Orchard Road Stories: Emerald Hill & Other Hidden Gems Walk

The discovery tour around Emerald Hill has 2 options to choose from:

• 3 hour morning stroll

• 2 hour evening walk including a cocktail or glass of wine

Private Group Walking Tour

• Mornings 9-12am & Evenings 6-8pm

• Mornings 3 hours & Evenings 2 hours

• Group price charge for a morning or evening tour $400 for 1-5 guests 

The name Orchard Road conjures up visions of gleaming high rise apartment buildings, glitzy shopping malls, and office towers filled with glamorous hotels and high-end restaurants. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find that there’s a rich history lurking among the monuments to shopping and consumption, with nearby gems like Emerald Hill providing oases of tranquillity.

We’ll show you the fascinating nooks and crannies that bear testament to Orchard Road’s early years as an area dominated by plantations, farms, and yes, orchards, plus 19th-century colonial-era homes and buildings that survive today!

We start at Dhoby Ghaut to learn the origins of its name. You’ll hear stories about nutmeg planters, their sumptuous estates, and the consequences of the mysterious “nutmeg” disease.

Next up on the route is one of the oldest churches in Singapore known as the “Scots Church,” nestled at the foot of Fort Canning. As we continue our stroll, you will glimpse one of only two remaining traditional southern Chinese mansions.

Walk through Istana Park, the official residence of the president of Singapore, and learn more about the island’s colonial roots.

We finish at Emerald Hill, a tranquil enclave of beautiful Peranakan shophouses tucked away a stone’s throw from the hustle and bustle of the Orchard shopping district.

• Join your guide 15 mins before the tour starts

• Meet at Cathay Building

• Dhoby Ghaut

• Presbyterian Church

• Dhoby Ghaut Green & Malayan Motor Building

• Temasek Shophouse & Macdonald House

• Tan Yeok Nee Mansion

• Istana Park & Istana Gallery (optional)

• End at Emerald Hill Road

Meet your guide at Cathay Building, 2 Handy Road, Singapore 229233
Nearest MRT Dhoby Ghaut, Exit A