Llama Trails, Inc.

FAQ

Unless you've gone hiking with llamas before, you'll no doubt have a few questions. . .

How many people will be in our group ?
Our group size is limited to six guests and at least two staff members. This allows us to provide quality service and low environmental impact on the National Forest resources.

How many guides are on a trip? What are their qualifications?
There are a minimum of two guides on all of our hikes. We value your safety during our hikes; thus, we have chosen our trails with this in mind. Our guides are veteran hikers trained in advanced first aid and CPR. In case of an accident or illness, they will aid the ill or injured person until medical help arrives or evacuation is executed. Any cost of evacuation (helicopter, etc.) and of the medical care beyond first aid are the financial responsibility of the ill and/or injured person. We carry on all our trips a First Aid Kit, two-way radios, GPS (Global Positioning System), cell phone, as well as maps and a compass. We advise each hiker to review their medical insurance coverage before taking part in a trek. Remember--Safety is top priority!

How many llamas will we take?
Will each person have one? We take one llama for each three guests. You will be welcome to lead a llama during the hike or you may travel at your own pace. And if you're more interested in learning to pack and want to spend more time with the llamas, just let us know and we'll make you a full-fledged llama packer by trip's end.

Is llama trekking for everyone?
Llama trekking is hiking, with the benefits and luxury that packing with llamas allows. Our trails and trips range from easy to strenuous. Because llamas are far calmer and also smaller than other pack animals, they can even be successfully led by young children. We can custom tailor the trip for children to enjoy with frequent stops to study that special animal track in the mud or identifying the trees and wildflowers around them. We carry reference tools and casting material for tracks that make nature a fun learning experience for children. Our guests find our seasoned pack llamas easy to handle with a few minutes' basic instruction. Your guides are always near to assist if needed.

Can you ride llamas?
The answer is basically NO. Our pack llamas carry up to 50 pounds of gear for us, but they are not trained to accept riders. In addition, insurance requirements limit our llamas to packing only. However, we do know llama owners with young children who have trained their llamas to carry a small child.

Do llamas spit?
Most llamas, ours included, have no desire to spit at a human, no more than most humans (including, so far, all of our guests) feel the need to spit at a llama. All llamas spit occasionally at one another, usually over food or personal space, and it is possible to get caught in the crossfire if you get in the middle! Llamas also typically give warning beforehand. We've never had a llama spit at a guest. (We've never had a guest spit at a llama, either.) Llamas have been domesticated for thousands of years in South America, where the llama is called "the Speechless Brother" for its willingness to carry burdens, and they have calm, gentle dispositions around us humans. Llamas truly enjoy being out on the trail with people. You'll quickly appreciate "your" llama's curiosity, personality, and willingness to serve.

What kind of boots will I need?
Since you'll be spending the day on the trail, you'll want to make sure that your hiking boots are comfortable, fit well and are broken in. If you're buying boots for the trek, look for one of the lightweight hiking boots on the market today that are sturdy and take very little break in time. It's very important to have good ankle support in any boot you choose. For the majority of our day hikes a sturdy comfortable "tennis type" shoe is adequate. Please no dress shoes, flip flops, or shoes without a back.

How strenuous is the trip?
Our trails have been selected with the criteria to have "fun", observe nature, and relax. Most of us today are "desk bound" due to our jobs. We have strived to provide a variety of experiences for the conditioned and unconditioned hiker. Our selected trails, for the most part, are easy to moderately difficulty. For those wishing a more difficult hike, for example 5 miles totally uphill, please let us know.

What about bugs?
Because we only operate in the Fall, Winter, and Spring (due to heat stress llamas cannot pack in the summer heat of the south) we miss a large portion of the "bug season". In the South, Winter provides some of the best hiking and relaxation time. For those few days that you might hike with us when there are bugs, we recommend a repellent.

Can we bring our dog?
A leader (seeing eye) dog will be fine, otherwise, NO. We've found that otherwise well-behaved dogs become downright unruly in the woods, where all sorts of tempting wildlife abound. Also, most dogs do not know how to behave around a group of pack llamas, creating a potentially dangerous situation. Please don't ask.

return to Llama Trails, Inc. homepage