Today's Announcements

Our indoor soft play area, Jungle Tumble, will be closed on the following dates to annual maintenance work and a thorough deep clean. We apologise for any inconvenience caused, but this short closure is vital for us to be able to offer a high standard facility.
• Monday 18th to Friday 22nd September 2023

Please be aware that some areas of the zoo will be CLOSED from the following dates to allow us time to prepare for our Halloween events.
• From 25th September 2023, our Bears of the Rising Sun lower viewing area will be closed.
• From 2nd October 2023, our Elephant Bushwalk will be closed.
• From 9th October 2023, our Cheetah viewing area, opposite Komodo Dragons, will be closed.

Go digital and download the Colchester Zoo App.
Find out more here

Important Information

Start Date14th Oct 2022 End Date14th Oct 2022

Expect the Unexpected…

The Trail of Terror is a pre-bookable event with a maximum capacity each evening. Arrivals will be staggered along the trail offering you screams of laughter as you won’t know what is lurking around the corner on The Trail of Terror!

Colchester Zoo will close at 5:00pm to day visitors as usual, before opening at 6:30pm on selected evenings, leaving the zoo behind as The Trail of Terror comes to life!

The Trail of Terror begins as soon as you step foot in the door, from rustling bushes, to masked monsters and screaming scarers, they could get you anytime and anywhere…

We do have a limited number of Safe Zones during the trail which are located alongside food outlets offering hot food, snacks and drinks that you can enjoy without fear of being scared!

We will also have food and music for you to enjoy at the end of the trail PLUS a themed photo point so you can purchase a souvenir of your evening.

THIS EVENT IS NOT FOR SCAREDY-CATS!

If you’re not able to make this date then The Trail of Terror is taking place on the following evenings too! 15th, 21st, 22nd, 26th, 28th and 29th October 2022
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Due to the nature of this event, we do not recommend this for anyone under the age of 12yrs however this is at guardians’ discretion. We will not admit anyone under the age of 5yrs. Please also be aware that due to the unpredictable nature of the trail, this event may not be suitable for some people with sensory or other specific needs.

The Trail of Terror event must be pre-booked online in advance. Please be aware that tickets are non-refundable, do bear this in mind when deciding if this event is suitable for everyone in your group. Unfortunately, it is not viable for us to offer a discount to Passholders for this event. Tesco Partner Reward Codes CANNOT be used for entry to this event.

Colchester Zoo (location only, the Zoo will be closed during event)
There are 7 dates available in which to take part:
Friday 14th October 2022
Saturday 15th October 2022
Friday 21st October 2022
Saturday 22nd October 2022
Wednesday 26th October 2022
Friday 28th October 2022
Saturday 29th October 2022

Please note: there will be no Trail of Terror taking place on 31st October 2022.

The Trail of Terror is available to book in slots from 6.30pm. Choose your date and 15 minute arrival time slot when booking, closing times may vary.
The trail can take 1 hour to 1 ½ hours to complete depending on whether you choose to take a break from the scares at a Safe Zone. It is one way and so you are unable to turn back once you have begun the trail.

Your entry admits you to participate in The Trail of Terror route once within the evening. You are not able to re-walk the route once you have completed the trail.
Due to the nature of this event, we do not recommend this for anyone under the age of 12yrs however this is at guardians’ discretion. We will not admit anyone under the age of 5yrs. Please also be aware that due to the unpredictable nature of the trail, this event may not be suitable for some people with sensory or other specific needs.

Under 16yrs must be accompanied by a responsible adult over 16 yrs at all times whilst in the park. Unaccompanied persons under 16 yrs will not be admitted.
The Trail of Terror event must be pre-booked online in advance.
Unfortunately, it is not viable for us to offer a discount to Passholders for this event.
Tesco Partner Reward Codes CANNOT be used for entry to this event.

Price:
All tickets are available at £20.00 per person.

Personal assistants will be admitted free of charge to accompany a guest with a disability, verification may be requested on arrival.

The Trail of Terror does not admit entry to Colchester Zoo during usual opening hours.

Please also be aware that due to the unpredictable nature of the trail, this event may not be suitable for some people with sensory or other specific needs.

Please be aware that tickets are non-refundable, do bear this in mind when deciding if this event is suitable for everyone in your group.

Admission to this event cannot be used to upgrade to a Zoo Pass. Our Guest Services office and The Outpost gift shop will also be closed during this event.
BOOK NOW

Although this event is hosted by us here at Colchester Zoo & the trail is within the park, the zoo itself will remain closed and the event does not include animal viewing.

Please be aware that all activities, terms & conditions, dates, times and prices are subject to change.

FAQ’s

Our popular day time Shriek Week events will be running throughout October half term.
We will have a small number of catering outlets open offering some hot food, snacks and drinks throughout the evening so you can take a break, catch your breath and enjoy some fang-tastic food!
We are not able to admit anyone under the age 5yrs to this event.

Due to the nature of this event, we do not recommend this for anyone under the age of 12yrs however this is at guardians’ discretion.

Please also be aware that due to the unpredictable nature of the trail, this event may not be suitable for some people with sensory or other specific needs.

Please be aware that tickets are non-refundable therefore please bear this in mind when deciding if this event is suitable for everyone in your group.
As with previous years we will also be offering a more family friendly day time selection of activities via our Shriek Week event. Shriek Week is included in the cost of general zoo admission with some secondary activities available at a small additional cost.
We will have evening entry time slots every 15 minutes from 6:30pm with the last entry time subject to demand. This allows for a smooth flow of people throughout The Trail of Terror. This is to help avoid overcrowding and queueing 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.
As Colchester Zoo will be closing and reopening outside of normal operating hours for this special event, all visitors to The Trail of Terror 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 the general operation of the event.
Passholder discounts will still be available in open food outlets.
Colchester Zoo will close at 5:00pm. From 6:30pm The Trail of Terror will open and the zoo as you know it will remain closed therefore, it will not be possible to see any of the animals.

The Trail of Terror consists of a marked route which you will be asked to follow.

If you would like to see the animals at Colchester Zoo, The Trail of Terror is not the event for you, instead we recommend joining us during the day.
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.
We do not recommend this event for assistant dogs however this is at the owners’ discretion. This is due to special effects, sudden noises and scares that will occur throughout the trail.

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 assistant dog.
Smoking and vaping is strictly prohibited with the zoo grounds. Please only use our designated smoking area located outside of the zoo’s main entrance.

Please read our full Trail of Terror Terms & Conditions here.

Tickets are non-refundable, do bear this in mind when deciding if this event is suitable for everyone in your group.

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