Bringing together people, environment and development.
Llama Pack Project works to recover traditional uses and breeding of carrier llamas as a tool for sustainable rural development and conservation of Andean mountain ecosystems in the Sacred Valley of the Incas highlands.
Get Involved
Join a Program
Faculty-led and service learning programs are available for study group travelers to participate and learn through hands-on activities with the Llama Pack Project members and staff.
Book a Visit
You may visit our areas of action and meet members of the Local Guild of Llama Breeders and their llamas making a difference in local people’s lives and our environment.
Donate
With your contribution our team will achieve specific short term goals as listed on this section. All contributions make a great difference in local lives and the efforts of the Llama Pack Project.
Areas of Action
Sustainable Development
Environmental Conservation
Healthy Llama Breeding
Llama Pack Project facilitates the inclusion of high-Andean communities in the growing tourism industry of the area so they can aim for long-term sustainable development. This is achieved by providing skill-building workshops, promoting inter-community networking and providing an innovative Llama Trek service designed with the participation of community members. All these tools will allow a higher hiring rate from all agencies that operate in the area. The aim is to improve families’ quality of life by generating an alternative source of income and supporting development of other important social aspects through our project programs.
Llama Pack Project seeks to generate environmental awareness amongst community members and to protect the fragile high-Andean ecosystems, water source of the communities and the Sacred Valley towns. Llamas are indigenous animals perfectly adapted to pack labor in high altitudes and mountain trails, unlike foreign introduced horses, donkeys and mules, whose use results in trail erosion and ecosystem degradation. We aim to recover and maintain ancestral trails and native forests by facilitating the transition for agencies to be able to hire the service of native eco-friendly pack llamas from local community members.
Llama Pack Project helps impoverished families mobilize their camelid resources in innovate ways, which are both ecologically sustainable and currently under-valued. Llama Pack seeks to implement a model project of best practices in breeding so that the community can learn from it. The aim is to recover the pure breed llama which is an amazingly resistant animal easily adaptable to different altitudes. Its impressive size (Average 2 meters high and 150 kg weight) and load capacity (average 45 kg.) will provide a new family income that will compete with horses and donkeys, in order to replace them in time.
Llama Trek Model Training (+)
This two-day training activity allows us to continue strengthening practical tourism service skills so that the Guild of Llama Breeders can provide sustainable and environmentally friendly services to access fair work opportunities and promote responsible tourism management in their communities.Donate Now
Community School Conservation Workshop (+)
This two-day education activity allows us to continue strengthening environmental literacy and conservation tools so that high-Andean children and members of the Guild of Llama Breeders can act and advocate for the conservation of our fragile mountain ecosystems.Donate Now
Llama Registry and Evaluation (+)
This two-day field activity allows us to continue with our systemized registry and evaluation of the condition of llamas in the Urubamba Mountain Range so that we can help families improve the quality of their llamas.Donate Now