Glamping with the family at Mandai’s new Crocodile Lodge

SINGAPORE – Whenever I visited the zoo as a child, I would gaze at the sprawling enclosures and wonder what it would be like to spend a night there.

My only camping experience back then involved pitching flimsy, uncomfortable tents on the grass or hard ground.

Fast-forward to today, and my first true “glamping” experience at Mandai Wildlife Reserve’s new Crocodile Lodge with my wife and two daughters, aged seven and 13, proved to be a vastly different affair. It was elevated and comfortable, and finally satisfied my childhood curiosity.

Crocodile Lodge is the second glamping activity available at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve. It follows Colugo Camp, which launched in 2025, now renamed Reservoir Retreat.

Nestled within the newly opened Rainforest Wild Adventure East zone, this all-inclusive camping experience with meals provided brings nature lovers right into the heart of an African-themed landscape.

Our check-in at 3pm was seamless. Arriving at the Rainforest Wild Adventure East zone entrance, we were handed wristbands that doubled as luggage tags, and VIP Fast Passes for the park’s attractions.

Our luggage was sent to our tent, but instead of heading straight there, we roamed the park first to take in the wildlife.

We spotted playful Asian small-clawed otters splashing about and pygmy hippos resting in the water at the Riverine Forest. At the Madagascar-inspired Lemur Land aviary, we observed beautiful birds like the white-faced whistling ducks and yellow-billed storks.

Eager for some thrills, we put our Fast Passes to use at the Adventure+ attractions. My 13-year-old was halfway up the vertical rungs of the 11m-high Split Rock Summit climb when the activity was suddenly suspended due to lightning and rain, and she had to come down.

With the Adventure+ attractions temporarily closed, we retreated to our accommodation.

Walking up to our home for the night, we admired the canvas-style, earth-toned architecture of the safari tents, designed to blend seamlessly into the surrounding landscape.

We unzipped the flap of our rugged yet luxurious tent. The three-digit combination lock provided for the zip was a bit tricky to see and align in the dark later that night, but that was a minor gripe.

Inside, we were greeted by a blast of air-conditioning, enhanced by a ceiling fan and a standing fan. The 4m by 5m tent was perfectly laid out for a family of four. My wife and I took the queen-size bed, while the girls eagerly claimed the bunk bed.

The interior design was simple but thoughtfully curated, featuring an earth-tone palette of beige, tan and brown to mimic the natural outdoor environment. This was complemented by industrial-rustic furniture that combined wood elements with black metal frames and black utility features.

Unlike my primary school camping days, this tent came with all the modern comforts: multiple 230V power outlets for charging our devices, complimentary Wi-Fi and warm lighting from desk lamps and spotlights.

The best part of the room was rolling up the weatherproof canvas walls to reveal the view. From our outdoor patio, we had a front-row view of the Red Ravine – a landscape inspired by the Congo rainforest, where animals like the Nile lechwe, African painted dogs and crocodiles roam.

The shared bathrooms were a short, unsheltered walk away, but there were umbrellas in our room.

The communal wash and shower areas were beautifully designed with plenty of living plants, timber log walls and warm earthy textures.

The facilities were well-equipped, featuring private showering with hot water, giving guests the choice of both handheld and decent-pressure rain showers.

There were also spacious family bathrooms for those with young children, as well as wheelchair- and elderly-friendly bathrooms.

At 6pm, the camp staff took us to the nearby Ranger’s Retreat restaurant for a buffet dinner. The menu featured hearty fare such as South African-style sustainable salmon belly curry and Moroccan pilaf rice, as well as fresh fruit, lemon meringue pie, and bread and butter pudding for dessert.

After the park was closed to the public, guests were not allowed to leave the glamping site without an escort. It was not an issue as the camp facilitators kept the children thoroughly entertained with night activities at a communal area dubbed Crocodile Hall.

My daughters had a blast participating in a toy animal scavenger hunt where they earned a prize badge, learnt survival skills at a knot-tying workshop and played interactive wildlife trivia quizzes.

Lying in bed after a snack of pastries and cold Milo for supper, the sounds of distant birds and the hum of the air-conditioning lulled us to sleep.

We woke up the next morning to a slightly cloudy but beautiful sunrise.

After our morning shower, we joined the Ranger Expedition, an exclusive early-hours guided forest trek. It was a highlight of the stay, as we managed to get up close to the curious ring-tailed and red-bellied lemurs roaming freely during our morning walk through Lemur Land before the park opened to the public.

By 9am, we sat down for breakfast, also at Ranger’s Retreat. The morning buffet offerings included kid-friendly fare like creamy scrambled eggs and hash browns, alongside local favourites like pandan nasi lemak.

Check-out rolled around at 11am, but our adventure was not over.

We put our Fast Passes to use again and hit the park’s Adventure+ attractions. We explored the rides we missed the day before in the East zone, where my 13-year-old loved the Ravine Swing, which soared 8m high.

We also tried the 500m Canopy Glider, though parents should take note of the ride restrictions. My seven-year-old had to sit this one out as she cleared the minimum height of 0.95m, but not the minimum weight of 15kg.

Afterwards, we exited the East Park, took the free shuttle to the West Park and braved the Cavern Crawl, navigating a 60m dark cave tunnel and scrambling over a glass floor with hissing cockroaches beneath us.

Unfortunately, it started raining again and there was lightning, which meant many of the outdoor activities had to be suspended for safety reasons.

This brings me to a crucial piece of advice for future glampers. Because a lot of the park’s animal habitats, elevated walkways and Adventure+ rides are outdoors, it is best to temper your expectations in case of inclement weather.

Safety protocols dictate that a number of attractions and activities will be suspended during heavy rain and lightning, so prepare to be flexible and enjoy the comfort of your luxury tent or the park’s sheltered areas when the skies open up.