Halloween at Kew is back for its third year, transforming the world-famous botanical gardens in West London into a terrifying wonderland of ghouls, witches, Egyptian mummies, spectres and monsters. The trail runs for two weeks until November 1 and is suitable for all ages, with three time slots available.
Kew Gardens Transformed After Dark
Kew Gardens, known for its serene and tranquil atmosphere, becomes an entirely different experience once darkness falls in October. Visitors can expect an interactive experience with daylight sessions for little ones or those not keen to be spooked, a twilight slot between 6pm and 7.30pm where things get spookier as the sun disappears, and a moonlight session from 7.30pm onwards where everything is completely dark.
The trail features a stunning tree bedecked in ghoulish green lights with a real cloaked horseman guarding it, an enchanted tunnel of pumpkins, and a witch cooking up spells in the front garden of a cottage in the woods. The Egyptian section includes a mummy that growls at walkers, though it doesn't touch them.
Immersive Experience with Sound and Light
What makes the experience so magical is not just the array of lights and scary scenes, but also the music and soundtrack. From ghostly moans to creaking doors in graveyards, visitors are fully immersed as they walk through the black-as-night garden. The trail also includes vampires putting on shows, pumpkin patches with a real-life dancing Mr Pumpkin head, haunted tractors, giant disco skeletons, and pagan gods lining the walkways.
The moonlight walk can be genuinely unsettling, with many moments of real fright. Parents with younger children are advised to take them to earlier time slots, as there were plenty of tears in the pitch-black spooky world. However, the experience remains family-friendly, with interactive characters adding to the fun and plenty of places to stop for food, hot chocolate, or to toast marshmallows.
Tickets and Availability
Tickets for Halloween at Kew start at £19.50, with family tickets available. The event follows the success of Christmas at Kew and is proving so popular it is here to stay.
