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Latest update: 7 November 2024
A few years ago, we all went hiking with alpacas. Now you can also walk with donkeys. Is the donkey the new alpaca? I don’t know, but I do know I really like the donkey walk!
Walking with donkeys
If there is an activity with animals, you can count me in. So as soon as I hear that you can walk with donkeys in the woods of Zeist, I try to get my girlfriends excited asap. The Donkey Society (Ezelsociëteit) is a foundation committed to donkeys’ welfare. For example, they take in old donkeys, rehome donkeys, and provide information about donkeys. Usually, around twenty donkeys live at the Donkey Society in Zeist.
You can visit the paradise of the Donkey Society daily to watch and pet the donkeys, drink a cup of coffee, or buy a souvenir. I’m taking donkey beer home! But even more fun is, of course, walking with the donkeys.
What to expect from a donkey walk?
Upon arrival, one of the volunteers gives us directions and explains how to deal with the donkeys. We also get some background information about the donkeys we take. The volunteer promises that getting lost is impossible – she clearly doesn’t know my friends and me yet. We also get instructions on what to do if a donkey doesn’t want to walk anymore, and we have to ensure they don’t eat anything along the way, except for some grass from the open areas.
We get two donkeys with the four of us; the maximum number is six adults and six donkeys. Children up to the age of twelve are always allowed to join. The donkeys wear a halter, and you hold them by a rope. And then you can hit the forest.
Stubborn donkeys
Our donkeys walk along quite nicely at first, but after a while, we begin to understand where the expression ‘stubborn as a donkey’ comes from. We really need to push them to move from time to time. And keeping them from eating is a challenge too. One even lays down at one point! It’s funny though; they are such characters.
Fortunately, it is quiet in the woods of Zeist, and the people you meet are used to the donkey walks. So most of them neatly leash their dog when you walk by.
Back in the donkey stable
We walk with the donkeys for about 1.5 hours. You can take them for a walk for a maximum of two hours. When we return, it’s pretty busy at the sanctuary. Children love donkeys, so this is a perfect place to take the kids. We walk around the grounds and past the stables to pet the donkeys and talk to the volunteers.
Book a donkey walk in Zeist
You can book a donkey walk online. You can go here if you want to do the one I did. You pay per donkey, not per person. This is how almost all donkey walks in the Netherlands charge the experience. The price is usually around € 30 to € 35 (in 2022).
Where in the Netherlands can you walk with donkeys?
I went out with donkeys in Zeist at the Ezelsociëteit. But there are many more possibilities for donkey walks in the Netherlands. A few options:
- Ambt-Delden
- Bocholtz
- Brabantse Kempen
- Breda
- Kamperland
- Oisterwijk
- Terschelling
- Zeeland (in Gelderland)
More travel inspiration for the Netherlands
Useful links for travel in the Netherlands
- Accommodation. Forever favorites: Booking.com and Campspace. Or try a holiday resort via Roompot. Rather stay in a hostel? Try HostelWorld.
- Activities. You book the best tours and activities with GetYourGuide and Viator. Another good option is WithLocals. Try a ‘free’ walking tour with Freetour or GuruWalk, and for bike tours, try Baja Bikes.
- Attractions and museums. Get a 5% discount on museums and attractions via Tiqets with the coupon code KIMOPREIS22.
- Car rental. Compare more prices at Discover Cars and Rental Cars.
- Money. Your debit and credit cards may not get accepted everywhere. You could opt for a Revolut card as an additional card when you travel.
- Package deals. Rather go on a catered trip? Try CheapOair or Expedia.
- Public transport. Use the regular public transport options, or find a bus, train, or other mode of transportation on Busbud or Omio.
- SIM card. Beware of unexpectedly high calling and internet costs. Buy a local SIM card when you arrive, or arrange one online via Airalo.
- Travel guides. I love the practical travel guides from Lonely Planet, buy them Amazon. I always enjoy seeing my own country through the eyes of foreign visitors.
- Yoga retreat. Or try a yoga retreat in the Netherlands.
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First published: December 2022. Updated since!
