest with some primary forest patches. Forest birds such as babblers, barbets, cuckoos, flowerpeckers and sunbirds abound. The more open sunny areas offer great butterfly watching.

The Lower Peirce Trail is a short (1 km) but excellent forest boardwalk that runs from the far side of Lower Peirce Reservoir Park to two exits on Old Upper Thomson Road. SBS bus No. 167 goes to nearby Upper Thomson Road, from Shenton Way and Orchard Road.

The MacRitchie Trail runs for 3km through the forest from the Westlake Garden entrance of MacRitchie Reservoir Park (just by the Little Sisters of the Poor) to the service road of Singapore Island Country Club at Island Club Road .

The well-known 'jogging' trail runs from the waterfront on the carpark side of MacRitchie Reservoir Park through the forest parallel to Lornie Road . One can return along the tranquil reservoir waterfront on a newly constructed boardwalk.

The Jelutong Tower, an observation post reaching 20m in height, offers a bird's eye view of the forest and part of the reservoir's edge. This tower can be reached after walking through Golf Link, a boardwalk that takes you to a remnant of freshwater swamp.

The 250m-long Tree Top Walk beckons the more adventurous who are willing to trek into the far reaches of the nature reserves of MacRitche. Here, one will be rewarded by the spectacular view of the rainforest canopy and all the animals and plants that live within.

Other trails run through the forest, and one can hike either all around MacRitchie Reservoir or from MacRitchie to Bukit Timah Hill. First-time walkers should go with someone who knows the route. Please note that dogs and bicycles are prohibited in the nature reserve.