Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary's logo

Events and activities

What's on

We host a variety of fun, family friendly events throughout the year, with something for just about everyone! From concerts in our courtyard, to dog shows, donkey parades, or winter markets, all these events are to support our donkeys.


Take part in our activities, getting up close and personal with our donkeys or ponies. Make them sparkle in our grooming sessions, take them for a walk through our picturesque wildlife meadows, or run round the slalom course with the ponies. If you’d like a behind-the-scenes experience of what it’s like to look after our wonderful donkeys and ponies, book our extra special Donkey Experience and spend 2 hours with our fabulous staff!


Can I buy a gift voucher as a gift?

Looking for a perfect gift for any animal lover? Gift them with a voucher for any of our different activities! Or choose an amount and let them decide on an activity themselves.


Vouchers are customisable, with a custom image and personalised message of your choice and will be sent in an email to redeem on our website.



The vouchers for sale on this page are for our activities and experiences. You can buy vouchers for online shopping. You can also buy vouchers in our shop which are valid for the on-site shop and cafe

Events

      Book an activity

      The vouchers for sale on this page are for our activities and experiences. You can buy vouchers for online shopping. You can also buy vouchers in our shop which are valid for the on-site shop and cafe. If you have already purchased an activity gift voucher and would like to redeem this, you can do so here.

      Testimonials

      EXPERIENCE: Care for a Donkey


      Don't change a thing. We thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our visit. The 50 min Care for a Donkey package was perfect. Staff were helpful, supportive and very informative. The shop was very reasonably priced, the cream tea superb and the Donkeys simply adorable, each and every one. We can honestly say our visit was worth every penny we spent. Thank you for a perfect, perfect day.


      Amanda

      EXPERIENCE: Care for a Donkey


      My two children loved caring for Smudgie and Myra. They learned all about donkeys, groomed them and took them for a walk. The staff were excellent - very welcoming and friendly. They even took the time to help my mum, who is blind, interact with the donkeys. My daughter adopted Smudgie after this experience as she totally fell in love with her. We would recommend this in a heartbeat. Thank you!

      Helen

      EXPERIENCE: Shetland Grooming


      Very well-organised. Informative and friendly staff. Site is very clean, with excellent facilities. Great experience, would recommend.

      Elizabeth

      EXPERIENCE: Donkey Grooming


      The ladies who showed us how to groom were lovely and answered all our questions. Love that you serve vegan food which is also GOOD vegan food. The ginger cake was fab. Keep up the good work.

      Jacqueline

      EXPERIENCE: Care for a Shetland


      Fantastic day out and such fun experiences with lots of knowledge and love of the animals. Charge more for the experiences, they are worth it and people know it’s for the Sanctuary’s upkeep!

      Jane

      EXPERIENCE: Donkey Walking


      The place was a delight to visit. The staff were all really helpful and friendly. My daughter adored walking Buttons - Thank you.

      Joanna

      EXPERIENCE: Shetland Grooming


      I loved grooming and taking the pony for a walk. I suffer from anxiety and this was very calming. I loved my little pony.

      Daniel

      EXPERIENCE: Donkey Grooming


      The kids loved it, they groomed Eric who was very well behaved and seemed to love being brushed. It was a very calm environment and the groomer was very patient with the kids. Thanks for a lovely experience.

      Zoe

      EXPERIENCE: Donkey Experience


      Staff were really friendly, from the Meet and Greet to staff at cafe and shop. I booked the 2 hour donkey experience, big thank you to Sam who showed me around and was very knowledgeable and spent a bit of extra time with me. I felt part of the Donkey Sanctuary family as I completed a few tasks, from poop picking to preparing feeds and grooming a few of the Jennies. Sam was very approachable and answered every question I had. This experience is really worth it as you can support the Sanctuary directly, not only financially, but also the donkeys' welfare. Thank you very much for the fantastic experience and keep up the good work!

      Diana

      Share by: