You guys, the coolest thing happened earlier this week! I saw a baby llama 5 minutes after birth here in Liechtenstein!
I had planned to join Marc and Anna-Lena of Lama & Alpakahof Triesenberg for a 2 hour llama trek, but unfortunately this heat wave made it impossible. ?It was way too hot to go trekking for the llamas, and frankly I couldn’t imagine braving a 2 hour hike in over 90 degrees with this intense sun blaring down.
Just look at all the overheated lady llama’s seeking shelter in the shade:
Still, Marc and Anna-Lena were kind enough to invite me to their farm up in the Triesenberg area of Liechtenstein to meet their llamas and alpacas, learn more about their treks and take a look around.
AND just 5 short minutes before I arrived to their farm, one of their llamas had given birth to a brand new little baby llama! A girl …
I’ve never seen a baby- human or animal- just moments after birth before. It was incredible.
As we watched the baby llama try to muster up all her strength, find her balance and stand up for her very first time, many from the small surrounding town gathered around and stopped by to cheer her on. They all seemed to already know about the news, and also be anxiously awaiting the baby llama’s arrival.
Little did I know when heading up Triesenberg, that I’d find myself right in the middle of an authentic “small-town” Liechtenstein experience.
The baby llama tried and tried to straighten her legs and balance her weight, each time getting a bit closer, but eventually falling over to right back where she started. It was so impressive. This newborn baby had just taken her first breath and was now facing this challenge on her own. Each time her little skinny legs couldn’t take the weight any longer and gave out, she’d take a quick break, muster up her energy once more and then get back to it. As Anna-Lena explained to me, “us humans could learn a lot from llamas.” ?
Finally, after several unsuccessful tries, she was able to take her first wobbly steps.
Of course, just a few seconds later, she was back down again. Btu hey, little by little …
More about Marc and Anna-Lenas’s Llama Trekking tours:
On Marc and Anna-Lena’s llama treks, everyone in the group is assigned a llama trekking companion and led on a journey down one of Liechtenstein’s many picturesque trails. Most of the trails go through Lichtenstein’s forests and offer jaw-dropping panoramic views of the countryside below.
My llama companion for the day, meet KARL:
Karl with a “K” just happens to be my fathers name. I think that’s why we got along so well!
Marc and Anna-Lena run llama trekking tours year round, as long as the weather conditions aren’t too extreme, and depending on how long you’d like your llama experience to last, they offer taster-treks (a few hours), half-day treks, day-treks, or upon special request, longer multi-day treks.
Included in the price of their tours is an introduction to trekking with llamas and alpacas by a trained guide, free beverages, and if needed, llamas and/or alpacas with a bag to carry luggage.
You can find out more information about their tours and all about their farm here.
All Marc and Anna-Lena’s llama trekking tours are privately organized and can be booked via their contact form or by email at info@lama-alpaka.li.
Location of Marc and Anna-Lenas’s Llama and Alpaca Farm:
Chalberrütistrasse 70, 9497 Triesenberg in Liechtenstein
Stay on the Farm: Glamping in a Tepee
If interested, you can also book a stay on Marc and Anna-Lena’s on site tepee! Yes.. I said tepee…
Due to popular demand, they decided to create a unique space where their trekkers could relax and stay a while. Their tepee, located on a private section of their farm, is the perfect place to stay alongside your llama and alpaca neighbors. It has room to comfortably fit 5, with a compost bathroom, enclosed wooden shower and a beautiful backdrop of the Rhine Valley and the Swiss Alps.
Book a stay in their Tepee via Airbnb, they’re Airbnb superhosts!
The Llama Farm Shop
Marc and Anna-Lena also have a 24 hr – 7 day a week self-service shop on their farm, which sells fresh produce, local homemade and regional specialty products and alpaca souvenirs. Within the tiny local shop you can pay by credit card or cash, and I repeat the shop is fully SELF-SERVICE.
I have to admit I was shocked by the open container of Swiss Francs and credit card swiping instructions listed next to the terminal. Now that’s trust …
This type of “help-yourself-shop” is a concept that wouldn’t work in most parts of the world, but I loved that here in the quiet hamlet of “Wangerberg,” it seemed to work just fine!
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I love that you are like becoming the defacto expert on Liechtenstein, haha! I remember learning about it in school as one of the world’s smallest countries, and always wanted to visit it when I lived in Europe, but never got around to it. Anyway, this looks like such a cool experience – especially that you witnessed the just-born baby llama! I went llama trekking with a bed and breakfast in Vermont, years and years ago (pre travel blogging era… I think I was like 14 haha). I still remember it as one of the coolest experiences ever. I actually looked into doing a llama trek in the Lake District but it didn’t work out. I think it’s still a pretty unusual experience – I’d love to try it again, maybe in Liechtenstein?!
How fun! What a unique experience and how cute are llamas especially baby ones?!
How fun! What a unique experience and how cute are llamas especially baby ones?!
I love that you are like becoming the defacto expert on Liechtenstein, haha! I remember learning about it in school as one of the world’s smallest countries, and always wanted to visit it when I lived in Europe, but never got around to it. Anyway, this looks like such a cool experience – especially that you witnessed the just-born baby llama! I went llama trekking with a bed and breakfast in Vermont, years and years ago (pre travel blogging era… I think I was like 14 haha). I still remember it as one of the coolest experiences ever. I actually looked into doing a llama trek in the Lake District but it didn’t work out. I think it’s still a pretty unusual experience – I’d love to try it again, maybe in Liechtenstein?!