You love alpacas and would like to visit an
alpaca farm?
BellePaga's partner breeders offer various activities in the wild with our favorite camelids: alpacas.
But first, let's explain everything there is to know about alpacas and alpaca breeders!
What is an alpaca?
The alpaca looks a lot like a llama, and for good reason, it is its cousin. Its
natural habitat is in the
Andes Mountains on a plateau between 3500 and 4500 meters of altitude! The particularity of this altitude is that the temperature varies between - 20°C and + 30°C! Therefore, alpacas must be able to adapt.
Their fur keeps them warm and allows them to breathe without getting wet, which prevents them from getting sick.
Alpacas are animals belonging to the
camelid family. Its average size is between 90 and 100 cm. It is entirely covered with wool and is characterized by erect and pointed spear-shaped ears and a rather rounded back. It also has a long neck and two toes, two pads and two nails. Alpacas weigh about 80 kg and are between 75 and 1 m long. It comes in 22 natural colors. The life span of an alpaca is generally 20 years. Alpacas live in herds, they are gentle and very sociable, they get along well with other animals, but they prefer their own.
It is a
social animal, and it needs to live in a hierarchical group environment. The males are the ones who protect the group from the outside world, while the females are the masters within the family. They are very suspicious of other males who are considered potential competitors.
Alpacas make relatively quiet sounds, similar to the sound of a llama or a fox. Alpacas spit, but they only spit when they want to establish a hierarchy in the herd and when they are angry. They will never spit at a man without a reason. It happens if and only if they are disturbed.
Be careful not to confuse alpaca and llama! Here are some explanations:
Llamas are much larger than alpacas, they are about 150 cm long, while alpacas have a maximum length of 100 cm.
Llamas have a longer snout than alpacas, less hair on the forehead, a longer neck, but also rounder ears.
Llamas are often used for transporting goods, unlike alpacas, which are mainly raised for their wool.
The personality of llamas is also what distinguishes them, they are very confident and brave. It is also said that they are arrogant. As for the alpacas, they are shy animals, very docile, more intelligent and more curious than the llamas.
Where to find an alpaca farm?
Alpacas are native to the Andes, however, you can also find alpaca farms in
France! Indeed, nowadays, many alpaca breeders reside in France.
Alpaca farms are present in all regions of France, especially in the south-east and west, in the center, in Brittany or even at the Swiss border.
The
alpaca farms propose, in a general way, many activities such as the visit of the farm, walks with the alpacas or YOGA or personal development sessions, always accompanied by alpacas.
In some alpaca farms, you have the possibility to stay for a few days, to have dinner with the breeders, or to attend the annual shearing of the alpacas.
There are many alpaca farms in
Belgium. You will find
alpaca farms in the Brussels region or in Leuven, in the vicinity of Bruges or Ghent as well. Here too, you can enjoy all that the alpaca farms have to offer: visits, walks, activities based around the animal etc...
Are you living in
England or just passing through? You will also find many
alpaca farms in the UK! From the south of England to the Scottish borders, you will find hundreds of alpaca farms on your way. Here again, various activities, accommodation, etc. are offered in many English alpaca farms.
Would you like to visit an
alpaca farm in the
Netherlands? There too you will find alpaca farms all over the country.
As far as
Germany is concerned, you will find some alpaca farms in the vicinity of Munich, Nuremberg or Dortmund.
Why visit an alpaca farm?
Take advantage of your day to discover and visit farms and varieties of alpacas for fun and knowledge.
Discover and feel the softness of the animals and the wool of the gods, through an immersive experience. True enthusiasts of the profession, the breeders will answer all your questions and accompany you to the discovery of the alpaca.
Depending on the farm or alpaca ranch you choose, you will be taken on wild walks, feedings, brushing, habitat visits, birthday parties, photo shoots, bachelorette/bachelor parties and other events.
You can plan or stay at a specialized lodge. With the alpacas. There are plenty of diverse, rewarding activities to choose from! The link between BellePaga and alpaca farms
Alpaca farms gather the different needs of the animals so that their environment is closer to its natural habitat, the Andes Mountains of Peru. In fact, when building an alpaca farm, you must take into account the area, the amount of sunlight and the types of plants that grow on the ground. Also, it is important to accompany these animals because they live in herds and cannot live alone. Their breeding must be supervised by a professional veterinarian.
Each breeder has a
diploma that allows him to create his own alpaca farm. This multi-year training is very rigorous and selective. In order to respect the animals and their living conditions, many things must be taken into account.
The purpose of an alpaca farm can be either purely recreational or to develop
alpaca wool, a wool with multiple benefits that provides you with quality, soft and warm clothing.
It is true that alpaca is a very fine wool, but very warm and resistant, more than sheep wool! Alpaca is an animal that sometimes has to bear extreme temperature changes in the same day, so its wool must protect it, so it has a thermoregulatory effect.
BellePaga has carefully selected
specific partner companies to work together on a platform gathering different alpaca farms. They respect the
value of our brand:
respect for the animals, the environment, the workers and the know-how. We work together in a transparent way and build relationships based on dialogue and respect. Thus, you can find BellePaga items for women, men and home at our partner breeders.
After your visit, you can discover the benefits of this wool and continue your visit to the breeder as a physical souvenir. What to make this moment unforgettable!
BellePaga also strives to provide high quality products made exclusively from
baby alpaca fiber, the softest and most luxurious alpaca wool fiber, also known as "
the wool of the gods".
Don't hesitate and share a unique moment by visiting an alpaca farm.
Alpaca farms are a good place for these camelids to grow and thrive. Alpacas love humans, so they will be happy to greet you with kisses and hugs. Your visit will make them even happier than you are!