We are planning on renting a vehicle for our one week stay this winter. We were wondering if a Jeep (or equivilent) is nessesary to traverse all the territory a person would want to go to look around the island...would a normal 4 X 4 be OK, such as a Rav 4?

Rav 4 ok for all but the most rugged area. Larger vehicle like jeep wrangler probably safer for the roughest sections.

We haven't rented a 4x4 but want to see the west coast and the Ostrich farm & donkey sanctuary, should we change our reservation???

Easter in Aruba

ostrich farm and donkey sanctuary are near edge of rougher sections. cars may be good to get there. i recommend any jeep to go further. ostrich farm a mile away from old natural bridge so continue on to see it (down hill to the right). also at bottom of hill is the old gold mill ruins on left. go on down and walk around.

Having seen the shape of the off road trails on the coast and throughout Arikok, definitely a 4 x 4, the higher the clearance the better. With all of the rain that Aruba has received in the past month, the trails are a rugged, pitted mess, with some washouts and mudholes. Heading north yesterday from the Gold Mill ruins towards the lighthouse was nearly impassable in a couple of sections. We saw one poor fellow in a Jeep Wrangler who had gone off into the sand and had at least one of his rear wheels buried 3/4's in the sand. Definitely put a screeching halt to our plans for a visit to the Natural Pool.

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