• Travels to Peru

    Travels to Peru:
    The Alpaca Motherland

Whats up with Rising Sun

Rising Sun

I’m a bit of celebrity around the farm and on social media. My fleece is super soft and luxurious, but even more than that, I’m apparently a one-of-a-kind, perfect specimen of an alpaca! I’m also as lovable as I am handsome, so pop into Shamarra Alpacas for a tour and a pat.

Whats up with Harlequin

Harlequin

A glamorous damsel through and through, I’m a big fan of being groomed well ahead of a photo op (your next selfie on a farm tour). My big eyes look even better when my fleece is on fleek. And I’ve been known to wear the odd denim jacket or hat, depending on the season.

But don’t be intimidated by my flair for fashion; I’m always up for a solid cuddle like my other friends.

Whats up with Tornado

Tornado

I absolutely adore wee human kiddos and alpaca babies alike! Arguably the friendliest of all the furry faces here at Shamarra, I like to get visits and snuggles year-round.

Our passion and fascination of alpacas naturally fuelled our desire to travel to Peru to the Alpaca Motherland.

Our wish came true in 2017 which coincided with a 50th birthday celebration where the whole family met up in Peru.  A second trip was made in June 2019 to Arequipa and the Altiplano and sealed our love for this incredible country.  We plan to return for another visit in the near future.

May 2017 – Arequipa

After an overnight stay in Lima, we flew to Arequipa, nicknamed the“La Ciudad Blanca” or “white city”  for its unique white buildings made from a local volcanic material called sillar.  A week in Arequipa simply was not enough to see all its hidden treasures.  Arequipa soon became one of our favourite places for a multitude of reasons.

Arequipa is the epicentre of alpaca processing with the two largest processors headquartered in this city, Inca Tops and Michell.  We were treated to private tours of both mills, seeing the scale of the alpaca industry in Peru.  The experience was truly humbling, watching the ladies sorting and classing the fleece into micron bandwidths with skill and speed and many years of experience.

Sol and Kuna are top of the line alpaca retail stores in Peru, if not the world, both retailing exquisite vicuna products alongside a stunning range of alpaca garments.

Alpaca, sightseeing, gastronomy and pisco sours will keep us coming back to Arequipa!

(Photos around Arequipa of the Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa, Misti Volcano, Market, Pisco sour in Plaza de Armas, Monasterio de Santa Catalina and a rescued vicuna at a sanctuary)

Shamarra Alpacas view over Akaroa
  • “The scenery from where we interacted with the alpacas was stunning. We met the males and females separately - with the males, we patted and gave them hugs. Then towards the end, we hand fed the female alpacas. The kind guides refilled our bowls when we ran out and we could feed the cuties until our session ended. Shoutout to Jess and Akira for making the whole experience such a memorable one! Was super duper impressed that they could recognise what seems like all of the alpacas by name etc. Both of them also very kindly offered to help my husband and I take photos/videos :) Highly recommended to those who are considering visiting!”

    Jo, Google Review – September 2024

  • “The highlight of our trip. The farm is well run and the alpacas are beyond cute. Amazing drive from Christchurch and spectacular views when we got there.”

    Sonica, Klook – July 2024

  • Amazing experience! The alpacas are so cute. The staff is really dedicated to the animals and you can feel the passion for them. The view from the farm is stunning. They took really care of me and gave me a good time with the alpaca. I highly recommend this tour for each and everyone (solo traveller, group or family).

    Marc, Google Review – August 2024

  • “Visited today for the full hands on experience with feeding and patting the alpacas. We were a couple minutes late and they accommodated for us even with the large group of people present. The staff are all very friendly and passionate about what they do which made it even better.”

    Kevin, Google Review – August 2024

  • “We took our kids here during the school holidays it was the highlight of their break. The location is stunning. The staff were very friendly, helpful and seem to really love what they do. As for the alpacas, INCREDIBLE animals! It was such a treat getting to mingle with them and see their different personalities.”

    Jodie, Bookme – July 2024

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