Can you feel it in the air? Winter is coming! What is your favorite winter activity? Is it skiing? Sledding? Snowboarding? Ice skating? If you answered the last one and you live in Edinburgh, Scotland, then you’re in luck because on December 1, 2023 – January 7, 2023, Edinburgh Zoo’s Winter Village will be opening its doors to the public. There will be market stalls selling Christmas gifts, wreath making workshops, a Mr. and Mrs. Claus meet-and-greet, and for the first time ever, an environmentally friendly skating rink! Open both to newbie skaters and experts, the rink will be open for daytime and evening skating. Proceeds raised from this attraction will go to funding the wildlife conservation programs of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, a charity whose vision is “a world where nature is protected, valued and loved.”

Jingle all the way to Edinburgh Zoo this festive season with the arrival of our new Winter Village! We have a brrr-illiant line-up of events happening this winter, from festive wreath making to breakfast with the Clauses.

Winter Village will be open throughout the day during zoo opening hours and on selective evenings from Friday 1 December 2023 – Sunday 7 January 2024. Our Christmas market is free to enter, however skating tickets and grotto slots must be purchased additionally to your zoo entry tickets.

Hop over Rockhopper Rink for iceless skating this winter! Edinburgh’s only environmentally friendly rink is perfect for novice skaters (and experts alike!) and little chicks aged 3+. Children must be supervised and those under eight years old must be accompanied on the rink.

Skating boots are provided and each skating slot is 30 minutes long. Please note, your skating ticket does not include your entry into Edinburgh Zoo. This must be purchased separately or is free if you’re a Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) member. Skating can be purchased on a walk-up basis, but to save disappointment we advise booking this online in advance.

Sir David Frederick Attenborough, broadcaster, biologist, natural historian and author, said “The natural world is in serious trouble and it needs our help as never before. We continue to lose the precious wildlife that enriches our lives.” No effort is too small when it comes to helping those who are most in need. One helping hand may mean the difference between life or extinction for these voiceless animals. Book your tickets to the Edinburgh Zoo’s Winter Village here now.