Within 90 seconds of walking through the gate at Bringamosa, a donkey finds you. Not aggressively — just curious, ears forward, ready to see if you brought snacks. That easy, unhurried greeting is the signature of Donkey Sanctuary Aruba, a rescue and rehabilitation center that has been caring for the island’s donkeys since 1997.
150+ rescued donkeys roam freely on a 12-acre sanctuary in central Aruba — and every visitor who walks through the gate helps keep them there.
The sanctuary is free to enter and runs entirely on donations, feed sales, gift-shop purchases, and adoption fees. This article covers what a visit actually looks like, how the adoption program works, and the different ways your time and money help keep the rescue running.
Families with young children
Animal lovers
Slow-paced mornings
Why Donkeys? A 500-Year Aruba Story
Donkeys have been part of Aruba for roughly 500 years. Spanish settlers brought them as working animals — the main way people and goods moved across the cunucu (the island’s interior) for generations.
When cars took over, the donkeys were turned loose. By the 1970s, the wild population had dropped to about 20 animals, with survivors dodging traffic on an increasingly busy island.
The sanctuary was founded in 1997 at Santa Lucia as a safe haven for sick, injured, and orphaned donkeys. Nearly 20 years later, it moved to a larger 12-acre property in Bringamosa near Santa Cruz. Today the herd is 150 strong and counting, cared for largely by volunteers.
What a Visit Actually Looks Like
You don’t queue for a ticket here. Entry is free — the sanctuary runs on donations, feed sales, and adoption fees. Most visitors spend 45 minutes to two hours walking the half-mile trails, petting donkeys, and watching the herd interact.
Feeding is the main event. You can bring your own carrots and apples, or buy a bag of feed on-site for a few dollars. The donkeys eat gently from flat palms — staff will show you how. Children under 8 need to stay within three feet of an adult during feeding, but the donkeys are famously gentle and used to kids.
Morning visits (9–11am) are the sweet spot — temperatures are cooler, the donkeys are most active, and crowds are thinner. Weekdays see 50–100 visitors compared to 200–300 on weekends. Afternoons can hit 90–95°F, and the herd tends to nap in the shade.
The visitor center has a covered porch with ceiling fans, seating for 30, and a view of the main paddock. It’s a good place to sit and watch the donkeys move through their day. Restrooms and free water stations are available — fill your bottle before heading out on the trails.
The sanctuary sits right on the way to Arikok National Park’s hiking trails and cave exploration, making it an easy first stop on a day exploring Aruba’s wilder side.
Adopting a Donkey: How It Works
$50 a year gets you an adoption certificate and photo updates of your chosen donkey. For $150, you get the standard package with more frequent updates. The premium tier at $500 includes naming rights for a new arrival or a currently unnamed donkey.
More than 500 people have active adoptions, which together fund about 40% of the sanctuary’s annual operating costs. You can adopt from anywhere — the sanctuary ships updates online — and it makes a concrete, trackable gift for kids who connected with a specific donkey during their visit.
The adoption program is run through the sanctuary’s website. You pick a donkey from the online gallery, choose your tier, and the sanctuary handles the rest. It’s a direct line between your donation and a specific animal’s feed and vet care.
Ways Your Support Keeps the Sanctuary Running
The entry is free, but keeping 150+ donkeys fed, housed, and medically cared for costs roughly $400,000 a year. About 85% of that comes from visitor contributions — donations, feed purchases, gift shop sales, and adoption fees.
Annual visitors · $200,000+ raised annually through donations and on-site purchases · 85% of revenue goes directly to animal care, veterinary services, and facility maintenance.
The gift shop stocks donkey-themed shirts, plush toys, magnets, and souvenirs — every dollar of the 100% profit margin funds the rescue. If you don’t want to carry extra stuff home, you can drop a cash donation at the front desk or contribute online after your visit.
Volunteers are another pillar of the operation. The sanctuary has 50+ active volunteers who contribute 200+ hours a month. Shifts start at 4 hours, you need to be 18 or older, and there’s a 2-hour orientation beforehand. Tasks range from early-morning feeding (6–8am) to visitor assistance during open hours.
Practical Tips for Your Visit
The sanctuary is at Bringamosa 2-Z, near Santa Cruz in central Aruba. It’s about a 20–25 minute drive from the Palm Beach and Eagle Beach hotel zones, and it sits right on the way to Arikok National Park — easy to pair in a single day.
The heat is real. From noon to 3pm, temperatures on the inland trails can hit 90–95°F with limited shade. Pack at least a liter of water per person, wear closed-toe shoes (the ground is sandy-gravel with donkey droppings), and bring SPF 30+ sunscreen and a wide-brim hat.
The sanctuary is wheelchair accessible across 80% of the facility, including the visitor center, gift shop, main paddock, and a 0.3-mile paved trail. Four accessible parking spaces are located 20 feet from the entrance. Contact staff 24 hours ahead if you need mobility assistance on the unpaved sections.
Free parking is available for 50+ vehicles on-site. The last stretch is a short, well-signed dirt road — any rental car handles it fine.
If you’d rather not drive between inland stops, the Half-Day Aruba Animal Sanctuary Tour bundles the Donkey Sanctuary with the Ostrich Farm and Philip’s Animal Garden in a single 4-hour loop with hotel pickup. It’s around $57 per person and covers admissions, water, and a donation to the sanctuaries.
Heads up: some links here are affiliate links — costs you nothing extra. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
You can check availability and book the tour on Viator. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours ahead.
For a full list of what to throw in your bag, see the ultimate Aruba packing list — it covers the sunscreen, shoes, and water bottles you’ll want here.
Before You Go — Donkey Sanctuary Aruba
Is the sanctuary really free to visit?
Yes — there’s no admission fee and no ticket to buy. The sanctuary is a nonprofit and relies entirely on donations, feed sales, gift shop purchases, and adoption fees. The suggested donation is about $10 per adult and $5 per child, but there’s no pressure and no turnstile.
What can I feed the donkeys, and where do I get it?
Carrots and apples are the favorites. You can bring your own or buy a bag of feed on-site for a few dollars. Stick to sanctuary-approved snacks only — human food, bread, and sugar aren’t allowed. Donkeys marked with red collars are on special diets and shouldn’t be fed by visitors.
How much time should I plan for a visit?
Most people spend 45 minutes to an hour, but animal-loving kids often stretch it longer. The half-mile walking trail is easy and shaded in spots, and the covered porch at the visitor center is a good place to rest and watch the herd if you want to linger.
What’s the best time of day to go?
Morning, 9–11am. The donkeys are most active when it’s cooler, and crowds are lighter — weekdays see 50–100 visitors compared to 200–300 on weekends. Afternoon heat drives both donkeys and people into the shade, and the sanctuary closes at 4pm with last entry at 3:30pm.
One Last Thing
That 90-second welcome — a donkey walking up to see who you are — is the simplest version of what the sanctuary does. Every visit, every feed bag, every adoption sends a direct line of support back into the rescue. It’s one of the easiest ways on the island to trade a beach hour for something that keeps giving after you’ve flown home. If you’re building a full inland day, pair the sanctuary with a swim at Conchi Natural Pool, Aruba’s volcanic wonderland.
References
Donkey Sanctuary Aruba. “Home.” main.arubandonkey.org/portal. ↗
Google Maps. “Donkey Sanctuary Aruba.” maps.google.com. ↗
For more on Aruba’s inland adventures, check out our guide to Arikok National Park’s hiking trails and cave exploration and the expert tips for a seamless Aruba vacation. Both pair naturally with a morning at the sanctuary.
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