ALPACA Trekking/Walking & Farm Visits

 By prior appointment only

We mostly offer our Alpaca walks/trekking during the summer months and we generally close November - February due to weather and ground conditions, however, we may be available for a walk or visit if it is nice weather at other times. 

We tend to trek with small groups (minimum 2 people with 2 alpacas)

Please feel free to contact us for availability and further details or to go on our wait-list.

We can accommodate larger groups for trekking/walking and farm visits and customise depending on your requirements.

Extra/Additional people:  Any additional people cannot wait on-site - they may be able to accompany us on the walk for which there is a charge - alternatively they can go for a coffee at our local cafe just 2 mins down the road.

We cannot have un-escorted visitors on farm for the obvious health and safety/insurance reasons.

DOGS: Alpacas generally do not like dogs. If you have a dog or dogs please make other arrangements for them as we cannot allow them on farm unless they are able to stay in your car for the duration of your visit.

WEATHER:  We do not trek if it is going to be heavy rain, blowing a gale or in three feet of snow/mud!  

In the event the weather is not going to be appropriate we will contact to rearrange at no extra cost.

We try to keep things small and friendly & we won't herd you around or shoo you away! This allows us to offer a leisurely relaxing walk and we can sometimes modify the walk according to your needs and preferences and those of the group. Please call for a chat and we'll see what we can do!

We also offer farm visits so you can meet the alpacas (& llamas) and chill out for a little while (contact us for more info and to book).

To check our availability it is best to use our contact form or email us at enquiries@teesdale-alpaca.co.uk

Alternatively you can call but we may be out doing alpacaly things and it may take a little while to get back to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do you trek and how often?

Our treks usually set off at 10:30am or 2pm, however, we can offer bespoke experiences depending on requirements.

How do I book?

Please contact us for availability (it is useful if you have a fall-back date in-case we are unable to accommodate your first choice). Be aware that we do attend outside events and weekends, Bank holidays/School holidays are likely to be booked up a long way in advance.

What happens and how long will it take?

In this walk we will give you a short (approx. 15min) introduction to the Alpacas whilst we get them ready for you and we'll go over a few do's and don'ts for you to observe around the Alpacas; after this you'll be introduced to your Alpaca for the walk and we'll set off. 

The walk involves rough ground, uphill and downhill slopes depending on the chosen route, please ensure we are made aware of any mobility issues at point of booking as we are unable to modify the walk at short notice or divide up groups.

Your walk will last around 45 mins to an hour depending on how lazy the alpacas are feeling, and how many photo (or alpaca toilet) stops there are.  You should be able to give them a little feed (we don't charge any extra for that) and take pics - also no charge. We'll take you to see our girls and any babies we have after the trek if you wish.

Please allow 1.5 hrs (but it may take longer) for your trek to cater for delays etc. - if you have other activities arranged for after your trek please let us know in advance.

How do i get there?

We provide comprehensive directions with your booking confirmation email - please follow these as you may otherwise get lost and miss your trek. We are not signposted from the main road (A66) - Please check and plan your journey. 

Do I need to pay in advance?

At this time we do not require advance payment - you can do so if you wish using the details provided on the booking confirmation email. If you do make an advance payment please make sure we know and can identify your payment.

Can children/others come along?

We need to know in advance about everyone who is coming on-farm; we do not have waiting areas so unless they are coming on the walk they will need to leave and return when we have finished the activity. There is a very nice cafe close by. Children are welcome as long as there is a responsible adult per child and they can share an alpaca with the adult. Numbers of children are limited for safety reasons so please discuss when booking. Charges do apply to extra adults and children - Please see the charges section on our home page and/or contact us for details. Minimum age for children on the walk is 6, however, they must be able to walk for 1 hour and be well behaved! (That goes for adults too!!)

What about special needs or mobility issues?

We may be able to cater for special needs and certain mobility issues depending on the group and requirements - we are a farm and the ground is uneven with slopes etc. which makes it difficult to accommodate everyone. However with a bit of thought and discussion we may be able to customise a visit that could suit - Please contact us to have a chat.

What are your terms and conditions?

Our full terms and conditions for our treks/visits and vouchers can be found here.  

 Please Note:

All our alpacas are trained to wear a head collar and be led; however sometimes they don't always play along so we may have to swap Alpacas or alter the itinerary at short notice. Likewise the weather can be unpredictable and we'll need to be flexible. We aim to give as much notice as possible in the event we need to cancel and rearrange. Alpacas are very cute animals but even they lose a bit of their charm when sopping wet. As the walk is over fields and rough ground you'll need to have appropriate footwear and be prepared to dip the sole in some antibacterial solution to ensure our bio-security. There are always hazards when walking around fields - rabbit holes, pheasants taking flight - perhaps the odd deer - these things can sometimes spook the alpacas (and us!) so be prepared for things like these. Young children need individual supervision (1 adult per child) and we would expect them to share an alpaca with an appropriate adult. Please ask for our full terms and conditions. Remember we are a working alpaca farm and animals don't always do what you expect - please be prepared to be flexible and schedule your time and other activities accordingly!

We are Licenced by Durham County Council under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 - Licence No. DCC/ALA/082415  

The welfare and happiness of our animals is paramount.