Alpacas are the stars of our petting zoo

Until just a few years ago, alpacas were rarely seen in the Alps and the beautiful Ötztal, despite their mountainous origins. Alpacas originally hail from the high valleys of the Andes in South America. However, in the petting zoo at Veitenhof, you and especially your children can quickly become acquainted with these llama-like mini camels, known for their friendly nature and wonderfully soft wool.

Like all camels, alpacas—though lacking humps—are highly social animals and feel most comfortable in pairs or groups. Fritz and Ferdi, the alpacas in our petting zoo, will immediately welcome you into their "group" as guests at Veitenhof. Petting, playing, and helping with feeding provide fascinating nature experiences for our younger visitors with these peaceful creatures, which are almost exclusively herbivorous, feeding on grasses. Additionally, standing at nearly a meter tall, the alpacas create true "highlights" among the other inhabitants of the Veitenhof petting zoo.

Thanks to alpacas, the petting zoo becomes a haven of well-being

While alpacas in their native lands of southern Peru, western Bolivia, and northern Chile are primarily kept for their wool, in Europe they are also used in animal-assisted therapy due to their calm demeanor and charming appearance. If you enjoy a truly relaxing vacation on our organic farm in the Ötztal, interacting with the alpacas in our petting zoo is sure to be one of the highlights of your stay for both you and your children. And if your little ones are still too small to feel comfortable around these relatively large animals, they will surely find suitable companions among our

• guinea pigs
• bunnies
• or cats

Just the right friends.

In bustling cities, the opportunity to connect with real animals is becoming increasingly rare. Therefore, take advantage of this chance for a delightful change of pace and look forward to the alpacas in our petting zoo, who have naturally and charmingly integrated into the local wildlife of the Alps.