If you’re looking for a fun and wholesome activity that takes about an hour to an hour and a half, whether it’s for a cute date, a day out with friends, or a little solo adventure. The Alpaca Loom in Paarl is the perfect place to go. It’s one of those spots where you can feed alpacas, pet them, walk among them, and feel like you’ve stepped straight into the fluffiest scene of a nature documentary.
And here’s a fun little fact to start with: alpacas don’t bite unless they genuinely feel threatened. So you can safely feed them, get close for photos, and enjoy being around them without worrying about your fingers.
What can you do at The Alpaca Loom farm in Paarl?
The Alpaca Loom is the perfect mix of relaxing and fun. You can feed alpacas, enjoy incredible mountain views, take a behind-the-scenes tour and watch how alpaca wool products are made. There’s easily enough to keep you busy for about an hour.
When you arrive, you walk straight into the restaurant. The ideal place to start with a really good cup of coffee. And yes, actual good coffee, for the real coffee lovers. The inside seating is cozy, but the wooden deck outside completely steals the show. From there, you overlook the entire farm with dramatic mountains in the background. And then there’s the red velvet cake. A giant slice. Completely unnecessary to order… and yet absolutely worth ordering on impulse.
After your coffee stop, you can buy a small bag of animal feed. It’s very cheap too. Pro tip: get your own bag and don’t share; it runs out fast. The alpacas instantly become your new best friends. Mostly because of the food, but let’s pretend it’s your personality. You can walk right into their enclosure, sit at the picnic benches, and let the alpacas wander around you. They come in all different colors, stand about a meter tall, and are incredibly gentle.
There are other animals on the farm as well, but the alpacas are clearly the stars you can truly interact with. After meeting them, you can watch how alpaca wool is turned into products. There’s a small workshop where someone is weaving in real time. Seeing the soft fleece transform into scarves, blankets, or knitted pieces is surprisingly fascinating and it makes the little shop on-site even more tempting.
The Alpaca Loom tour: A Look Behind the Scenes
For visitors who want to see more than just cute faces, the guided tour is a must. It takes about half an hour and is great for anyone curious about how an alpaca farm actually works. You’ll learn about alpaca and llama behavior, how the farm operates, and why these animals are raised here. The tour also brings you to special areas, including the section where pregnant alpacas and llamas stay with their babies, a part of the farm you can only visit with a guide.
The location of The Alpaca Loom
The Alpaca Loom is located in Paarl and is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It’s about a 60-minute drive from Cape Town’s city center and the route is both scenic and enjoyable. You’ll pass beautiful vineyards and plenty of spots worth stopping for photos. You really can’t miss the farm thanks to the massive ALPACA LOOM letters at the entrance. The farm itself isn’t very large, but it’s definitely worth a visit if you’re looking for a fun, easy activity that fills about an hour.
Google maps location: The Alpaca Loom
The prices of The Alpaca Loom
Visiting The Alpaca Loom is surprisingly affordable, making it one of the cheapest and most charming little outings you can do in Paarl. Entrance to the shop and weaving studio is completely free. If you want to walk inside the animal area where the alpacas and llamas roam, it costs just R20. A bag of animal feed is R30, and absolutely worth it if you want the alpacas to adore you instantly. For those interested in learning more about the farm, the guided tour costs R100 for adults and R70 for children.
And if you decide to go all-in and do everything, you’ll spend only R150 in total, which is roughly 8 euros. Would you visit this park and perhaps take an alpaca home?