We recently went jungle trekking (kind of) inwards Bukit Timah nature reserve. We've previously been to the MacRitchie Reservoir so, different then, when I don't shout back I genuinely realised what I was letting myself inwards for I was slightly to a greater extent than prepared for this trip. I knew I would teach really hot thus to take plenty of H2O in addition to that it would likely hateful a fair flake of walking. However it was all the same a flake of a surprise to hold upward greeted with such a steep initial climb to hand the summit.
I should explicate that the nature reserve genuinely boasts Singapore's highest point, Bukit Timah. It's entirely 163m so, alright, is non that high, but when you've got used to living inwards a relatively apartment house in addition to inwards the oestrus in addition to humidity hither I for sure knew I'd done that climb when nosotros reached the top.
Bukit is the Malay give-and-take for loma in addition to Bukit Timah translates equally Tin Hill. The loma has no links to tin (although at that topographic point was a granite quarry hither for many years) but it is suggested it got its name through a misunderstanding. Its master Malay name was Bukit Temak, important 'hill of the Temak trees' due to a tree that grew in large numbers in the area. However to the untrained Western ear Temak sounded similar Timah in addition to the loma was named equally such. There is also a proposition that Timah is an abbreviation of Fatimah which is a pop girl's mention inwards Malay.
The reserve is the concluding remaining expanse of primary rainforest inwards Singapore. I imagine this was what Singapore used to hold upward like. Albeit without the carefully set out paths through the jungle.
The reserve houses a vast array of species of plants in addition to is considered a haven, with ane naturalist estimating that at that topographic point are to a greater extent than species inwards this expanse than inwards the whole of North America. This expanse in addition to the Central Catchment Nature Reserve too it are said to hold upward abode to about 840 species of flowering plants in addition to 500 species of fauna. There is also enough of wild animals here, nosotros saw long-tailed macaques, beautiful butterflies in addition to heard many cicadas in addition to other insects inwards with the foliage. 
When nosotros reached the summit I was a petty disappointed past times how restricted the sentiment is at that topographic point considering it is the highest betoken on the island but it all the same felt an achievement. We took a fairly straightforward route to the piece of job past times (there are a pose out of paths you lot tin follow) which included several residual points which were warmly welcomed. For those who know the reserve nosotros took the pick of non climbing the steps to the piece of job past times but took them coming dorsum downwardly in ane lawsuit to a greater extent than instead. Before in addition to then deciding to enterprise off on to some of the other narrower paths to run into to a greater extent than of the jungle. This for sure meant beingness aware of where nosotros trod as we negotiated the many tree roots, rocks in addition to steep steps along the paths. These paths were a lot quieter than the principal routes upward to the summit in addition to the summit itself so, nosotros hoped, would give us a greater peril of seeing some wildlife. As nosotros went at a weekend it was really busy in addition to non everyone out walking was beingness that considerate of others who were perhaps hoping to run into the wild animals at that topographic point or only relish the tranquility of the place. I would definitely advise venturing off the principal tracks if you lot desire to really relish the contrast from the bustle of the city.
Although I shout back nosotros got a flake lost whilst walking about nosotros eventually constitute our agency dorsum to civilisation. By that betoken I was to a greater extent than than gear upward for some nutrient in addition to refreshment thus welcomed the sight of roads in addition to cars again. It all the same seemed strange, when nosotros did though, to know that literally only behind us was a rainforest in addition to such a contrast to the the footing nosotros had returned dorsum to.
