Walking with Nidderdale Llamas

Where can you walk with Llamas and Alpacas in Yorkshire?

Nidderdale Llamas! This family run business can be found in the tiny village of Wilsil in Nidderdale, just outside of Pateley Bridge and offers treks with their glorious Llamas and Alpacas. It truly is a fantastically unique way to spend a day and you will come away just a leeeetle bit in love with the llamas and alpacas you get to meet.

If you want a Nidderdale family walk with a difference, then THIS is the experience for you! (And it is a commonly known fact, that kids who go trekking with llamas and alpacas, don’t moan!)

*Meeting Bolly the llama for the first time*

Tell me more about Nidderdale Llamas

We had the absolute pleasure of being able to speak to Suzanne who is the owner of Nidderdale Llamas and Alpacas, as she hosted our experience. Not only is she an absolute gem, she was so knowledgeable and able to answer every single random question that was thrown her way by the kids, not to mention her patience with the number of them!

Nidderdale Llamas was started back in 2009 and is truly a family run business. Coming from a farming background Suzanne and her husband purchased their first llama way back in around 2003. Since then, the herd has grown to 90 and Suzanne knows every single one of them by name and is familiar with their personality.

And personality they have in SPADES!

The detailed knowledge of each individual llama and alpaca speaks volumes about the emphasis that Nidderdale Llamas places on the welfare of the animals and this is something that Suzanne speaks so passionately about.

Gary the alpaca trekking in Nidderdale — *Gary the alpaca out on the trek*

So what llama facts did you learn?

Many.

Many, many llama facts. Let’s say I’ve been en-llama-ightened….. (ok. Let’s not say that…)

But the ones that really stick in my memory are about their reputation (I don’t give a damn about my bad reputation… try and get THAT one out of your head now!) .

Did you know that Llamas don’t spit?

Well actually… Llamas don’t spit at humans UNLESS they have been raised incorrectly.

Llamas absolutely WILL spit at other llamas, because it’s part of their body language, their way of communicating. It’s the llama equivalent of a sibling snatchy, pushy, squabble over the remote!

But if a llama has been raised to see humans as ‘equivalent llamas’ as it were, they spit. The Nidderdale llamas won’t, because of the care that’s been taken about their upbringing.

A baby needs time to imprint on it’s mother when it’s been born and so the guys at Nidderdale llamas will not handle a baby llama (no matter how cute it is) unless it needs medical attention. This means they are true llama and don’t confuse humans with llamas. Hence the no spitting.

Oh and Alpacas hum to speak. Ez had a whole conversation with Gary the alpaca in hum-speak. No word of a lie, they were responding to each other and it was glorious! (And hilarious.)

Want to go Trekking with Llamas?

Here are all the need to know details and frequently asked questions about booking a Llama and Alpaca Trek with the kids at Nidderdale Llamas!

Which llama experience did you book?

We booked the Junior Experience. That is suitable for children from 7 up to 13. Each booking has to have 1 adult and 1 child present. Any child above the age of 13 (so 14+) is classed as an adult.

What did you get to do during the experience?

On arrival we were taken into the barn to meet the Llamas with Suzanne. There, you get to meet and greet a whole host of the llamas and alpacas, whilst learning all about the animals themselves and the work they do on the farm. We got to find out about the behaviours of the animals and all about the quirks of their personalities. We even got to watch the other animals out in the field.

Ultimately, you take out two to trek but you will meet so many more! You can stroke them, take some fab photos and really get up close!

We ended up taking Bolly the llama and Gary the alpaca for a trek and they were great. The animals are carefully selected for the meet and greets, are used to people and are super friendly. You can also rest assured that the animals get to have a break and are rotated regularly to make sure they aren’t tired.

So what’s the trek part then?

After the meet and greet, you get to go on a trek with the animals. That means you take them on a stroll in the grounds of the farm (the other experiences head further afield). The walk is about 1 mile and is easy underfoot. We’d recommend wellies or walking boots.

The views from the farm are absolutely STUNNING and extend up and down Nidderdale due to the elevated position of the farm.

How long did the experience take?

From beginning to end, we were there for about 1 hour 45 minutes.

How much did it cost?

We are a family of four and it cost £80, which I believe to be great value for money. You can take a larger group but there is an additional cost of £20/ adult and £24/ child. (Other trek experiences are charged differently)

Do I need to book?

Yes, booking is essential and it’s recommended you book well in advance to make sure you get the slot you would like and no walk ins are allowed. Even so, it’s worth getting in touch to see if there is any availability if you are making a last minute decision, but don’t expect to be able to walk in. The welfare of the animals is literally the top priority at the farm and this why they are strict about this.

Is there an age limit?

Yes, the lower age limit is 7 years old.

They do not cater for children below that age and babies are not allowed either. This is for health and safety reasons. That said, we found that actually the lower age limit was totally appropriate to get the most out of the experience, plus it made it all the more exciting when my youngest reached the magic number!

Hugging Gary the alpaca — Hugging goodbye to Gary the alpaca

Do they cater for any disabilities on the Junior Trek?

Yes. Get in touch with them directly to discuss your individual needs, there are also sessions for disabled adults and the older generations too.

They also provide therapy sessions for children with learning difficulties and adults with dementia.

I have older children, what else is on offer?

There is an adult and teen experience which is suitable for ages 13 plus.

Did you know you can adopt a llama or alpca?

This would make an absolutely fabulous gift! You can choose your own llama or alpaca to sponsor. We fully intend on sponsoring ours (somebody has pledged his birthday money for it!)

Are you based in the North West?

Going on an Adventure Blog has a whole LIST of places you can go trekking with llamas and alpacas (including Nidderdale llamas)

Why not go and check Colette’s suggestions?

Head to Going on an Adventure Blog’s Llama Trekking suggestions!

Are you tempted to book? Head to the Nidderdale Llama website for more.

So would you like to go trekking with llamas? Or have we not covered something you’d like us to?

Drop us a comment below and let us know what you think!