The Athens donkey sanctuary is a rescue centre for donkeys in the countryside east of Athens, where visitors brush, pet and walk with the animals. Visits teach how donkeys shaped Greek farm and island life. Tours across the rest of the country are listed on Greece Tours.
The sections below cover the visits, the place, the people behind it, what happens on a visit and the donkeys themselves. They also cover who it suits, what to bring, inclusions, getting there, opening times, how to help and booking, with links into the Athens pages. The visit shown is checked on GetYourGuide.
What is the Athens donkey sanctuary?
The Athens donkey sanctuary is Donkeysland, called Gaidourochora in Greek, in Koropi. It is the visitor farm of the Hellenic Donkey Centre, a non-profit group. Rescued donkeys live there for life, and visitors come to meet, brush and walk them.
The Greek name means “land of the donkey”. The centre describes the farm as a place for fun, learning and healing. It serves animals and people alike.
Visitors walk beside the donkeys and never ride them. Riding is kept for children in therapy sessions. The Athens donkey sanctuary adds a calm countryside outing to your list of things to do in Athens.
Donkeysland was set up to fund the Hellenic Donkey Centre. Visit income pays for food, vet care and upkeep for the herd. The centre keeps a licensed stable for the animals.
Which Athens donkey sanctuary visits can you book?
One Athens donkey sanctuary visit is sold on GetYourGuide. It is called “Athens: Donkey Sanctuary Visit with Brushing & Petting”. You can also turn up at Donkeysland at weekends. There, the centre runs its own short guided programmes.
On the GetYourGuide trip you brush and pet the donkeys and share a picnic. Your ticket helps fund the centre’s work.
At the Athens donkey sanctuary itself, walk-in programmes last about 40 minutes. A new group starts roughly every 20 minutes, and no booking is needed. Programmes in English run on request.
- GetYourGuide trip with transfer and a Greek picnic
- Walk-in weekend programme of about 40 minutes
- Donkey trekking through local fields and hills
- School and camp programmes for groups
- Therapy sessions for children, led by specialists
On a trek, each walker is paired with one donkey. The donkey carries the packed lunch along the way. The route crosses the fields and hills around Koropi.
Where is the Athens donkey sanctuary?
The Athens donkey sanctuary sits outside Koropi, a town on the Mesogeia plain in East Attica. Koropi lies 16 kilometres southeast of central Athens. Athens International Airport is only 8 kilometres to the northeast of the town.
The farm lies among olive and almond trees in open countryside. Listings place it on the Koropi–Vari road, near its second kilometre. The local area is called Bourboutsana.
The A6 Attiki Odos motorway links Koropi with central Athens. Being near the airport makes the Athens donkey sanctuary an easy first or last stop. Plan that short drive with Athens airport transfers.
Who runs the Athens donkey sanctuary, and why does it exist?
Tatiana Papamoschou and Dimitris Stoupakis run the Athens donkey sanctuary. Both trained with The Donkey Sanctuary, a British donkey charity. Their non-profit works to improve how donkeys live and work in Greece. It also cares for donkeys in need and raises awareness.
The centre follows the “Five Freedoms”, a set of basic welfare rules. The World Organisation for Animal Health set them out for every living creature. Each rule names one need a donkey has.
- Freedom from hunger, thirst and poor diet
- Freedom from fear and distress
- Freedom from heat stress and physical discomfort
- Freedom from pain, injury and disease
- Freedom to show normal behaviour
The founders see donkeys as loving companions, not tools to throw away. They train current and future owners in donkey care. Hurt animals rest and get treatment until they recover in body and mind.
Their welfare aims cover working animals like the donkeys of Hydra and the donkeys of Santorini. The Athens donkey sanctuary shows visitors what good care looks like.
What happens on a visit to the Athens donkey sanctuary?
A visit to the Athens donkey sanctuary starts with a guided talk about donkeys. Then you meet each animal and hear its story. You brush and pet the donkeys, walk beside them, and finish with a picnic in the shade.
- Listen to a short talk on donkey life and behaviour
- Meet the herd and learn each donkey’s history
- Pick a donkey and groom it with a brush
- Walk your donkey through fields, olive groves or pine woods
- Sit down to a picnic at the shaded tables
All activities at the Athens donkey sanctuary take place outdoors. Staff lead you into the pens, so you stand right beside the animals. Grooming helps you build trust with your chosen donkey.
On the GetYourGuide trip, the picnic features Greek foods. Walk-in visitors bring their own lunch to the picnic tables. Ducks, geese, rabbits and chickens also wander the grounds.
Children and adults join the same groups. Your group starts close to the time you arrive. After the programme, you are free to stay and relax under the trees.
How big is the donkey herd at the Athens donkey sanctuary, and where do they come from?
The Athens donkey sanctuary in Koropi was home to 16 donkeys in one news report. An expat writer later counted about 20. Each animal arrived after a working life, neglect, abandonment or an owner unable to keep it.
The donkeys live in barns with open spaces to run and play. The centre runs a licensed stable, meaning it holds an official licence to house animals. Every resident has a home for life at the Athens donkey sanctuary.
- Donkeys that once worked for a living
- Donkeys left abandoned by their owners
- Donkeys found neglected or abused
- Donkeys handed over by owners who can no longer keep them
- Foals born at the centre to rescued mothers
Adoption is possible, but only after a donkey heals in body and mind. Staff tell visitors each donkey’s own story. Other animals also share the farm with the donkeys.
What does the Athens donkey sanctuary teach about donkeys in Greek life?
The Athens donkey sanctuary teaches that donkeys shaped Greek village life for centuries, yet people still misunderstand them. Visitors learn what a donkey needs, how much it can carry, and why welfare rules now protect working animals on the islands.
Donkeys are desert animals, so they save energy and rarely run without a reason. Tatiana Papamoschou of the centre lists what a donkey needs. It needs space, free movement and shelter from bad weather. It also needs donkey friends and things to keep its mind busy.
Papamoschou says a donkey must never carry more than 20 per cent of its own weight. Greek rules match this, with a cap of 100 kilograms on any load. The rules followed reports of spinal injuries and saddle sores on Santorini donkeys.
On Hydra, a law bans motor vehicles, so mules, donkeys and horses carry goods and people. Mules take the heaviest loads there. Donkeys on Hydra now serve as pets or for personal transport.
Who suits the Athens donkey sanctuary?
The Athens donkey sanctuary suits children aged three and over, families and school groups. The centre designs its visits for kids and adults alike. The activities are gentle, take place outdoors and need little physical effort.
Children brush, feed and walk beside the donkeys.
- Families on weekend outings with young children
- School classes and kindergartens on educational visits
- Summer camp groups with tailored programmes
- Children in donkey-assisted therapy, run alone or in groups with specialists
- Adults who want to volunteer with daily donkey care
A family guide lists the farm as inclusive and low in physical effort. Reduced admission applies to people with disabilities and family groups. For more family days out, see Athens with kids.
What do you wear and bring to the Athens donkey sanctuary?
For the Athens donkey sanctuary, wear closed shoes and clothes that can get dusty. Bring water, sun protection and your own picnic. Every activity happens outdoors, and the donkey walks follow country trails through fields, olive groves and pine woods.
- Closed shoes with good grip for dirt paths
- Old clothes, since brushing raises dust and hair
- A hat and sun cream for open ground
- A light jacket on cooler winter weekends
- Food for a picnic at the shaded seating areas
- A full water bottle for each person
The farm has seating areas where visitors enjoy coffee or a picnic before or after a programme. Pack lunch before you leave Athens, since the Athens donkey sanctuary lies in open countryside.
Leave riding gear at home. If the trails appeal, the guide to Athens hiking lists longer walks across Attica.
How long does an Athens donkey sanctuary visit last, and what is included?
The GetYourGuide Athens donkey sanctuary trip lasts 4 hours in a small group. Pickup is available, and a picnic of Greek foods is part of the day. A walk-in visit centres on a guided programme of about 40 minutes.
- Transfer from Athens, with pickup available
- Time in a small group with the donkeys
- Brushing and petting the animals
- A talk on the donkey’s place in Greek culture
- A picnic with Greek foods
- A ticket that funds the sanctuary’s work
On a direct visit, a new programme starts about every 20 minutes. You join the group that begins nearest your arrival time. Before and after it, you are free to walk around and meet the other farm animals.
The guided programmes also explore donkeys in myth, folklore, religion and books. After an Athens donkey sanctuary visit, the Koropi–Vari road leads on to the coast at Vari and Vouliagmeni.
How do you get to the Athens donkey sanctuary?
You reach the Athens donkey sanctuary by car, taxi, metro or the booked transfer. The centre sits on the second kilometre of the Koropi–Vari road. The drive suits a stop on the way to or from the airport.
Drivers take the A6 motorway, called the Attiki Odos, which links Koropi with Athens. The same Koropi–Vari road continues to Vari, close to the Athens Riviera beaches. Compare hire options on the Athens car rental page.
Without a car, take metro Line 3 or the suburban railway to Koropi station. A taxi then covers the last stretch to the Athens donkey sanctuary. The GetYourGuide tour skips this step, since its listing includes a transfer.
When can you visit the Athens donkey sanctuary?
The Athens donkey sanctuary opens to walk-in visitors every Saturday and Sunday, all year. Hours run from 10.00 until sunset. Selected public holidays also bring open days, and the GetYourGuide tour sets its own departure times.
Care programmes start about every 20 minutes and last around 40 minutes. The last programme begins 40 minutes before closing time. Guides run sessions in English on request.
In July and August, the donkeys eat lunch from 14.00 to 15.00 and rest. Programmes pause during that hour and restart at 15.30. You can stay on the farm during the break.
Every activity at the Athens donkey sanctuary takes place outdoors. Summer sunsets come later, so weekend opening hours stretch longer. See when to visit Athens for monthly weather.
How can you help the Athens donkey sanctuary?
You help the Athens donkey sanctuary by adopting a donkey from afar, donating, volunteering or simply visiting. Money from visits and educational programmes is the centre’s main income. It pays for food, medical care, running costs and maintenance.
Virtual adoption means you pay monthly towards one donkey’s food and medicine. You pick a donkey from a gallery and fill in a form. A printed keepsake pack arrives, and the centre reminds you before the adoption ends.
- Give an adoption as a gift to a loved one
- Join a volunteering programme to help with daily care
- Attend one of the centre’s fundraising events
- Donate through a workplace giving platform listing Gaidourohora
Volunteers support every action of the Athens donkey sanctuary. Animal Action Greece, a welfare charity, chose the centre for its Local Partnerships Programme. That scheme backs small animal welfare groups across Greece.
How do you book and cancel an Athens donkey sanctuary visit?
A walk-in Athens donkey sanctuary visit needs no booking at all. You arrive on a weekend and join the next group. The GetYourGuide tour with picnic and transfer is booked online, and its cancellation terms appear on the listing.
On GetYourGuide, the tour runs in small groups with pickup available. You choose a date, enter the number of guests and pay online. Each ticket also funds the rescue work of the Athens donkey sanctuary.
Settle your base before booking the transfer. Pickup is listed as available, so share your hotel address when you book. See where to stay in Athens to pick a neighbourhood.
- GetYourGuide tour: book online, picnic and transfer listed
- School group: arrange a tailored programme with the centre
- Kindergarten or summer camp: book a matched programme ahead
- Donkey trekking: reserve a place before the walk
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you ride the donkeys at the Athens donkey sanctuary?
No. Riding is reserved for therapy sessions that a therapist recommends, for example to help a child learn balance. The centre runs these sessions with specialists, one to one or in groups.
What load limit does the Athens donkey sanctuary set?
On trekking walks at the Athens donkey sanctuary, each person is paired with one donkey. That donkey carries only the lunch for the outing.
Which other animals live at the Athens donkey sanctuary?
Donkeys share the farm with chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, cats and rescue dogs. The birds and rabbits roam freely around the grounds.
Is the Athens donkey sanctuary the only one in Greece?
No, but the list is short. Greek press reports name one in Trikala, two on Crete and one on Corfu. The Trikala shelter has no room for more animals. Of these, only the Koropi centre runs owner training.
Why does the Athens donkey sanctuary use donkeys in therapy?
The centre warns that donkey numbers keep falling at an alarming rate. It sees therapy as one answer. Specialist partners use donkeys to help people with disabilities. This work helps people and also gives donkeys a new role that respects their needs.
Can you hold a children’s party at Donkeysland?
Yes, the Athens donkey sanctuary hosts children’s parties on weekend afternoons. Each party lasts three hours on the hilltop, away from other visitors. The party area sits among almonds, olives and thyme, close to the animals. Young guests play outdoor games designed to suit their ages. The centre supplies filter coffee, drinking water and ice for soft drinks. Families bring their own food, arrange catering or order a delivery.
Who can join a donkey trek at Donkeysland?
Donkey trekking at the Athens donkey sanctuary suits adults and children from six. Standard treks set out from the farm in the afternoon. The routes are not difficult, but they cross rough, uneven ground. Walkers need good fitness, and long trousers are required. Longer hikes and full-day trips run by appointment or as special events. These explore old paths and historic monuments on the plain or Mount Hymettus.
Can visitors learn to train a donkey at Donkeysland?
Yes, the Athens donkey sanctuary offers a short donkey training activity. It introduces communication and teamwork with a donkey. The session also shares small secrets of natural training. It is aimed at older children and adults alike. It takes place on the large training ground and lasts 20 to 30 minutes per group. It carries an extra charge, and staff at the entrance explain the details.