The fence and the yard
A big dirt yard with troughs and shelters. The donkeys come to the rail when they see a bag. Some walk along with you.
Things to do in Aruba › Places › Donkey Sanctuary Aruba
Donkey Sanctuary Aruba
Free · 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Checked October 21, 2026 hours and entry from the foundation and the Aruba Tourism Authority; tour prices from Viator; heat from today's reading; distances by road, rounded
A volunteer-run home for about 130 rescued donkeys in Bringamosa, on the east edge of Santa Cruz. Entry is free and they live on donations. You walk in, buy a bag of pellets or bring carrots, and the donkeys come to the fence. Open every day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Give it an hour, less if you come at noon.
Today: At 1 a.m. the airport read 84 °F. The yard has no shade past the porch, so come at 9 or after 3. 2 ships in port today. Come at opening time for a quieter visit.
Visiting
Donkey Sanctuary Aruba hours and entrance fee
| Entry | free. There's a donation box at the desk, and they mean it |
| Hours | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., every day. Closed January 1 |
| Address | Bringamosa 2-Z, Santa Cruz. 15 km from Palm Beach by road, 3.4 km from Arikok's San Fuego gate |
| Feeding | yes, from the porch and the fence. You bring carrots or apples, or you buy pellets at the desk. Only what the staff allow |
| Donkeys | about 130 in care, all rescued. The foundation started in April 1997 |
| The porch | covered, with cold drinks and a gift shop. The drinks and the shop pay for the hay |
| Adopt a donkey | an annual donation makes you a donkey's sponsor. Ask at the desk or on arubandonkey.org |
| Time needed | 30 minutes to an hour on your own. Tours give you 15 to 60 minutes |
When to come
- 9 a.m., at opening The sun is low and the yard is at its coolest. That's the hour I'd pick.
- After 3 The heat breaks and the yard empties. The gate closes at 4, so don't cut it fine.
- Ship days Two of the tours that stop here pick up at the cruise port. For a quiet visit, check the ship schedule and pick a day with no ship in.
Map
Where is Donkey Sanctuary Aruba
Donkey Sanctuary gate: 12.4896° N, 69.9666° W Directions in Google Maps Apple Maps OpenStreetMap
How to get there
- By rental car 15 km from Palm Beach and 14 km from Eagle Beach via Santa Cruz, about 15 minutes. Put the address in the map link above, or you'll drive past the turn-off.
- By taxi About 15 minutes from the strip. Ask your driver to wait. There's no taxi rank at the gate.
- By tour 3 tours from our selection stop here, from $55. Two give you 15 minutes; the animal sanctuary tour gives you an hour.
- With Arikok Arikok National Park starts at the San Fuego gate, 3.4 km away by road. You do the park loop in the morning and the donkeys at 3.
Inside
What's inside the Donkey Sanctuary
The fence and the yard
The porch
Covered, with cold drinks and the gift shop. The volunteers sit here, and they'll tell you every donkey's name and story.
The donkeys
About 130, from foals to pensioners. Most came in hurt or abandoned. The old ones stay for life.
The story
Donkeys carried Aruba for 500 years. Cars made them strays, and a disease in the 1970s left about 20 wild ones. The sanctuary opened in 1997 to take in the sick and the hit.
Tours
Tours that stop at the Donkey Sanctuary
3 ways in by tour, cheapest first. Every row's the lowest adult price of a tour with at least 30 reviews and a 4.5 rating on Viator, read October 15, 2026.
| 15 minutes, on the way to Baby Beach | $55 | Aruba Baby Beach Express Tour 118 reviews, 4.6 · on Viator ↗ |
| An hour, with the ostriches and Philip's | $57 | Half-Day Aruba Animal Sanctuary Guided Tour 207 reviews, 4.8 · on Viator ↗ |
| 15 minutes, on a locals' half day | $60 | Half day Tour 79 reviews, 5.0 · on Viator ↗ |
The catch: Two of the three give you 15 minutes at the fence. That's a photo and a carrot. If the donkeys are the point, drive yourself or take the animal sanctuary tour.
From the desk
- Is the donkey place worth it? My answer: if your kid likes animals, yes, and go at 9 a.m. I'd skip noon, when the sun out here is hard on everyone.
Know before you go
Know before you go
Heat
No shade in the yard. You want 9 a.m. or after 3, with a hat and water.
Feed
Carrots and apples from your hotel breakfast work. Pellets are sold at the desk. Ask before you feed anything else.
Money
Entry is free. Leave something in the box, and buy the drink and the T-shirt here rather than at the airport.
Kids
Donkeys nibble fingers by mistake. Flat hand, treat on the palm. Toddlers feed with your hand under theirs.
Shoes
Dirt and droppings. Closed shoes, not the beach sandals.
Time
An hour on your own. Add Ayo and Casibari, 10 minutes north, and you've got the morning. Or the park loop next door.
Good to know
People also ask
- Are there guided tours at the Aruba donkey sanctuary?
Entry is free, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. From the hotels, 3 tours from our selection stop here. The Animal Sanctuary half day costs $57 and gives you an hour. Two island tours at $55 and $60 give you 15 minutes each.
- How much does the Donkey Sanctuary in Aruba cost?
Nothing. Entry is free and the sanctuary runs on donations, the shop and the drinks. You buy pellets for the donkeys at the desk.
- What are the Donkey Sanctuary Aruba hours?
9 a.m. to 4 p.m., every day of the week. It closes on January 1. You want opening time or after 3 in the heat.
- Can you feed the donkeys?
Yes. You bring carrots or apples, or you buy pellets at the desk. Feed from the porch or the fence with a flat hand. The staff say what's allowed on the day.
- Where is the Donkey Sanctuary in Aruba?
In Bringamosa, on the east edge of Santa Cruz, 15 km from Palm Beach and 3.4 km from Arikok's San Fuego gate by road. About 15 minutes by car from the hotel strip.
- Why are there donkeys in Aruba?
The Spanish brought them 500 years ago and the island ran on them until cars arrived. Strays were left to roam, and a disease in the 1970s cut the wild herd to about 20. The sanctuary opened in 1997 to take in the hurt and the abandoned.