Dozens and dozens of donkeys! If you like donkeys, you’ll love Golden Donkeys Farm in Skarinou. Donkey rides, baby donkeys – even donkey-milk ice cream. We spent a fun couple of hours there meeting the real-life Eeyores – and more.

I’ve seen the sign for Golden Donkeys Farm more times than I can count. It’s only a couple of kilometres from the Alpha Mega supermarket next to the A6 motorway between Limassol and Larnaca. I have many happy memories associated with that Alpha Mega because we stop there for loo breaks, travel-teas and snacks on our way to Nicosia, northern Cyprus and the eastern end of the island.  You have to drive past the Golden Donkeys sign to get to/from the motorway.

Golden Donkeys Farm is well sign-posted. Well, sometimes it’s a signpost, sometimes an actual golden donkey . . .

The signs will take you along roads that skirt the edge of Skarinou. If you have time, have a look around Skarinou too. There are some pretty traditional houses there.

Golden Donkeys Farm sits in the middle of countryside a few kilometres outside of Skarinou. The minute we arrived, we received a very warm welcome from the farm’s owner, Pieris, who gave us a tour of the farm. I’d expected to find a few paddocks and barns, but there was more than I’d imagined to Golden Donkeys Farm. There’s a big cafeteria by the entrance, selling refreshments and a gorgeous-smelling buffet lunch. When we went, they were hosting a children’s birthday party there. They also host various themed nights – their website has details.

Attached to the cafeteria is a shop selling various products made from olive oil and donkey milk. Apparently, donkey milk is very good for the skin – Cleopatra used to bath in it.

Beside the cafeteria sits a small replica of an amphitheatre. It overlooks a large paved area where children were running around. It’s a good venue for theme nights.

Pieris took us through the farm to the area at the back where the donkeys live. I was touched to see that he seemed to know the donkeys’ names and had real affection for them.  Apparently there are 170 donkeys at the farm, largely females for milk production. The donkeys all looked in excellent condition and seemed well cared for. I would have preferred to see larger paddocks given the number of donkeys, but perhaps they are turned out in the surrounding fields after closing-time. Their tack for riding looked well-fitted and comfortable.

Goobie and I couldn’t concentrate on anything until we’d had a donkey ride. We both love horse-riding and wondered whether it would feel similar on a donkey.  Although they are smaller than horses, getting on one was harder because there were no stirrups to help you up!

I was worried that I might have been too heavy for the donkey, but was told it could comfortably carry at least two of me. Goobie and I set off on our donkeys around the outside of the farm, led by a really friendly farm worker. I had a go at trying to ride my donkey on my own, without being led. Big mistake!! I could turn the donkey in a similar way to a horse, but I just couldn’t get it to walk on. I have long legs that hung miles below the donkey’s side, so it was really hard to press him on. Goobie, on the other hand, looked as cool as a cucumber. I thought €12 for a 20-minute ride was a little steep, but it was fun and I was pleased we did it.

After our ride, we explored the farm. Most importantly, we gave lots of donkeys lots of cuddles. They were all really friendly, like everyone at the farm. Goobie loved them. We even watched one being milked.

The baby donkeys and pregnant mothers were in a separate paddock. The baby donkeys were no more than a week or so old.

We also said hello to the poultry and then the rabbits. The rabbits appeared in good health but were, sadly, in cages far too small for them. This was the only thing that I really didn’t like about the farm – I didn’t understand why they were in such tiny cages when there was space to build them a larger enclosure. Perhaps there is a reason, perhaps these were temporary cages. I hope so.

I liked how the farm celebrates Cyprus traditions. Donkeys were used for transport and farm work, and on display are old saddles and farm machinery that the donkeys used to pull. A big old olive mill sits in the middle of the farm. Olives used to be put in it and pressed by the massive millstone. Between October and January, visitors can have a go at working the mill.

Next to the children’s playground is a traditional Cypriot farm house you can look inside. There is even a small church!

Most surprisingly, the farm has a wax museum that recreates Cypriot village life. The wax figures were impressively life-like!

I love old trees and was excited to see an incredibly ancient olive tree. Pieris thinks it is around 1500 years old – possibly the oldest in Cyprus, but they are waiting for confirmation.

We finished our visit with a sit-down by the cafeteria, where I had a glass of donkey milk and Goobie ate donkey-milk ice cream. Donkey milk is sweet and tasty and the ice cream was particularly nice.

We enjoyed our two-hour visit to Golden Donkeys Farm. It had a warm, welcoming atmosphere that was filled with love and pride for Cypriot heritage. And, of course, a lot of love for donkeys.