FAQ - Booking a Guided Tour for Your School
Programme Information
Q: What are the programmes that you offer?
Our programme booklets provide details of our programmes and the cost, with prices that can be found at bottom of each page. It can be accessed here.
Q: What is the cost of your programmes?
All guided tours are 1.5hrs, at a flat rate of $183.36 per group (Inclusive of GST), subject to a maximum of 20 students per group. A separate admission fee is applicable for the National Orchid Garden Tour.
Q: What are the admission fees to National Orchid Garden (NOG) and Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden (JBCG)?
Please click here for admission prices for adults. Children below 12 years of age enjoy free admission to NOG. Admission to JBCG is free for children and adults.
Date and time of guided tour
Q: Do you have a fixed schedule for your tours? Can I also request for dates that fit my timetable?
We do not have a fixed schedule for our tours as the number of bookings that we can accept will vary according to the number of guides available each day. Please send us a request which includes at least 3 possible dates of your choice, as well as some parameters that work for you. For example: Morning time slots in the month of May. Avoid Tuesdays and Thursdays. This will help us to provide you with a proposal that meets your needs.
Q: Are there some dates or timings that will increase my chances of booking a guided tour?
Morning time slots are popular and are often filled quickly. Choosing time slots in the afternoon between 3.00pm to 4.30pm will increase your chances of securing a booking with us. As schools under the Ministry of Education (MOE) have holidays during the months of March, June, and September, your chances of securing a booking during these months are higher. Alternatively, you may also consider the month of January as well.
Q: Are there any dates or timings to avoid?
Our tours are conducted fully outdoors and are weather-dependent. For the well-being of all staff and students, do carefully consider this when booking tours during the fasting period. On the same note, we discourage having tours between 11.30am and 2.30pm and recommend that tours for preschoolers end by 11.30am to account for their relatively early lunch and nap time.
Number of Participants and Accompanying Adults
Q: How many students can participate in a guided tour concurrently?
We allow up to a maximum of 20 students in each group for our tours. The number of groups that we can accept concurrently will depend on the number of guides available. For schools intending to book our guided tour for a large number of students (e.g., the entire level), we recommend splitting the students across different timeslots and dates.
Q: Do accompanying adults need to pay?
We allow up to 4 accompanying adults for each group of students. We do not charge programme fees for these 4 accompanying adults. However, admission charges will apply to them for the National Orchid Garden Tour.
Other Considerations Before You Book with Us
Q: What else should I take note of when I book a tour?
Q: Are the tour routes wheelchair accessible?
Kindly inform our staff as soon as possible if you require a wheelchair-friendly tour route. Our staff will advise if that is possible for your selected tour.
Submitting and Confirming a Booking Request
Q How do I submit a request?
Kindly register your interest via our online enquiry form. Please let us know the name of your organisation, contact person and email, programme that you wish to book, your preferred date and time, and estimated number of students and accompanying adults.
We accept requests on a cyclical basis. Please refer to “When Can I Register My Interest” to find out more about our booking request timeline.
Q Can I send you my request before the window period opens for my preferred dates?
Booking requests can be made only when the window period is open. We are unable to secure guides for booking requests made too far in advance. The booking request window period helps us to respond more quickly to your enquiries.
Q I have submitted my request. What should I expect next?
We will acknowledge the receipt of your request. Subsequently, we will reach out to you to seek any necessary clarification, counter-offer alternative dates, and/or inform you of the outcome of your request.
Please email us at NParks_SBG_Edu@NParks.gov.sg if you do not receive an acknowledgment after submitting your request or do not hear from us 4 weeks before your requested date.
Q I would like to change my tour dates due to a change in my school’s schedule. What can I do?
Kindly inform us as soon as possible should you wish to make a change. While we hope to accommodate your new dates, we seek your understanding that securing a new booking will be subject to the availability of our guides. There is a chance that we may not be able to accommodate the new dates or timeslot proposed.
Q How will I know if my booking is confirmed?
We will send you a Booking Form along with our terms and conditions for your verification. Your booking is confirmed after we receive the signed Booking Form from you via email.
Q Will there be any penalty if I cancel my booking after confirmation?
No penalty will be incurred if the tour is cancelled more than 15 working days before the programme. However, we would appreciate if you can inform us about your intention to cancel as early as possible.
Wet Weather
Q What happens if it rains? Will you still be able to conduct a programme for the students in a classroom?
The Gardens has limited sheltered area and wet weather options. Here is an overview of our usual procedure.
On the day of the tour, we will check the weather onsite and the weather forecast app by NEA. Should the weather or forecast look unfavourable, we will call you at least 1.5 hours before the programme start time to update you and check if you wish to cancel or postpone the programme. Should the decision be made to cancel or postpone the tour due to unfavourable weather conditions at the Garden, no charge will be incurred. If you decide to continue with the booking arrangement, we will assess the situation again at the programme commencement time. Here are some possible outcomes:
- The weather clears up – Tour proceeds as planned.
- Light rain but it is safe to head outdoors (i.e., no lightning and thunder) – Children can put on their rain gear and we will proceed with the tour.
- It is unsafe to proceed outdoors (i.e., heavy rain, thunder, lightning) - We will wait at the sheltered lobby until it is safe to proceed. Should the weather remain unfavourable, we will not be able to commence the programme for the safety of all involved.
As the weather can be unpredictable, we are unable to cover all the possible scenarios. However, we will work closely with you and make any necessary recommendations with the safety of the participants as our priority.
Others
Q My school did not manage to secure a guided tour booking. Can we still visit the Gardens?
You can still conduct a self-led learning journey to the Gardens. For such free-and-easy visits, a permit application is required. Kindly submit the application at least 2 weeks prior to your intended date of visit. Our colleagues from Visitor Services will be in touch with you upon successful submission of the form.
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