Wild Lights opens on Friday 28th October 2022 and runs until Monday 9th January 2023. 

Please see evenings available on selected months: 

• October: The last Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday of the month.  
• November: Every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 
• December: Every evening (Monday – Sunday). However, it will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and St. Stephen’s Day. 
• January: Saturday, 1st January – Monday, 9th January 

Admission times to Wild Lights are as follow:  

• 5pm-9pm (Last entry is strictly 8.00pm) 

• Sessions are 5pm, 6pm, 7pm.  

No, once you enter Dublin Zoo, your time is not limited and you can stay until we close.  

Please remember to double-check the last entry time for the date you’ll be visiting.  

The experience is suitable for all ages, families, couples and groups alike. This experience is wheelchair and buggy accessible. 

Yes, the route has been designed so that wheelchairs and buggies can get around as easily as possible.

We have 10 wheelchairs available at the front gate which are cleaned and sanitised before each use. To reserve a wheelchair, please email info@dublinzoo.ie with your name and the date and time of your visit. 

Wild Lights is back with an exciting brand new theme for this year – The Magic of Life! 

Over a thousand breath-taking, dazzling lanterns will portray a fascinating and important story by shining a light on biodiversity. 

Travel through the illuminated and magical woodland scenes before encountering the wondrous pollinators including giant bees and bee-hives. See some of nature’s most amazing transformations from the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a stunning butterfly to the intriguing co-operation between ants in a colony.  

Discover the abundance and diversity of life in the tree tops of our rainforests and then dive underwater and witness some of the most beautiful sea creatures and the mesmerising coral – all lit up through magical hand-crafted traditional Chinese lanterns.   

Through this transformation of Dublin Zoo visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about the Magic of Life and also the role they can play to help our planet.  

No, it’s very unlikely you’ll see the animals as at that time of year they’ll mostly be in their indoor habitats and houses where it’s warm! 

No, Wild Lights admission tickets do not give admission to the Zoo during daytime operating hours. 

Wild Lights will still go ahead unless weather conditions are deemed unsafe for our visitors, staff and animals, in which the event will be cancelled. Please see our cancellation policy below.  

Please be aware that this is an outdoor winter experience so please dress appropriately.  

There are lockers available at the entrance. The lockers cost €2. Once you pay, you can operate the lockers via the key.

Note: In line with standard protocol for past Wild Lights, backpacks and large bags are not permitted. Only small bags measuring no bigger than A4 (8.27in/21cm x 11.7/ 29.7cm) will be permitted into the Zoo.

There is one ATM on-site at Wild Lights, located in the main gift shop at the entrance of the Zoo.  

Entry to Wild Lights is subject to bag searches. For the safety and enjoyment of all attending, An Garda Síochána and Dublin Zoo request that patrons leave bags at home while attending Wild Lights.

Note: In line with standard protocol for past Wild Lights, backpacks and large bags are not permitted. Only small bags measuring no bigger than A4 (8.27in/21cm x 11.7/ 29.7cm) will be permitted into the Zoo.
 

Exceptions will be made for people with medical conditions and children, but all bags will be subject to search.

This is an alcohol and drug-free experience. 

Management reserves the right to refuse admission and to eject any persons attempting to interfere with Wild Lights at Dublin Zoo or gain access to any non-public areas within the Zoo. Please note and adhere to all public signage and staff instructions while in the Zoo. 

Yes, the Dublin Zoo gift shop will be open. Alternatively, you can visit our online Zootique to purchase your Dublin Zoo gifts and have them posted to you. 

There are also a number of festive kiosks open. Please take a look at the map below for further information.

Yes, there will be select toilets available along the trail.  

There will be select food and beverage kiosks available for take away services along the trail. 

Dublin Zoo does not offer refunds for Wild Lights tickets apart from in the event of a venue closure actioned by Dublin Zoo. 

In the event of a cancellation of Wild Lights, attendees will be notified at the earliest convenience by email to the email address used to book the tickets. It is the responsibility of the attendees to check their emails before departing for the event to check for any updates and to make sure email addresses are correctly entered when booking tickets.  

In the event of a cancellation, attendees will be given a full refund which they will receive within 15 working days of the cancelled event.  

Dublin Zoo accepts no responsibility for a customer’s inability to attend Wild Lights due to any external factor including but not exclusive to traffic restrictions, illness, weather conditions etc. 

Dublin Zoo reserves the right to change or update experience timings and content up to and on the day of the event. 

Dublin Zoo reserves the right to cancel any nights of Wild Lights for any reason deemed necessary for the safety and well-being of our visitors, staff and animals including unsafe weather conditions.  

In the event of a cancellation of Wild Lights, attendees will be notified at the earliest convenience by email to the email address used to book the tickets. It is the responsibility of the attendees to check their emails before departing for Wild Lights to check for any updates, and to make sure email addresses are correctly entered when booking tickets.  

In the event of a cancellation, attendees will be given a full refund which they will receive within 15 working days maximum of the cancelled date.