Lanterns of the Wild

An after-dark trail of thousands of handcrafted lanterns follows an immersive route through glowing jungles, frozen forests, volcanic landscapes and underwater worlds.

The trail is advertised as over one mile long and runs 6 November 2026 to 21 February 2027. The zoo closes before the evening event and the lantern experience opens at 16:30; the final entry time varies by date (latest published time 20:00), with the event closing 90 minutes after that evening’s last entry. Exact nightly end times are not stated. Tickets cover the lantern trail only, not daytime animal access; rides cost extra and parking is £4 per vehicle. Adult tickets (18+) start at £19 off-peak, £24 peak and £26 super-peak; child tickets (3–17) start at £13.75, £17.50 and £19 respectively, plus a £2 booking fee. Infants aged 2 and under and qualifying Essential Companions are listed at £0. A Lanterns-and-zoo bundle starts at £32 adult and £26.75 child, with higher peak tiers; VIP Lanterns tickets start at £46 adult and £39 child. Four SEN evenings are listed: 26 November, 10 December, 15 January and 7 February. Santa’s Grotto is separately ticketed and takes place in the Himalaya Centre, apart from the lantern trail.