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River Wonders Celebrates 10 Years with Second Ticket at $10! Kid-friendly Guide with Show Times & Amazon River Quest

river wonders singapore - river safari - manatees
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River Wonders celebrates its 10-year anniversary with a WildPass exclusive deal – get the second admission at $10 with every full-paying adult! Here is our guide to River Wonders Singapore (formerly River Safari) including info on the Amazon River Quest boat ride and animal show times!

While Giant Panda Cub Le Le is no longer at River Wonders Singapore having gone back to China, the River Safari adventure continues to be a hit with families! After all, where else in Singapore can you find 11,000 land and aquatic animals from 260 different species under one roof? Have a blast on the Amazon River Quest boat ride, catch the animals in the various animal shows (we love the capybara!) and visit the pandas (Giant Pandas Jia Jia and Kai Kai parents to Giant Panda Cub Le Le still remain)! Don’t miss Amazonia Encounters where you can get up close to free-ranging animals! Ready to plan your trip to the River Wonders Singapore? Here’s everything you need to know to make the most of your visit to River Wonders Singapore.

Jump to:
Getting to River Wonders Singapore
What to Expect at River Wonders Singapore
Animals at River Wonders Singapore
Visit the River Wonders Singapore: Panda Exhibit
River Wonders Animal Show
River Wonders Boat Ride: Amazon River Quest
Activities at River Wonders
River Wonders Food & Restaurants
River Wonders Map
River Wonders Singapore Tickets
River Wonders Promos & Discounts
River Wonders Opening Hours

           Read more: Everything You Need to Know About Visiting the Singapore Zoo

Ultimate Guide to River Wonders Singapore:

River Wonders marks 10 years since its official opening with exclusive deals, new experiences, fun activities and more! To celebrate they’re offering a WildPass Exclusive: second admission at $10 with every full paying adult to River Wonders. Applicable for
tickets purchased online between 28 Feb to 14 Apr 2024 inclusive. *T&Cs apply. Sign up for the free Wildpass membership.

What to expect at River Wonders Singapore

River Wonders river safari Singapore Exhibits
Image Credit: Mandai Wildlife Group

We love River Wonders because nearly all of the park is either indoors (hello, air-conditioning!) or under covered walkways. As Asia’s “first and only river-themed wildlife park,” River Wonders Singapore projects a strong message about protecting fragile freshwater ecosystems and showcases threatened species such as the manatee and Mekong giant catfish. It’s because of these elaborate exhibits – constructed to mirror iconic rivers such as the Mississippi, the Mekong and the Nile – that much of the River Wonders Singapore is indoors.

River Wonders is also the smallest of the Mandai wildlife parks, requiring just a few hours to cover. This means it’s a great option for families with younger kids!


Animals at River Wonders Singapore

River Wonders river safari singapore Otter swimming
Image Credit: Mandai Wildlife Group

Across the 10 ‘zones’ representing different geographic ecosystems at River Wonders, you’ll find a wide variety of animals (like otters and pandas), reptiles (crocodile-like Indian Gharials, Green Anacondas), and sea creatures (Electric Eels, Giant Freshwater Stingrays), among many others.


Amazonia Encounters

river wonders - river safari - amazonia encounters
Image Credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
This is the only exhibit in River Wonders where you can immerse yourself in the same environment as the animals. Explore on foot for intimate encounters with the white-lipped tamarin, golden-headed lion tamarin and Azara’s agouti. Tell the kids to watch out as there are no barriers between you and the animals once you enter this exhibit – it’s a huge highlight at River Wonders!

River Wonders Pandas: Le Le has gone but parents remain

River Wonders - River Safari - Baby Panda Lele
Image Credit: Mandai Wildlife Group

Looking for adorably fluffy pandas? You’ll find Singapore’s two famous Giant Pandas, Jia Jia and Kai Kai in the Yangtze River Zone. The panda exhibit at River Wonders is probably one of the most popular exhibits ever since the first baby panda in Singapore was born on 14 August 2021. Parents Kai Kai and Jia Jia arrived in River Wonders Singapore (back when it was still called the River Safari) in September 2012, on a decade-long loan from China. Sadly Baby Panda Le Le has been returned to China now. Singaporeans who have watched his growth over the last two years will certainly remember him fondly.

Look out for the adorable red pandas while you are here, too!


River Wonders Animal Shows

river wonders river safari singapore once upon a river
Image Credit: Mandai River Wonders via Official Website

The show at River Wonders Singapore (River Safari Singapore) is called ‘Once Upon a River’ and is free to attend. Shows are limited to a maximum capacity of 50 people and seats must be booked online. Online booking for seats opens two hours before the show starts. This animal show is a hit with kids and is worth doing at least once. The River Wonders staff weave lots of information about reducing plastic and its harmful effect on animals, and the Capybaras that feature are just so adorable (and big!).
When: 11:30am, 2:30pm and 4:30pm
Where: Boat Plaza at River Wonders.
How much: Free but you need to click here to book your seats!


River Wonders: Keeper Talk

river wonders singapore - river safari - keeper talk
Image Credit: Mandai Wildlife Group

Sit in for a fun, interactive session at River Wonder’s River Trail Keeper Talk, where you’ll get to learn interesting facts from the people who know best – the keepers! Find out what the animals do in ‘secret’, their favourite places to sleep and more.
When: 2:15pm
Where: Starts at Elephantnose Fish and Eastern Bottlenose exhibit
How much: Free


River Wonders Boat Ride: Amazon River Quest

river wonders river safari singapore boat ride amazon river quest boat ride flamingoes

With river in the name, it only makes sense that River Wonders Singapore would offer some options to get out on the water! Amazon River Quest is an open-top boat ride designed to simulate a journey along the Amazon River. Passengers have the chance to spot all sorts of wildlife among the lush vegetation. Note that River Wonders boat ride involves moderate acceleration, elevation changes, and minor bumping, so it’s not recommended for pregnant women. Kids need to be at least 1.06m and above to experience the boat ride, and kids between 1.06m and 1.35m must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets for the Amazon River Quest boat ride must be booked online ahead of time, and on this 10-minute boat ride, you’ll have the chance to spot even more animals up close, including a few jaguars (who seemed a little sad pacing back and forth repeatedly in their small enclosures), Red Howler monkeys, tapirs, a giant anteater, a capybara, and many more.

Amazon River Quest ticket prices: $5 per pax. Book your tickets online.


Activities at River Wonders/River Safari

1. NEW! at River Wonders Singapore

river wonders singapore - river safari - Secret Wild-erland
Image Credit: Mandai Wildlife Group

From now until 17 March 2024, experience a brand-new multi-sensory journey, ‘Secret Wild-erland‘, at River Wonders Singapore specially curated by NAKED, INC. Discover the beauty of Amazonian wildlife through a captivating projection show, and walk through a virtual murky water to help clean up the pond and watch the plants flourish. Plus, don’t forget to snap a photo at the photo point with adorable manatees.

2. Wildlife Experiences: River Discovery Tour

river wonders river safari singapore river wonders tour
Image Credit: Mandai River Wonders via Official Website

Get a personal tour of the watery world at River Wonders. You can even enjoy priority access to the ‘Once Upon a River’ River Wonders show, and the kids can get up close with the stars of the show!

When: Every Tuesday, Thursday & Sunday, 3:30pm – 5pm
How much: From $320 (weekdays) and $400 (weekends) for up to 8 pax.

3. Wildlife Experiences: Backstage Pass

river wonders river safari singapore backstage pass
Image Credit: Mandai River Wonders via Official Website

Want to meet the adorable manatees? Buy this backstage pass to learn all about their quirks, and join in their training sessions! You can even hand feed them during their mealtime.
Note: Kids must be at least 1.2m to participate. 

When: 2:15pm – 3:15pm
How much: From $92.72 per pax (weekdays) and $118.40 per pax (weekends).


Food at River Wonders: Where to Eat

river wonders river safari singapore mama panda kitchen - river wonders food
Image Credit: Mandai River Wonders via Official Website

While there aren’t as many food options at River Wonders in comparison to the Singapore Zoo, there is a Starbucks in the entrance plaza and Mama Panda Kitchen restaurant, serving Chinese food like adorable panda buns, at the Giant Panda Forest. All that said, it’s easy to manoeuvre River Wonders in a couple of hours – half a day at most – so if you pack a few snacks, you should be fine!


River Safari/River Wonders Map

river wonders map - river safari - river wonders map
Image Credit: Mandai Wildlife Group

Download the River Wonders park map here to ensure a fun, stress-free day out with the kids at River Wonders Singapore. Though this park isn’t too big, it’s helpful to know where everything is, especially if you plan to hop on the Amazon Quest Boat Ride or catch the River Wonders Show.


River Wonders Singapore Tickets

river wonders river safari singapore underwater - river wonders tickets
Image Credit: Mandai River Wonders via Official Website

For local residents, tickets are currently priced at $27 for children and $37.80 for adults (WildPass holders). Sign up here for a free WildPass membership to enjoy discounted prices. Other multi-park tickets are also available. Note that cash payments are not available at River Wonders, and you should be prepared to show your electronic ticket on your phone upon arrival.

River Wonders Promos

Join in the fun as River Wonders marks 10 years since its official opening! Don’t miss exclusive deals, new experiences, fun activities and more! WildPass Exclusive: second admission at $10 with every full paying adult to River Wonders. Applicable for tickets purchased online between 28 Feb to 14 Apr 2024 inclusive. *T&Cs apply. Sign up for the free Wildpass membership. 


River Safari/River Wonders Opening Hours

River Wonders Singapore is open every day of the year. Opening hours for River Wonders are from 10am to 7pm (last entry at 6pm). Naturally, weekends, public holidays and school holidays are usually the busiest.

River Wonders Singapore opening hours:
River Wonders Singapore: Daily, 10am – 7pm.
Amazon River Quest: Daily, 11am – 6pm
Amazonia Encounters: Daily, 11am – 6pm
Giant Panda Forest: Daily, 10am – 6:15pm


River Wonders Nursing Rooms & Stroller Rental

river wonders river safari singapore nursing rooms

River Wonders has four nursing rooms with changing facilities located at the Entrance Plaza, the Giant Panda Forest, the Boat Plaza, and the Amazon Flooded Forest. How cute is that manatee wallpaper?!

If you’re bringing a car seat, you can rent a small storage locker priced at $5 for three hours, $1 thereafter, or a large locker (85 x 45 x 90cm) for $10 for three hours, $2 thereafter.

Another handy feature of booking ahead is that you can reserve a wagon or stroller in advance. Wagons ($18 each) can accommodate up to two children with a combined weight of 35kg, while an umbrella stroller ($15) can hold a child weighing up to 15kg.

Be sure to book a time slot before arrival at River Wonders, as these are subject to availability. Note that there are different booking portals for WRS Members and non-members. Click here for the latest information on closures and openings.


How to get to River Wonders Singapore

river wonders singapore River Safari singapore river wonders boat ride

The River Wonders Singapore, formerly known as the River Safari Singapore, is located on Mandai Lake Road, right next to Singapore Zoo. The nearest MRT is Khatib on the North-South Line (with the $2 shuttle bus), or take bus 927 from Choa Chu Kang MRT. Note that there is also the 926 bus (which connects from Woodlands and Marsiling MRT stations), but this is only available on Sundays and public holidays.

It’s easy to take a taxi to the River Wonders Singapore, and there is ample parking on site as well ($3 for the first hour, $2 for every additional hour, maximum parking charge of $10).

River Wonders, 80 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729826, www.mandai.com/en/river-wonders


Need more kid-friendly ideas for a fun day out? We’ve got you covered!

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Lead image and 2#image courtesy of Wildlife Reserves Singapore, image #5 by Blub Creative; Image #4 by Syazana Hishamuddin; All other images via Wildlife Reserves Singapore. First published in 2020 by Kate McFarlane, updated in 2024.

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