Hiking Buddies in Singapore: Where to Walk and Who to Walk With

The easiest way to find hiking buddies in Singapore is to join a free walking or hiking group a few times, notice who walks at your pace, and suggest a trail together. Start with MacRitchie, Bukit Timah Hill, the Southern Ridges or the Rail Corridor. Go early, check NParks for closures, and a regular hiking partner usually follows.

Why hike with other people

Singapore's trails are short enough to fit into a morning, which makes them perfect for a standing weekend plan. A hiking buddy gets you out of bed, keeps you company on the hills and is a second pair of eyes if the weather turns. Walking side by side is also an easy way to talk. Nobody has to hold eye contact, and the silences feel natural.

Free groups to start with

TheSmartLocal's October 2026 round-up of walking clubs listed several that are free to join. Schedules change, so check each group's page or chat before you go.

• I Walk I Hike I Eat I Travel. Walks on Thursdays and alternate weekends, usually from late afternoon, often ending with food. Free.
• Singapore Walking Group. Alternate Saturdays at 5pm, starting from MRT stations around the island. Free.
• Weekend Miles & Smiles. Weekend walks, including Saturday mornings. Free.
• Trevor Kam's MRT walks. Irregular walks announced on social media and Telegram. You can join or leave at different MRT stations. Free.
• Walkie Talkie. About one walk a month, usually on Fridays or weekends. Sign-ups open at least two weeks ahead, after a short questionnaire. Free.

If you prefer a paid club with a social side, the Singapore Hash House Harriets walk every Wednesday at 6pm. As of October 2026, TheSmartLocal listed guest fees of S$15 for women and S$20 for men.

When you arrive, say it is your first time and ask about the pace. Most groups are happy to point you to the slower end.

Trails worth knowing

MacRitchie and the TreeTop Walk

MacRitchie is the classic first hike. NParks lists several loops from MacRitchie Reservoir Park:

• Route 1, Prunus Trail: easy, 3km.
• Route 2: easy, 4.8km.
• Route 3: moderate to difficult, a 10.3km loop that includes the TreeTop Walk.
• Route 4: moderate, an 11km loop around the reserve, passing Jelutong Tower instead.

The TreeTop Walk is a suspension bridge 25m above the forest floor, linking the two highest points in MacRitchie. It is closed on Mondays, except public holidays. It opens 9am to 5pm from Tuesday to Friday and 8.30am to 5pm on weekends and public holidays, with last entry at 4.45pm. On a 10.3km loop, that means starting by mid-morning at the latest.

One current closure to note: the Casuarina Entrance and the Cyathea boardwalk trail are closed for maintenance from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. NParks suggests using the Jacaranda or Lower Peirce entrances instead. The nearest MRT stations to the reserve are Caldecott, Marymount and Upper Thomson. See our MacRitchie area page for more.

Bukit Timah Hill

At 163m, Bukit Timah Hill is Singapore's highest natural peak. The reserve is open 7am to 7pm and the nearest MRT is Beauty World. All routes start at the Visitor Centre:

• Route 1: moderate, 1.2km, the most direct way to the summit along the main road.
• Route 3: difficult, 1.8km, a longer climb via South View Path and Cave Path.
• Route 4: difficult, 3km, the summit plus a loop through Dairy Farm.

It is steep but short, which makes it a good after-breakfast hike. An NParks advisory says removal works at the two Bukit Timah repeater stations run from 13 July 2026 to March 2028. The work site is fenced off, but the summit stays open. Follow the signs on site. Pets are not allowed in the reserve. More ideas are on our Bukit Timah area page.

The Southern Ridges

NParks describes a route of about 10km from Mount Faber Park to the Canopy Walk in Kent Ridge Park, taking three to five hours. You start on the Marang Trail just outside Exit D of HarbourFront MRT, cross Henderson Waves, Singapore's tallest pedestrian bridge at 274m long, then continue along the Forest Walk to Alexandra Arch and HortPark. Pasir Panjang MRT is a short walk from the end.

Telok Blangah Hill Park is open 24 hours, but NParks notes that some sections of the Forest Walk are unlit from 7pm to 7am during maintenance until 30 November 2026. Plan to finish in daylight. Start from our HarbourFront area page.

The Rail Corridor

The former railway line is now a long green path, with paved sections in the south and grass and gravel trails in the north. It is easy to join or leave at MRT stations such as Hillview, King Albert Park and Buona Vista, so you can walk as far as you like. It is not lit at night.

Check closures before you go. Since 9 March 2026, the southern section between the Henderson Road and Spooner Road accesses has been closed for trail improvement works, which NParks expects to finish by 31 July 2027. The section from Jalan Kilang Barat to Henderson Road reopened on 2 March 2026.

Hiking in the heat and rain

• Go early. Nature reserves such as Bukit Timah and the Central Catchment open 7am to 7pm, and mornings are cooler.
• Check the Heat Stress Advisory. Since July 2023, the myENV app and weather.gov.sg have shown heat stress as low, moderate or high, using the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature. It accounts for air temperature, humidity, wind and sunlight.
• Watch the sky. NParks advises against entering forested areas during or straight after bad weather. Shelter and wait.
• Carry enough water and a snack, especially on the longer routes.

Hiking safely with new people

• Meet at a busy start point. An MRT exit or a park visitor centre works well. Make your own way there.
• Pick a marked trail you know. Stay on designated trails. NParks warns that stepping off them can trample saplings, and it is easy to get lost.
• Tell a friend your route and when you expect to finish.
• Keep food in your bag. NParks warns that monkeys may snatch food, and they associate plastic bags with it.
• Choose a short route for a first hike. The 3km Prunus Trail or the Bukit Timah summit is long enough to chat and short enough to leave if it is not clicking.
• Keep personal details private until you know someone. If anything feels off, end the hike early.

How to turn a group hike into a hiking buddy

1. Go to the same group three or four times. Faces become familiar quickly.
2. Stay for the food. Some walks end with a meal, and that is where conversations happen.
3. Suggest one specific hike. "Bukit Timah summit, Sunday 7.30am, from Beauty World MRT?" is easier to say yes to than "we should hike sometime".
4. Make it regular. A monthly trail is easier to keep than ad hoc plans.

If you also run, our guide to running groups in Singapore covers the free clubs and their routes. If you are happy to go solo for now, see things to do alone in Singapore.

A new option: Now I'm Open

Now I'm Open is a new, free web app from Singapore, launched on 19 October 2026 for adults 18 and over. Membership is still small, so it may take a while to find someone for a particular trail.

In Friends mode, you post a short card such as "Open to the MacRitchie TreeTop loop, Sat 8am, easy pace" or "Open to the Southern Ridges from HarbourFront, Sun morning". People nearby who want the same hike can say "I'm in", and chat only opens when you both say yes. Your location shows by area only. Photos are visible to signed-in members, selfie verification adds a Verified badge, and women can choose to show their cards only to women.

Not sure what kind of plan suits you? Take the one-minute quiz, or read how to make friends in Singapore.