We went glamping at the new Colugo Camp at Mandai Wildlife Reserve! Here's what it was like

Colugo Camp at Mandai Wildlife Reserve offers a unique glamping experience in Singapore with cosy tents, wildlife encounters and exclusive access to top attractions.

Colugo Camp is the newest kid on the block at Mandai Wildlife Reserve, joining the buzz alongside Rainforest Wild and Mandai Rainforest Resort. Its website doesn’t say glamping, but let’s be real—with air-conditioned tents, comfortable furnishings and a whole lot of VIP treatment, it's glamping 😁

After our recent 2D1N stay, I’d say Colugo Camp takes glamping to a whole new level with its gorgeous grounds, good food and a fun itinerary. Honestly, we were spoiled 😄 Here’s our review with a look at what went down during our stay 😎

Check in

Colugo Camp is tucked into the eastern cluster of Mandai Wildlife Reserve, home to Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, and River Wonders. (In case you're wondering, Rainforest Wild and Bird Paradise are on the western side.) After parking at Mandai Wildlife Reserve's east car park, it was a breezy 5–10 minute walk to camp. If like us, you haven’t been to Mandai Wildlife Reserve in a while, on your way to camp, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see the entire area been spruced up and now comes with new eateries and shops.

We arrived slightly early for check-in at 2:30pm before the official check-in at 3pm, and our first impression was: wow, the campground is new and sprawling, with greeneries and safari-style tents dotting the landscape.

The dining hall where we did our check-in was a welcome escape from the heat with its comfy sofas, air-con and refreshing welcome drinks. The vibe was so inviting, we were already looking forward to mealtimes at camp (yes, dinner and breakfast are included!) 😁

There's a quick briefing during check-in and here's our itinerary during our stay:

After that, it was time to head to our tent and here it is!

Each safari-style tent at Colugo Camp is 4m x 5m and comes with a queen bed and a bunk bed, plus air-con and fans. Each tent sleeps up to four, which is perfect for families. I really appreciate places that can accommodate our family of four comfortably, especially since hotels often count older kids as adults, which means booking two rooms and doubling the cost. So, this was perfect!

The tent has power points (so yes, you can charge your phone), umbrellas, towels and even free Wi-Fi. See the two adorable plushies on the queen bed? They are welcome gifts for you to keep. Such a sweet touch!

There is also patio furniture so you can chill outside your tent.

The first thing I noticed when we arrived at our tent was the gorgeous view. All tents face Seletar Reservoir and the sunset direction is right there—definitely something to look forward to later in the evening.

There are 20 tents at Colugo Camp. Here's a map of the campgrounds:

You'll see that Tents 1–9 have unobstructed views of the forest and reservoir, and they’re perched slightly over the forest edge, so you can try to spot wildlife below from the patio. We were lucky to spot a samba deer, and apparently wild boars have been seen too (though we didn’t catch them).

We stayed in Tent 7 and I think we scored the best one 😄 Other than the unobstructed view, it also has its own patio (most tents share), which gives you a bit more privacy. That said, Tents 10-20 are on elevated grounds, so you can still get a nice view, just that you'll see the other tents in front.

Just a heads-up: if you're in tents like 7 or 10, guests staying further in will walk past your tent to get to theirs. So it might be a little busier with foot traffic if those tents are occupied.

For us, it wasn’t an issue as Tents 8 and 9 were empty during our stay, so it was nice and peaceful. We really loved our Tent 7!

BTW all tents are priced the same, so you can request a specific tent during booking though it's subject to availability, of course (more on booking later!).

If being near the toilet is a priority, you can request a tent closer to the bathrooms. That said, none of the tents are very far - I would say at most a one-minute walk? For example, from our Tent 7, it was just a quick stroll up the stairs and across the lawn to get to the washroom. They also have tents that are wheelchair accessible.

Each tent comes with a mosquito net flap, so no worries about bugs flying in. That said, we didn’t actually encounter any mosquitoes at the camp, and even when we left our tent open for a bit, no insects wandered in😁

You’ll also get a combination lock to lock your tent, so it’s safe to leave your belongings while you head out for activities.

Now, onto the bathrooms, always important when it comes to glamping. The communal bathrooms are near the camp reception.

They come with toilets and five shower rooms each for men and women.

There are also six family bathrooms (each with a toilet and shower), which brings the total to eleven shower spaces. That’s actually pretty generous for a glamping setup.

Shower gel and conditioning shampoo are provided in the cubicles, but no amenity kits. So don’t forget your toothbrush and toothpaste!

There’s also a water dispenser near the bathrooms, so there's no need to stock up on bottled water. Just bring your reusable bottle and you’re good to go.

Zoo

You get to visit three attractions during your camp - Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and River Wonders, all of which are a short walk from camp. The Zoo and Night Safari visits are on the first day, while River Wonders is on the second day. But the itinerary can change depending on the weather.

So after check in, it was time for us to visit Singapore Zoo! This is a free and easy experience, meaning there’s no guide and you’re free to explore on your own.

It had been a while since we last visited the zoo, so we were excited to go even though the weather was really hot. You’ll have around two hours to explore before the zoo closes at 6pm. That might feel a little rushed if you want to take your time and see everything, but for us, two hours was just right. The heat made it hard to go for longer anyway 😅

If you're wondering whether you can visit the zoo after checking out of camp, so you have more time to explore, nope, you can't because entry is with your camp wristband and once you check out, the wristband is no longer valid.

To make the most of your time, you can take the tram which is quicker than walking 😄In the two hours, we still managed to catch the Splash Safari show, saw a pelican feeding session, and even got up close with a snake.

After that, we headed straight for the animals we really wanted to see. For us, it was the orangutans and Hamadryas baboons.

BTW it’s a good idea to download the Mandai App, which helps with navigation and show timings across the parks.

Dinner

We got back to camp around 6pm and had some time to relax before dinner, which is served from 6:30pm to 8pm at the communal dining hall. We chilled by our tent and enjoyed the sunset, which was absolutely beautiful.

There’s also a viewing deck that’s perfect for catching the sunset and taking lovely photos of the reservoir.

By then, we were really hungry after all that walking at the zoo, so we were definitely looking forward to dinner.

Dinner is buffet-style, and the food was delicious and the variety great.

The dining hall is air-conditioned and really comfortable, which made the meal even more enjoyable.

Here's the menu during our stay:

At first, I did wonder if there might be a lot of food wastage since it was a buffet. But I noticed that once a tray was emptied, like the Impossible meatballs, it wasn’t refilled. That worked out fine because there were still plenty of other dishes available. It seems they plan based on the number of campers and cater accordingly, which helps reduce waste. I really appreciate that kind of thoughtfulness.

Night Safari

After dinner, it was time to head over to Night Safari. We gathered at the reception area and waited for our camp facilitator to bring us there. At first, I wondered why we couldn’t just go on our own like we did with the zoo. It was after reaching Night Safari that I realised there are special perks for Colugo Camp participants.

The first perk is skipping the entry queue entirely. This was a huge plus because Night Safari gets really crowded, especially on weekends. When we arrived on Friday night at 8pm, the queue at the entrance was already super long.

Once we got there, our camp facilitator led us to the Night Safari courtyard for the Twilight Performance. This is a free show that happens at 8pm, 9pm, and 10pm, and you don’t need to book in advance. The performers use LED lights and fire, and it’s quite a spectacle. The only downside was the small stage and limited standing space. Thankfully, our facilitator gave us a heads-up, so we managed to grab a good spot early.

Next up was the highlight of the evening, the Creatures of the Night show. It runs at 7:30pm, 8:30pm, and 9:30pm. For regular visitors, you need to book seats through Mandai Wildlife Reserve's booking portal - bookings open two hours before each show. If you don’t manage to book, you can try walking in, but entry depends on availability.

Even with bookings, people were queuing early to get good seats. But for Colugo Camp guests, no booking is needed. We simply strolled in with our facilitator and were ushered to reserved seats. It felt very VIP😎

We had seen the show a few years ago before the amphitheatre was renovated. The new setup is definitely bigger and better. The presentation now includes a LED screen, and the overall experience felt more polished and engaging.

This show is a must-see if you’re visiting Night Safari!

After the show, we hopped on the tram ride. Tram rides are included with Night Safari tickets, but Colugo Camp guests get their own dedicated tram with live commentary from the camp facilitator. No queuing needed. Again, totally felt like a VIP 😎

We’ve been on the Night Safari tram before where the commentary was pre-recorded. This time, the live commentary made a big difference. It was more detailed, and our facilitator was lively and funny, which added to the whole experience.

I didn’t take many photos during the tram ride since they usually turn out too dark at Night Safari due to the dim lighting. We just sat back and enjoyed spotting the animals.

After the tram ride, you can choose to explore the park on foot since Night Safari stays open until midnight. We were pretty wiped out by then, so we headed back to camp to rest.

Night

When we got back to camp around 10pm, a light supper of sandwiches and Milo was waiting for us at the dining hall. If you're still out exploring Night Safari, don't worry. They’ll keep supper for you until around 11:30pm. We don’t usually eat supper, but I thought it was a thoughtful touch for anyone who might be feeling hungry after a long day.

After that, we headed to the showers. I was a little concerned there might be a queue, but there wasn’t any probably because there were only about 20 participants in our camp and it wasn't the school holidays. It might be busier on weekends or peak periods, but with 11 shower rooms available, I think it’s pretty well-equipped.

We were all ready to wind down in our tents. Each of us had two pillows, and there were enough blankets for everyone. One for each bunk bed and one for the queen bed. That definitely helped us sleep comfortably.

The air con was cool enough, although a bit noisy. If you’re a light sleeper like me, earplugs might come in handy. They’re also useful if the camp is busy and there’s more foot traffic past your tent.

That said, there is a designated quiet time from 10:30pm to 7am, and it really was peaceful during those hours even though our camp had young children.

If you’re wondering about going to the toilet at night, the path is well lit. You won’t need a torch or lamp, although one is provided in the tent. The only hassle is having to unlock the lock, unzip the tent and tiptoe out without waking anyone. I had to do this early in the morning and it was a bit of a struggle. It would be even trickier if it’s raining, since the path is open ground.

If you’d rather not fumble with a lock in the dark, you could consider not locking your tent at night. Of course, that’s entirely at your own risk. Personally, we felt safe. There’s a facilitator on duty at the reception area overnight, and the other guests and families didn’t seem like the tent-raiding type. We just kept our tent zipped and placed a chair in front of the flap, just in case. Again, this is totally your call, ok?

Usually, I wake up in the middle of the night to use the toilet, but this time I just went back to sleep because it felt like too much effort. Having been glamping a few times, we already knew what to expect when you have to walk to communal toilets at night😄

The thing with glamping is that you need to go with the right expectations. If having a toilet in your room is a must-have, then glamping might not be the best fit for you. But honestly, we’ve stayed at glamping sites where the toilets were much farther away than at Colugo Camp, and we still had a great time. Not having a private bathroom was just a small inconvenience for us. We made so many special memories at these glamping staycations, the small hassle was well worth it.

View of reservoir at night

Morning

So, as I was saying, I really had to go to the toilet around 7am when I woke up. On my way back across the lawn, I saw the most amazing sight. A troop of long-tailed macaques were crossing the viewing deck. There were easily more than ten of them. I stood at a distance and watched while one of the camp facilitators stepped in to redirect the monkeys with a stick and make sure they didn’t wander into the tents. They do this by tapping the railings and pointing the shiny tip of the stick in the direction they want the monkeys to go. (I’m explaining this in very layman terms, but trust me, the facilitators are well-trained and sound more professional than my description!)

While I was watching them jump onto the fences near the tents, I suddenly remembered I had left our tent unzipped when I went to the toilet. And the macaques were passing right next to it. Once they cleared the viewing deck, I rushed back to check and thankfully, none of them had gone inside.

Later, I spoke to another facilitator who said that so far, no monkeys have entered the tents. The campsite is still relatively new to them, and they’re used to crossing this area to forage for food farther ahead. They haven’t associated the tents or humans with food, unlike the macaques you might see at MacRitchie Reservoir or in housing estates. Those are a lot more aggressive.

That’s also why the facilitators remind guests to bin food properly and keep snacks out of sight. I really hope it stays this way, because it’s such a treat to watch the macaques from a safe distance without worrying they’ll come charging at you.

This was also one of my favourite parts of Camp Colugo. Being so close to nature and spotting wildlife like macaques and even hearing magpies singing in the morning made the whole experience feel extra special. And I also love waking up to this view in the morning:

Although checkout is officially at 11am, we decided to check out before heading to breakfast. The final activity at Camp Colugo is a guided tour of River Wonders at 9:30am. Since we wanted to take our time exploring River Wonders, we figured it was easier to check out first and put our luggage in the car, so there was no need to rush when at River Wonders.

If you’re not driving, you can leave your bags at the camp reception after checkout, but you’ll need to collect them by 1pm. So if you do drive, I’d recommend storing your luggage in the car so you don’t have to rush back later to collect your bags. Just note that once you leave River Wonders, you can’t reenter because your camp tag, which is used for entry, would no longer be valid.

Once that was sorted, it was time for breakfast. And just like dinner, it was delicious.

There was a good variety and everything was really tasty and satisfying.

Their Owa Coffee, which is wildlife-friendly, was especially good.

We love the chocolate and carrot cakes too!

Here's the menu during our visit:

After breakfast, we said goodbye to the campsite (boohoo!) and headed off to River Wonders.

River Wonders

Camp Colugo guests get a half-hour head start before the public enters at 10am, which means you get to enjoy the park without the crowds.

We also had a guided tour led by our camp facilitator, Afis, who was fantastic. He was friendly, knowledgeable and clearly passionate about the wildlife. We’ve visited River Wonders before on our own, back when it was still called River Safari, and having a guide this time made a huge difference. You learn so much more and really get to appreciate the park in a deeper way.

Afis also mentioned that we could book the Once Upon A River show happening at 11:30am. After the tour ended, we could head there on our own.

By the time we reached the panda enclosures, the crowd had started to come in. That’s where our guided tour officially ended, but Afis kindly offered to continue walking with us toward the exit and keep sharing insights. He really went above and beyond and we appreciated it so much.

After the tour, we made our way to the Once Upon A River show. The VIP perks had ended by then, but we still managed to get good seats. The show takes place at the Boat Plaza at 11:30am, 2:30pm, and 4:30pm. Like other shows at Mandai Wildlife Reserve, you can book seats two hours before the show starts at their booking portal.

Once the show ended, we decided to go for another round at River Wonders at our own pace. So, it was really a good decision to check out early as we got to take our time to enjoy the park without feeling rushed.

At the end of our visit to River Wonders, we wrapped up our 2D1N glamping staycation with some well-deserved cool drinks at Starbucks ✌️

Rates

By now you might be wondering about the rates. At the time of writing, a 2D1N stay cost SGD 550 per night for two people, SGD 700/night for three, and SGD 800/night for four.

Do check the Colugo Camp website for the latest rates and available dates, as they don’t operate daily. They usually open bookings for weekends, public holidays, and school holidays in Singapore. You can also extend your stay if the dates line up. For example, a two-night stay for two people would come up to SGD 1,100.

If you’re wondering whether it’s worth it, here’s a quick breakdown. According to the Mandai Wildlife Reserve's website, a 3-park bundle costs S$98 for adults and S$70 for children aged 3 to 12. For a family with teens like ours, park entry alone would cost around S$400. So effectively, you're paying around S$400 for a family of four for the accommodation and all the added perks. I've summarised the perks here:

1. Priority entry at Night Safari and Creatures of the Night (with reserved seating)

2. Dedicated Night Safari tram with live commentary

3. Early entry and guided tour of River Wonders

4. Dinner, light supper and breakfast

5. Free parking at the east car park

Bookings can be done via Mandai Wildlife Reserve's website.

Just a note: the camp is only open to guests aged 3 and above. Campers under 21 must be supervised by an adult aged 21 or older at all times.

All in all, this was such an enjoyable staycation for us. The tent and campsite were beautiful, the facilitators were amazing and the VIP treatment at the parks made us feel truly pampered. With good food, thoughtful service and close encounters with nature, this was far from your typical camp experience. We highly recommend Camp Colugo - this will definitely go down as one of the most memorable glamping staycations we've been on! Thank you, Mandai Wildlife Reserve, for having us!

For more pics and videos, do check out my IG post and IG Stories highlights on my Instagram page!

Disclaimer: This review was made possible through a media invite from Mandai Wildlife Reserve. As always, all opinions are ours.

©Vivian Teo. All content and photos are copyrighted to Vivian Teo unless otherwise specified.