Santorini Donkey Ride

Is there a weight limit to ride a donkey? I saw some videos, and it looks scary going down. Is it easier to ride them up? Is the smell bad enough to make you take the cable car? Someone had mentioned they were tied together, but it didn't look that way in the video. Is it the same price as the cable car? We'll be there 9/21 with 3 other ships.

Is there a weight limit to ride a donkey? I saw some videos, and it looks scary going down. Is it easier to ride them up? Is the smell bad enough to make you take the cable car? Someone had mentioned they were tied together, but it didn't look that way in the video. Is it the same price as the cable car? We'll be there 9/21 with 3 other ships.

I don't know about the weight limit but I'd guess if you're under 250 lbs, it shouldn't be a problem. It's definitely less scary going up than down. We were too excited and nervous to be bothered by any smells--which were noticeable. As for being tied, I think this is done most of the time by the "driver" as he leads a small group up or down the trail. There are however a few donkeys that will walk and follow independently--perhaps because they are more trustworthy? Be forewarned that there are often injuries with the donkeys. My wife got a bruise on her leg from being bumped against the retaining wall, my foot/leg got caught and smashed twice during the ascent, and we met a teenage girl who suffered a moderately painful foot injury during her trip. So while it is a unique and exciting way to get to the top of the caldera, it is definitely not for the dainty or faint of heart.

 

As for pricing, the donkeys are 5 Euros per person, while the cable car is 4 Euros per adult and 2 Euros per child, so the donkey is slower, more dangerous and more expensive. And on top of that, you have to walk more because the bottom of the walking/donkey trail is slightly further than the cable car station from the tender dock, AND when there is a donkey logjam near the top of the trail, they drop you off about a hundred feet short of the top!

We were just there in May. Originally planned to take the cable car.....then dh said he wanted to walk up.....no way I was going to walk up in donkey poop......then he said I could ride and he would walk with me.....ok - that sounded good. Then after I got on mine I looked back and dh was also getting on one :eek:

 

Some people got on and they sent the donkey up..... not tied together.

 

However, as we started up a guide came up and pulled the rope to my donkey and tied it to his..... then he attached 2 more people to mine. We went all the way up like that..... there were a few more behind us loose but they followed ours with no problem.

 

The ones that were a pain were the loose ones coming back down with no rider.....we did not see anyone riding down....only up.

 

I could not smell anything while riding but it was definately there when you got off :o

 

sometimes the donkeys will try to walk close to the wall (rough too) but I just took my foot and pushed away and after a couple times he stopped doing it.

 

5 euros each....... and definately something I will always remember. Added to my list of snowmobiling to the top of the Continental Divide, cave tubing in Belize, diving with manatees, dolphins and holding a stingray on Grand Cayman :)

 

About halfway up there is a guy taking pics.....when you get to the top they are ready for purchase for 10 euros. We bought both of me and dh.....good pics too

 

There are still a few steps to the top from where they let you off....but not far.

 

If its something you want to do.....go for it !!!!!

Is there a weight limit to ride a donkey?

 

Yes, and it all is up to the eye of the man loading at the bottom of the hill, very unscientific and very discriminatory.

 

On our first visit last September, an American woman from our cruise ship who weighed around 200 pounds, and had asked before she joined the donkey line whether she met any weight restrictions, at that time was told she was fine by the man at the entrance to the line. However, she was turned away in very loud language about her being too large for the "poor donkeys" after her 20-minute wait just as she was about to get on a donkey while the heavier, larger 6 foot plus Spanish men in front of her were accomodated without a comment.

 

We happily took the cable car both ways last September and on our visit this past June; lovely views, no smells and no insults!

Is there a weight limit to ride a donkey? I saw some videos, and it looks scary going down. Is it easier to ride them up? Is the smell bad enough to make you take the cable car? Someone had mentioned they were tied together, but it didn't look that way in the video. Is it the same price as the cable car? We'll be there 9/21 with 3 other ships.

You and Jim should ride up at the same time. Jim started to walk up the last time we were there and he said it was really bad with the donkey poop. I guess he told you that story last month when we met, he decided to ride the cable car up and had no money, I had it and was at the top of the mountain. He had to borrow from a stranger on our ship!!

The smell from the donkeys was enough for me to get over my fear of riding the cable car. I just made sure going up my back was to the ocean so I didn't have to look down. When you get off the cable car you have to walk past the street where the donkeys come up. There is poop in the street, the smell is awful and then they have a restaurant with a huge outdoor patio right there. They can't possibly get any business with the smell of the donkeys.

Can 2 people ride one donkey? Will they charge per person or per donkey?

Can 2 people ride one donkey? Will they charge per person or per donkey?

 

One per donkey... or the donkey would get right pissed!

Can 2 people ride one donkey? Will they charge per person or per donkey?

We did parent and kid per donkey. They still charged us 5 Euros per person. Probably could've negotiated but I didn't feel like it. :rolleyes:

I don't know about Santorini, but the weight limit for riders at the Grand Canyon in Arizona (and they're using mules, much larger than donkeys) is 200 pounds.