Night Safari is a 35-hectare (86-acre) wildlife park set within Singapore’s Mandai Wildlife Reserve, billed as the world’s first zoo dedicated entirely to nocturnal animals. It opened on 26 May 1994 and operates only after dark, welcoming guests daily from 6pm to midnight (last entry 11:15pm) so they can observe creatures that are normally asleep during daytime zoo visits.
Rather than caging animals, Night Safari uses moats, cattle grids, and hidden hot wires to separate species from walkways and tram routes, while carefully calibrated lighting mimics moonlight so nocturnal and crepuscular animals behave naturally without being disoriented. The park is home to more than 900 animals representing over 100 species, roughly 41% of which are considered threatened, and draws around 1.3 million visitors a year.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Mandai, Singapore
- Opened: May 26, 1994
- Size: 35 hectares (86 acres)
- Species/Animal count: Over 900 animals, 100+ species
- Annual visitors: About 1.3 million
- Famous for: World’s first nocturnal zoo
The Night Safari Experience
Visitors can explore the park via a narrated tram ride of roughly 40 minutes that winds through seven geographical zones, including the Himalayan Foothills, Indian Subcontinent, and Equatorial Africa, or set out on one of four self-guided walking trails for closer encounters. Both the tram and walking trails begin operating at 7pm, an hour after the gates open. Because the reserve relies on natural barriers instead of visible cages, animals like Malayan tigers, clouded leopards, and Malayan tapirs appear to roam freely just meters from guests.
The park is also an active participant in international conservation breeding programs for endangered species such as the Sunda slow loris and clouded leopard, tying its after-dark spectacle to broader wildlife protection efforts run by Mandai Wildlife Group.
A Singapore Landmark
Built at a cost of about S$63 million, Night Safari quickly became one of Singapore’s signature attractions, sitting alongside the Singapore Zoo and River Wonders within the Mandai Wildlife Reserve complex. It passed 11 million cumulative visitors by May 2007, cementing its status as a pioneering model that inspired other nocturnal wildlife parks worldwide, including Thailand’s Chiang Mai Night Safari.
Explore more: Explore more zoos and aquariums.
Night Safari FAQs
What time does Night Safari open?
Night Safari is open daily from 6pm to midnight, with last entry at 11:15pm. The tram ride and walking trails begin an hour later, at 7pm.
How many animals live at Night Safari?
The park is home to more than 900 animals representing over 100 species, with about 41% classified as threatened.
Can you walk through Night Safari, or is it tram-only?
Both options are available: a roughly 40-minute narrated tram ride covers the main zones, and four self-guided walking trails let visitors explore on foot, both starting at 7pm.
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Photo: Allie Caulfield / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.