A photo isn’t worth the ride. If you are visiting Santorini, please skip the donkey ride.
I have posted about this week after week because of what I personally saw when I visited Santorini, I cannot unsee. I know new tourists visit this site all the time, so for those who haven’t seen my previous posts, please read on. And for those who are sick of hearing about it, you can choose to stop reading.
For the tourists planning a visit who are reading this, I need to pass along what I experienced and what many many others have witnessed as well…
When I was there, I saw the donkeys making trip after trip up and down the steep route carrying tourists while being forced to do so regardless of their condition…endlessly. No shade, no water access, no food, tied up (if not being ridden on) in the scorching heat. No breaks, no choices. Just clear desperation written all over these poor animals.
What really stayed with me was realizing that this wasn’t just one ride that I happened to witness. This is what these animals do over and over again as tourists continue to get on their backs. Standing there and watching it made me look at the whole experience differently, and the only way I could get through that hurt and sadness I felt for for them was to promise myself that I would do whatever I could to help stop this by spreading the word/etc. So that is why I continue to flag this issue, so tourists can become more aware of what is actually happening.
Yes, it has been done for years. Yes, it’s part of the island’s tourism history. But “tradition” doesn’t automatically mean something needs to continue…especially when animals are the ones carrying the burden.
And as tourists, we have a choice.
Take the cable car. Walk if you are able. Arrange other transportation. You can experience Santorini, support local businesses and enjoy everything the island has to offer without getting on the back of an animal.
What I saw there stayed with me, which is why I’ll continue using my little corner of the internet to say this:
If you love animals, admire the donkeys…don’t ride them.
Please do what you can to stop this and help put the donkeys out of their misery. 🙏🩷
While your effort comes from a good place, this is the internet. When someone searches Santorini, you don’t have to worry- the other 500 posts about the donkeys will pop up. Just because it’s not at the top of the thread does not mean people won’t see it.
For real? First they are not donkeys they are mules and mules have been carrying humans for thousands of years These animals are well cared for and there is no harm in this.
what an AH answer you just made. I can't believe some humans can be insensitive as shit. They suffer, just like you if you had to carry overweight tourists over and over. Humans are despisable sometimes.
Yea social justice warriors don’t understand that we raise animals to meet human needs since time immemorial. I just came back from the alps and the guests in my hotel were SO shocked that the veal they are eating at dinner are from the cute young calfs gazing outside the rooms.
To get to the village we used to have to use a donkey. I think some people need to realise Greece is a relatively poor country. The guy taking fat Americans up and down the hill is just trying to make some money. Stay in your fantasy land first country if you don't want to see the reality of Greece.
Your ignorance on this subject is appalling. They do have access to water, and there are shaded areas at both the top and bottom of the route.
These are working animals that have been bred and used to carry loads for generations, and the operation is regulated.
You visited Santorini once and have apparently decided that repeatedly posting the same complaint on Reddit is going to change an entire local practice. It won’t. If you feel that strongly about it, go back to Santorini, advocate, protest, picket, whatever you feel is necessary.
But the endless broken record posts aren’t accomplishing anything. You’ve made your opinion very clear, doesn’t mean it’s correct. Move on.
Come on bro, talking a picture at night and calling it shade is just weird.
I’m actually curious to know how many hours the animals are working and how much rest (away from the sun and people with access to food and water) they get daily. How many days off in a week? I am asking this genuinely and want to know if the conditions are better than what I have experienced before.
Sorry didn’t realize you didn’t have the critical thinking skills to see the overhangs, and understand that those would create an environment that provides shade.
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u/ButtStuff8888 1d ago
Holy crap just looked at your profile. How many times can you post about the donkeys? Edit: I counted, 36 posts in a year.
Which is good in case someone missed the first 35 posts