Enchanted: Trail of Light FAQs 2024
Add a sparkle of magic to your festivities this Christmas and come along and join in the festive fun with our Enchanted Light Trail evening!
Daytime events:
Enchanted Trail of Light is an exclusive evening event which is separate to the Zoo.
Our popular daytime Magic of Christmas events will be running on selected days in November and December for which a Standard Zoo Admission Ticket is required and a Santa Experience Ticket if you wish to visit Santa. Please see our Magic of Christmas event pages for more details.
Food during this event:
We will have a number of catering outlets open offering hot food, snacks and drinks throughout the evening so you can take a break and enjoy some tasty treats!
Why do I have to book a timeslot?
We will have evening entry time slots every 15 minutes. This allows for a smooth flow of people throughout Enchanted Trail of Light, helping to avoid overcrowding and queuing for long periods of time.
As you enter certain areas of the trail, our marshals may ask you to wait for a short time to allow for previous groups to move on and keep a steady flow throughout the trail.
Do I get a discount as a passholder?
As Colchester Zoo will be closing and reopening outside of normal operating hours for this special event, all visitors to Enchanted Trail of Light will be charged the same admission price per person.
Unfortunately, it is not viable for us to offer a discount to Passholders for this event due to the general operation of the event. Passholder discounts will still be available in open food outlets.
Can I see the rest of the Zoo and animals during the event?
Colchester Zoo will close and from 4:00pm (weekdays) and 4:30pm (weekends and school holidays), the Enchanted Trail of Light will open and the Zoo as you know it will remain closed. Therefore, it will not be possible to see any of the animals.
Enchanted Trail of Light consists of a marked route which you will be asked to follow. If you would like to see the animals at Colchester Zoo, Enchanted Trail of Light is not the event for you, instead we recommend joining us during the day.
Is Enchanted Trail of Light suitable for wheelchair users?
The trail has been designed to be accessible for wheelchairs, however there are some areas that may present difficulty because of uneven ground or after wet weather when the surface may become muddy or slippery. Parts of the trail do also use bark chipping as a base and this may prove difficult for some, not all, wheelchairs.
Please note: Wheelchairs and mobility scooters will not be available to hire for this event.
Can I bring an assistance dog?
We do not recommend this event for assistant dogs due to special effects that will occur throughout the trail, however this is at the owners’ discretion. Emotional support dogs cannot be admitted to this event.
If you decide to enter with an assistant dog, please contact us in advance to make our team aware of the time you will be visiting.
Please be aware that tickets are non-refundable, do keep this in mind when deciding if this event is suitable for your assistance dog.
Can I smoke on the trail?
Smoking and vaping is strictly prohibited within the Zoo grounds. Please only use our designated smoking area located in the car park, outside of the zoo’s main entrance.