THERE’S a beautiful Indian palace less than a hour’s drive from Birmingham but don’t prod the imposing walls – they’re gossamer-thin, so light you wonder that the whole thing might blow away in the wind.

It won’t, of course. The palace is sturdily anchored to the ground. As are the all-knowing elephants, the tigers burning bright in the night, and the other endangered animals that call this haven their home. Let me explain.

These, and all the inhabitants along a mile-long route, are among more than 2,000 lanterns lovingly created by Chinese craftsmen, and installed at Twycross Zoo, the leading conservation charity in Warwickshire.

The Atherstone attraction has just brought back Lanterns Of The Wild, last year voted the nation’s No 1 seasonal light trail and a huge hit with thousands of visitors. What’s more, they’ve given it a new lease of life.

Much of the ‘wow’ factor that greeted the trail’s winter debut in 2025 was down to the fact that we’d never seen anything in the UK quite like it before, certainly not on such a scale. Jaws duly dropped at every twist and turn.

So could the experience, which re-opened at the weekend and runs until February 21, 2027, evoke the same the sense of wonder? The answer, I’m happy to report, is ‘yes’. Organisers have made enough changes to keep things fresh.

The aforementioned Indian Palace, undoubted showstopper on the trail, is new, replacing last year’s headliner, a mighty Mount Rushmore. There’s now a smoking volcano; a snake tunnel; an underwater cave lit by UV light.

Julia Donaldson’s Stick Man joins the Gruffalo party; there’s a huge ferris wheel offering views over the park; a new street food village with flavours from around the world – and the trail runs the opposite way from last time.

Ten zones are represented along the route, each chosen to reflect the species conservationists are battling to save from extinction. You enter via Kingdoms of Africa, then trek through the Lost Worlds of South America.

The Frozen Lands, Asian Jungle, Garden of Wonders, The Great American Frontier, India Illuminated, The Gruffalo Wood and Underwater Odyssey follow before you part the seaweed of Coral Cave to exit the trail.

And, as darkness falls, each creature you encounter is not only rare but also a rare beauty. The lanterns are works of art, their brilliant hues creating a fantastical atmosphere, yet at the same time realistic, and with a conservation message.

The attention to detail paid by expert craftsmen is remarkable when you get up close and look the critters, quite literally, in the eye. You’ll find yourself mesmerised by the gaze of many of the animals, birds, reptiles and marine wonders.

Elephants, lions, tigers, wild horses and the like are life-sized, and their surrounds, particularly the palace grounds, are spectacular. The walls tower above you, with huge, seemingly wooden, doors onto the courtyard.

From a distance, you’d swear this was a real, permanent building, so carefully crafted, and cleverly lit, it is. The walk-through volcano, with its smoke machine and lava flow lights is similarly impressive.

It’s not Christmassy as such, although there’s the odd reindeer and Christmas tree-shaped lantern, so if it’s carols, candy cane, elves and Noddy Holder you’re in search of, you’ve probably picked the wrong trail.

What you do get, however is a delight for the senses, the magical lanterns and lighting backed by mood music suited to each zone. It is easily the best light trail I have ever followed and richly deserving of all the plaudits.

There are a couple of food and drink stops along the route, one of them at the halfway point offering the opportunity to toast marshmallows over an open fire, and there are a number of loo stops as well.

We arrived at 4.30pm and hit the trail at around 4.45pm, by which time it was dark enough for the lantern colours to really pop. We spent around 90 minutes on the trail, with numerous photo stops, then hit the food village.

All in all, I suggest you allow at least a couple of hours for a Lanterns Of The Wild visit, or you can buy a ticket which also allows daytime admission to the zoo proper (note: you won’t see any real animals on the light trail).

NEED TO KNOW

First admission is at 4.30pm and entrance is by timed ticket to avoid crowding, so plan accordingly. The trail is one-way so, although you can spend as much time exploring as you like, back-tracking isn’t really an option.

Lanterns Of The Wild tickets start from £19 for adults and £13.75 for children (aged three to 17) on off-peak dates but check the website carefully as admission rises at peak periods, with ‘super peak’ prices £26 and £19 respectively. Children aged two and under go free.

There are discounts for Twycross Zoo annual pass holders and members.  There’s a separate charge for the ferris wheel, traditional galloping horses carousel and Santa’s Grotto. See  www.twycrosszoo.org for full details.

Twycross Zoo is a registered charity which supports conservation, education and research to protect some of the most endangered species on the planet. It cares for hundreds of animals from some 70 different species, and welcomes 700,000 visitors a year to its 100-acre site. All images ©Paul Cole

Read more: See my review of last year’s Lanterns Of The Wild trail