Hiking with a donkey is less unusual than it sounds — it is in fact a popular form of family hiking and, above all, a great way to explore a region without carrying a heavy load. Here, to help you prepare your hiking trip with a donkey, are some tips for approaching the animal and managing the logistics of your trek, along with route ideas and places to explore.
What are the benefits of hiking with a donkey?
When you take a closer look at the idea of travelling through nature with a donkey, you realise this animal offers many advantages. It is indeed an excellent way to get around without carrying heavy loads, and here are some of the donkey's key strengths as your companion on walking hikes:
- Donkeys have a good temperament: behind their well-earned reputation as stubborn animals, donkeys are above all very calm and docile in character. They are suited to children as well as anyone who is not used to travelling with an animal.
- Donkeys are small and strong: their particular build gives them a bone structure that allows for a carrying capacity well above that of horses, while remaining a more modest size. They can carry up to around 40 kg.
- Donkeys are easy to feed: they eat relatively little and are often happy with dry grass found along the route, plus a few branches.
- Donkeys motivate children: children often get bored of walking on a hike. But a donkey's company keeps them entertained throughout the day and makes walking easier for them.
5 tips for hiking with a donkey
The first few minutes are crucial for establishing authority
It is often during the first contact and the first few minutes spent together on the path that everything is decided with a donkey. If in those first steps you let it do as it pleases, you will find it difficult to establish any authority.
It is therefore essential to set boundaries quickly and make your animal understand that it is only allowed to eat during the breaks you decide!
How do you manage a donkey's temperament?
A donkey is an animal that can easily get stuck. When it refuses to move forward, there is no point pulling on its rope — it will only make things worse. In fact, donkeys are constantly thinking and trying to assess the situation. It is important to show them the way, reassure them, and encourage them to follow you.
Finally, don't pull your donkey — push it as a last resort. But very often, if you are ahead of it (even just a few steps away without holding the lead rope), it will follow you without any problem.
What breaks should you plan when hiking with a donkey?
Plan breaks of around 30 minutes every 3 hours. If the terrain is very uneven, take breaks every two hours. Try to choose a spot where there is something to graze on and ideally a water source to cool off. Remove the donkey's load to give it a proper rest — otherwise it won't feel much like a break at all!
What food does a donkey need on a hiking trip?
Donkeys are hardy animals and they feed on what they find along the way, during breaks and at stopovers. Likewise, a donkey drinks relatively little.
Nevertheless, offer it water whenever you see some. For the evening, some stopovers provide donkey feed — but don't worry, if there is dry grass and foliage, that will be more than enough to recharge its batteries!
Bivvying with a donkey on a hiking trip: what do you need to do?
The donkey handler who hired out your donkey will have provided either a lead rope or a small fence. It is important to tie your donkey up in the evening or to set up a comfortable enclosure for it.
As soon as you arrive at a stopover, unload the bags and brush the donkey thoroughly. Then clean its hooves. In the morning, when loading your donkey, carefully follow the instructions your donkey handler will have given you before departure. Check that the load is stable and well secured — then off you go for the day's kilometres!
Route ideas for hiking with a donkey
You can find hiking routes almost anywhere in France — the best way is to check with the Fédération Nationale Anes et Randonnées (FNAR), where you will find the contact details of member donkey handlers to hire your donkey. Many routes ranging from a weekend to a few weeks are available, whether as a loop or one-way. You can also go on long-distance hiking routes with a donkey. Discover below the main long-distance itineraries for hiking in France with a donkey.
The Stevenson Trail
This is the iconic, founding route for hiking with a donkey. Follow in the footsteps of the famous writer R.L. Stevenson over 250 km from Le Puy-en-Velay to Alès. You will cross 4 départements (Haute-Loire, Ardèche, Lozère, Gard) along the GR70, from the southern Massif Central to the heart of the Cévennes. This route is ideal for getting away from it all and enjoying stunning viewpoints and typical villages. There is also a wealth of infrastructure to welcome both you and your donkey!
The Huguenot Trail
The Chemin des Huguenots is an international long-distance trail following the historic route of the Huguenots' exile from the Dauphiné. It offers superb terrain between the Drôme and Isère for hiking with a donkey. The Vercors and the landscapes of the Drôme are stunning, and the excellent network of paths — not too steep or technical — invites families to set off for several days with a donkey to carry bags and supplies!
The Camino de Santiago
The Camino de Santiago lends itself well to hiking with a donkey. It is possible on all routes, but particularly on the GR 65, the Via Podensis departing from Le Puy-en-Velay. On the French section, you can reach Conques or even Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port with a donkey and take advantage of the many accommodation options along the way. Over such distances, having a companion as pleasant and hardworking as a donkey to carry your load makes a real difference and saves you a great deal of effort!
The Vercors
The Vercors is an vast network of walking paths across a plateau with few technical difficulties. It is ideal for travelling with a donkey, and many providers offer a variety of routes — including a great traverse of the entire Vercors. The landscapes are, of course, stunning, and nature lovers will be in their element in a setting that sees very few visitors and feels far from civilisation. What's more, you are never far from a facility for donkeys, so there are always suitable accommodation options and care available should any difficulties arise.
Whatever route you choose, the experience of a hiking trip with a donkey is always enriching. It creates a real bond with the animal and allows you to immerse yourself more deeply in the surrounding landscape. Plus, you can walk without carrying a heavy load — all that's left is to be well shod, properly equipped with clothing and full of energy to cover the kilometres with your new companion!
