Winter’s wild wonders will be seen in a whole new light this Christmas

We’re inviting visitors to step into the wild side of winter this Christmas with an immersive journey looking at the wonders of the natural world through fire and ice.

As the sun goes down, the lights will go up, fires will blaze and ice will shimmer as the zoo brings nature’s stories to life.

The interactive Fire & Ice experience will allow visitors to take part in activities to show how animals survive winter in the wild – whether in freezing conditions or blazing heat.

Little kids, and of course big ones, can enjoy dazzling, high-energy fire and ice illuminations, see a fire dragon, tackle the ice maze, hop across stepping stones on a flowing lava floor and have fun with snowballs.

On Fire & Ice event days, roaming fire performers will wander through interactive play zones and festive markets. And no Christmas treat would be complete without a visit to Santa in his grotto.

Marwell CEO Laura Read said: “We have really ramped up Christmas this year. This is so much more than just a light trail. This is a wonderfully immersive journey through fire and ice and the wonders of the natural world.

“This is a really fun, family festive treat, creatively putting a whole new light on conservation and how our animals survive winter in the wild.”

Tickets for Christmas at Marwell Fire & Ice, which runs on selected dates from 20 November to 31 December 2026, are available now with a range of options, including being able to buy a day zoo ticket plus the event or tickets for the event only. Santa tickets are not included as standard within the Fire & Ice event.

Find out more about Christmas at Marwell Fire & Ice.