[Objective] The effect of macropore tortuosity on infiltrition was examined in order to provide theoretical basis for how tortuosity influenced preferential flow transport. [Methods] The laboratory soil column infiltration experiments were conducted with man-made macropore in Heilu soils under different initial tortuosity. The effects of macropore tortuosity on wetting front migration, cumulative infiltration and penetration time were determined. [Results] The macropore tortuosity considerably influenced the shape of the wetting front migration and its movement in vertical and lateral directions; the decrease of macropore tortuosity could accelerate the migration of wetting front and increase the cumulative infiltration; the time for water to penetrate the soil column increased with the rise of macropore tortuosity; the depth of wetting front migration and the amount of cumulative infiltration had the exponential relationship with time. The parameters in these functions depended on the macropore tortuosity. The relationship between penetration time and macropore tortuosity could be described by a logarithmic function. [Conclusion] The macropore tortuosity extensively impacted some factors of infiltrition, and was one of the most important factors in studying preferential flow.