Looking for greater personalisation and less crowded, off-the-beaten-track for your next socially distanced getaway? Our local walking tours in our neighbourhood – Queenstown and beyond, will be exploring the historical and heritage of Queenstown and beyond, rediscovering Singapore’s colonial heritage and nature attractions.
Featured attractions
- Tanglin Halt neighbourhood
- Portsdown Road black & white houses
- Colonial terraces along Jalan Hang Jebat
- Heritage Trees & Forest Walk
- Tour starts at Commonwealth MRT Station
- 3-hour tour, 4-hour tour (with picnic)
- English speaking guide
- Min 4 to go
Location: Queenstown & Beyond
Grade: Easy
Departure: Daily
Though suitable for family please come prepared for all type of terrain.
Itinerary
Tour Schedule: This tour is available Daily
Depart Time: 8am or 3pm
Total: 3 hours (without picnic), 4 hours (with picnic)
0800/ 1500 Meeting at Commonwealth MRT – Tanglin Halt Old world charm neighbourhood appreciation, History and transformation, Portsdown Black & White Buildings
0930/1630 Nature appreciation, History, Historical Mosque, Colonial Terraces @ Rail Corridor – Jalan Hang Jebat, Forest Hike (optional)
1030/1730 Black & White Buildings – Colonial Buildings, Countryside feeling (Option for picnic – Styling Picnic Bento on weekend & PH/ leisure picnic on weekday)
1100/1800 Drop-off Hort Park (No Picnic)
1200/1900 Drop-off Hort Park (With Picnic)
7SG Walk The Colonial @ Queenstown
Tour Code: SG-WQB2
Min/ Max size: 4/8
Depart Daily: 8am/3pm
Distance walk: About 6-8 km
Duration: 3 hours (without picnic), 4 hours (with picnic)
Cost per person in SGD
No Picnic: 40
With Picnic: 68
Inclusive Of
- 1 English-speaking tour guide or tour leader (for local residents)
- Mask or souvenir per person
- 3-hours walking tour
- Picnic Option
Not Inclusive Of
- Other personal expenses
- Insurance
- Tipping to guide
What to Bring
Caps or hats
Snacks
1.5L of water
A good pair of walking shoes
Hiking Pole
Umbrella/ Poncho/ Raincoat
Sunblock
Insect repellent
Recommended Attire: Dri-fit tee & long trekking pants
Change of attire if you like to change into dry clothing during meal time
A light shoe/ sandals if you like to change after walk
Personal simple first aid kit like plasters, personal medications.
Meet Up Information
Meet Up Location: Commonwealth MRT Station Exit A
Be at the meet up location 10 minutes before the scheduled activity time
Please arrive on time
No refunds will be issued for late arrivals and/or no-shows once the activity starts
Guide will be holding X-Trekkers placard
* A voucher will be given for The Chinatown AR Trail to explore at own time.
By joining this event, you are agreeing on the below
- You join this event at your own risk and you are solely responsible for your own health and safety. X-Trekkers will not be held liable for any injury or death arising from participating in this event or for any loss of or damage to your property occurring in the course of this event.
- Excluding our tour guide/ X-Trekkers staff, the minimum participant per group is 4 pax and the maximum participant per group is 8 pax. If the minimum group size is not meet, X-Trekkers has the right to reschedule the event to an alternative date, as best as possible.
- Photos or videos may be taken by X-Trekkers or other participants that may contain or feature you. You give your permission for materials (e.g. photographs) resulted from this event to be used by X-Trekkers in their promotion, underwriting, public relations materials (e.g. website, brochure, social media, newspaper, etc) to develop their programmes and services. The resulting materials will be the property of the company.
- Strictly non-refunable and no cancellation
- X-Trekkers has the right to use our tour leader if all the participants are local residents.
- If the event is cancelled due to circumstances beyond X-Trekkers’s control (such as thunder storm), including, but not limited to, force majeure events, X-Trekkers will strive to arrange for an alternative date for your consideration, as best as possible.
Reviews
Joseph, our guide, was really knowledgeable about the history and was passionate about explaining the history of the many buildings we saw. We found him very engaging, knowledgeable and took really time to answer our questions. I would recommend him to my friends. Seeing and hearing the history about black and white houses.
Enjoyed all.
Close to nature and historical facts
All is good and up to expectations.
Generally just looking at the colonial houses and trekking the landmarks along the way. Ching Khee was also a great guide, sharing knowledge along the way and it was easy and enjoyable to listen to.
Seeing parts of Singapore that we never explored in the past.
Unfortunately it started raining heavily just as we started.
CK was super knowledgeable and patient. Really enjoyed the walk despite the bad weather.
Highlights: Being able to visit the b/w houses and also view secret hideouts in the jungle
I enjoyed the walk with a small group. The weather was good and we walked at a leisurely pace. The guide was knowledgeable, engaging and helpful. He brought us to some interesting spots in the route eg Noah’s ark, forest walk, colonial houses. We experienced a bit of rain towards the end but it added to the fun.
Highlights: Going through a forest to get to Noah’s Ark.
Our guide was accommodating throughout the whole event (our request for phototaking and the Q&A throughout the day) . I would say he’s an experienced individual and expert in trekking. He knows the areas well and a very knowledgeable person. Thank you.
It’s a great experience for us, exploring the different part of Queenstown and looking at different angle and perspective. There are more beautiful places that we’ve discovered and admired the beauty of it yesterday.
CK made the trip v interesting for us.
Highlights: Learning about the history of the buildings and walking the various path
Interesting and enlightening. Nice and enjoyable. Places I never knew existed. Also learnt a lot and exposed to many things that I passed by without thinking about. Highly recommend!
Highlights: Visiting the black and white houses and also The Lost Ark.
Down: The rain that cut didn’t allow us to complete the full tour. If able to go into the houses of the black n white homes to take a look would be wonderful or more info about the houses, like any special architectural dimensions or differences from non black n white houses. eg. Why did they choose only black and white? Is it uniquely only done in Singapore? Things like that =))
CK is a friendly guide with keen interest and excellent knowledge about the history of the neighbourhood to make the tour both educational and entertaining. Experience Tanglin Halt before it’s disappearance
Guide Ck is very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. It was an enjoyable trip and hope to join X Trekkers for future tours. Great value, don’t miss it.
Well, what i can say the tour guide very knowlegable & friendly too. Highly recommended. 👍
Posted by Azhar Mohd on Saturday, February 6, 2021
It was an unknown place that I would never know and would not be able to go to if it had not been for this trip. It seems that there were many hidden places like an old and historic village. It was a good trip except that it was difficult to walk because the weather was hot~~!! Make sure to bring cool water!!
CK is a very knowledgeable guide and the walk was pretty seamless.
Exploring the “hidden parts” of the forest. It was refreshing to see this side of Singapore.
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- Experience out of Singapore feeling
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- Black & White Old British Colonial Apartments
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- Secret Forest
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- Through grass field
We went on a guided walk with @xtrekkers for our S.A.D. last weekend and explored the Queenstown area. Undeniably, the highlight was walking through the forest and finding this ‘lost ark’ in the middle of nowhere! Apparently someone had converted this huge fallen trunk over a water body into a chill deck, complete with steps, chairs and even an BBQ pit. Ingenious! 😆
We also learned more about Tanglin Halt, Singapore’s first satellite town, trekked briefly along the Green Corridor, soaked in the tranquility at Wessex Estate and gawked at the huge colonial bungalows. Lovely afternoon spent and you can sign up for the walk too with your SingapoReDiscovers vouchers! Just head to globaltix.com to book because they are the only booking partner that are homegrown so #supportlocal ok? 😀
Our guide , Ching Khee was patient and answered our questions along the journey. And coz of the rain, he was accommodating to have to extend the journey more than an hour, which we appreciate.
Best Moments? Guess there’s really more than just one — The unexpected sights of old and new brought back some familiar memories for us as we grew up in the neighbourhood. Loved the black & white houses.
Perhaps this is more of a hike than just a casual walk , as there are slopes & mud paths in the less trodden areas.
Maybe guide can share abit more of the history of the black & white houses, & if a visit to the inside of one of them would be great.
Also, if he has pictures on hand on what the rail corridor or some landmark looked like before too, would be adding more substance.
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- Tanglin Halt Neighbourhood
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- Ariel view from Tanglin Halt Flat
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- Explore the black & white buildings
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- Vast greenery in our backyard
Photo Gallery
