Are you tired of compromising on campsites, trail diet, and the pace at which you hike? Here are fourteen reasons you might consider giving friends and significant others the flick, and instead team up with a donkey on your next backpacking trip:
1. Donkeys aren’t big on idle chitchat, but if you feel the need to have a chinwag, they are very good listeners – note the size of the ears.
2. They have an acute sense of self-preservation and are a good judge of whether or not a situation is potentially dodgy. It’s nigh on impossible to persuade a donkey to take a route or path that they consider to be dangerous.
A hiker’s best friend (photo from Wikipedia)
3. Donkeys have great memories. They are said to be able to recognize areas where they have previously been up to 25 years before. A very useful quality while route-finding in challenging terrain.
4. No risk of teary moments or emotional breakdowns on trail. Indeed, thanks to their resolute character and uncannily accurate kicking ability, donkeys are widely considered to be the Chuck Norris of the Equidae family.
5. They may be harder than a coffin nail, but donkeys are also playful, kind, and fiercely loyal through thick and thin.
Despite their unfailing loyalty, sometimes donkeys can get on your nerves.
6. Donkeys are focused and surefooted in all types of terrain. You will never see a donkey get distracted and fall ass over teakettle while checking their phone on trail.
7. Speaking of which, donkeys aren’t big into social media. That means you won’t have to freeze your #*!# off while you wait for 20 extra minutes on a high pass, as your partner uploads the six selfies they took that morning to their Instagram account.
8. For newbie hikers that are nervous about sleeping in the great outdoors, donkeys can make good guard animals. They are quite territorial by nature, less skittish than horses, and unlike dogs, won’t keep you up at night with their barking (or in this case, braying). In some regions, donkeys are actually used to protect sheep and goat herds against coyotes, raccoons, and foxes.
Justin “Trauma” Lichter and Darrell the Donkey | Copper Canyon Traverse (2013).
9. Donkeys are stoic by nature. After millennia of use as beasts of burden, you will never hear a donkey incessantly complain about blisters, chafing, or other minor on-trail maladies.
10. They have loads of endurance and are excellent at keeping a steady pace.
11. Donkeys are humble and historically under-appreciated. In this day and age, their low-key approach to getting the job done is both refreshing and endearing. It is very unlikely you will hear a donkey ramble on about how much distance they are covering, how many “name” thru-hikes they have completed, or how light (or in this case heavy) their load may be.
Grazing in the Dolomites (2019 – photo courtesy of Nathan Larsen).
12. They live a long time (“donkey’s years”), so if you happen to get along famously, chances are you will have a buddy for the rest of your hiking life.
13. Donkeys have very tough digestive systems and aren’t picky when it comes to food. No worries about gluten allergies or fad diets, and you will never hear a donkey complain about eating the same thing every day.
14. And last but not least……………they carry your stuff for you.
Morning visitor | Quebrada Joncopampa | Cordillera Blanca Traverse, Peru, 2014.
Charming. Now I kinda want a hiking donkey.
they will not make an ass of themselves
Read Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes, then hike the Robert Louis Stevenson trail in southern France, which the book is about. I did it without a donkey but met a few families using them with their kids. They were having a great time.
Thanks for the recommendation! Here’s a link for folks that are interested: https://walkinginfrance.info/short-walks/r-l-stevenson-trail/
Yes, the trail is great, but after reading Stevenson’s “Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes” and Kevin O’Hara’s “Last of the Donkey Pilgrims: A Man’s Journey through Ireland,” (during The Troubles), most people would not do it on a whim!
Travelling with a donkey requires some preparation and training of both the animal and the humans involved. I have 25 donkeys used for long distance walks in the Australian bush. I have been offering treks and walks for 23 years and have learned many of the traditional skills used in packing the animals. We also built our own pack saddles based off pack saddles used by the Australian Army (Commonwealth Mk V GS type pack saddle). Our donkeys carry 55-85 kg based on 22% of their body weight so they can carry most things that are needed. We carry camp stretcher beds, chairs, tables and some other comforts of life for trips up to 28 days long. Very few people do not enjoy working with the donkeys who enjoy human company and attention.
Great post . . . It made my day. Thank You!
Great post . . . It made my day. Thank You very much!
Oh so true!!! I have 8 donkeys for hiking and pulling carts. They are so steady sure and affectionate… and yes they have looked after me in some challenging situations
Elizabeth where are you? I am in Colorado. Looking for a donkey hiking buddy ? How do I find one?
I am thinking about getting some too 🙂 in Colorado. Are you concerned about the mountain lions?
Also Dervla Murphy’s 8 Feet in the Andes is a great read about her adventures of walking through the Andes with her ass/donkey. An incredible trip with her much-loved animal. Thanks for the post, Mel
Hmm, after reading “Travels with a Donkey” by Robert L. Stevenson, I decided that wouldn’t be something I’d want to do!
I want to buy a donkey farm, just so I can name all my donkeys. I would love my donkey named “Smart Ass”. Then there is “Silly Ass”. “Dumb Ass” wouldn’t be as dumb as his name. “Crazy Ass” would keep us all watching his next adventure. I would forever be trying to move “Lazy Ass” up the trail…. ?
Made me laugh out loud while hanging around an airport in NZ. Thank you, very funny.
Have been touring Ecuador these past 10 days and have come across a handful of these sweet animals. This article warmed my heart! Thanks for a nice read in Quito.
Definitely the best reason they make a good hiking companion LOL: “they carry your stuff for you!” We’ve actually been looking to adopt a wild burro from BLM.
What a great blog! I have a donkey named Rusty that I hike with. I got him for $75 on Craigslist and he had never been handled, but he took to training really quickly and learned how to hike with me and carry a little pack. He LOVES to get out of the pasture and go for a walk.
Love your article!
I worked with a man that could hoist a donkey up the side of a mountain. He said to keep the donkey from kicking him there was a spot on its ear he would lightly bite (pressure) and it worked great. Have you heard of this. He is a very serious mountain climber (Nepal, India etc) so I don’t think he was spinning a tale.
Love your donkey info. I am 83 years old and have had riding donkeys and mules for 49 years. They are the most lovable, trusting animals. I am down to one 40” donkey. “ Julio”, and plan to hike and pack him. I live in the desert and love to explore. Julio can pack whatever I want to take on my excursions and be the best companion ever.