If first time, you would see Llama and Alpaca together. You may not see differences, but there are variety of them between these two South American animals.
Here we give you 6 main differences between Llamas and Alpacas.
Let’s go to Machu Picchu! Are these llamas or alpacas? Spot the differences.
- Their faces: Alpacas have a bit more blunt faces, giving them a “smoothed in” look. When Llamas instead having longer faces.
- Their size: Alpacas normally weight up to 250 pounds while llamas can get as heavy as 400 pounds. At high average alpaca stands between 34 – 36 inches, while a llama generally ranges between 42 – 46 inches.
A lovely llama in the Sacred Valley Tour
- Their ears: Another difference is that alpaca have short spear-shaped ears, and llamas have much longer, banana-shaped ears.
- Their purpose: For more than 5,000 years, alpacas have been bred for their soft wool and meat, while llamas been bred as pack animals (a little like donkeys).
- Their hair: The alpaca produces a much finer fiber than the llama. Llamas also generally do not have as much hair on their head and face as alpacas do.
Find Alpacas in any of the Inca Trails!
- Their dispositions: Alpacas are very much herd animals, they can be home trained just like cats with their kitty litter. People who have alpacas at home say that alpacas are very good about letting them know when they need to go outside. Llamas are more independent minded but very sociable with other llamas or people.
Do you think you caught on all the differences between Llamas and Alpacas? Why not take a tour to Machu Picchu where those animals live? We have some more intersting facts about llamas and aplacas below.
Interesting facts
Baby llamas birth
Female llama give birth to baby llamas standing up. The gestation period for llama is between 11/12 months and the birth takes half an hour. Baby llamas are standing up and trying to walk within an hour of birth. Normally baby llamas tend to be born in the morning when the weather is warm.
Do llamas and alpacas spit?
As llamas and alpacas are distantly related with camels, answer is yes, they do spit, but differently than camels who spit when they are annoyed. Alpacas and llamas only do this when they are very upset.
Take a lovable picture of an alpaca in Machu Picchu?
Take one of our tour groups to Machu Picchu and take a lovable picure of them!
