FAQs

Our family has 4 children from ages 2-7 years that join our family llama pack trips to the backcountry. The youngest kids ride on our backs and the older ones walk on their own, often leading the llamas with an adult’s supervision. Llamas are much safer than horses & mules, because they only weigh 300-400lbs, and you’re not riding them. They also have soft padded feet like a dog. We’ve never experienced a llama try to kick a kid, but with that said, you’re still dealing with an animal, which comes with unpredictability and inherent risks. Every llama is different and can react differently to certain situations. It’s always best to proceed with caution when llama trekking around children.

All the packing gear is provided by Oregon Pack Llamas, including a blanket, saddle, two panniers (saddle bags), halter, lead rope, stake, stakeout lead rope, spare gear kit, llama first aid kit, hay sacks & water for transportation, and pellets. A brush for brushing them out prior to saddling, and a scale for measuring the panniers to make sure weight is equally distributed on each side of the llama.

Yes, we require all first-time customers to participate in a basic overview of llama packing (Pack Llama Training Course). This includes how to lead the llama, saddle, properly fill panniers, load in a trailer, feed and water llamas, stake-out while at camp, etc.

Yes, we rent trailers for hauling the llamas. Customers will need a vehicle that is rated to tow at least the weight of the trailer and the llamas & gear. The trailers weigh 4,000lbs. and each llama and its gear will weigh approximately 500lbs. The trailer comes standard with a 7 round pin plug-in for the trailer lights, if your vehicle has a different plug-in style, we have an adapter for you. OPL will provide a hitch with a 2” ball, but feel free to bring your own if available.

Llamas are biofriendly animals with a low environmental impact. They’re lighter weight than most alternative pack animals. Their split toe (like a deer) and soft pad (like a coyote) has a low soil impact.

OPL will provide a basic llama first aid kit for each group to take on their trip. First aid and emergency plan procedures are also provided to customers in advance of their trip.

On our trips to the backcountry, we try our best to find a campsite with green grass for them to eat. A llama will typically eat 5-7lbs. per day. Llamas will eat a wide variety of forages, it’s just important to keep an eye out for poisonous plants. In most cases, we do not need to pack in food unless the quality of feed in the area we’re going is limited. In this case, pellets can be provided as supplemental feed.

It’s important to offer clean water to the llamas daily. Although it’s not uncommon for them to not take you up on your daily water offering, particularly if they’re not packing that day and just resting at camp. Llamas require much less to drink than most pack stock. They’re members of the camel family and obtain much of their water requirements from their food. However, this does not eliminate the need to offer them water daily.

Horses and mules will often spook when they see llamas, particularly if they’ve never seen a llama before, so it’s important to safely get well below the trail (if possible) and allow the horses or mules to pass thru. Llamas are much more maneuverable than horses and mules, so its common backcountry etiquette for the llama packers to get off (below) the trail. Giving the horses and mules some distance will help keep everyone on the trail safe.

For the safety of the animal, we require no more than 75 pounds (lbs.) be put on the llama. Our packers are conditioned prior to the rental season and are in good physical condition for packing.

Generally, with a full 75-pound (lb.) pack, 6-10 miles is a minimum daily range that we expect from our pack llamas. Elevation gain and terrain play a key role in determining how far a llama can travel each day. This distance can be sustained for 2-3 days in a row, before a day off/recovery day is required. We’ve traveled further with lighter loads or by adding more breaks where the panniers are taken off the llamas to give them more recovery time.

Llamas by nature have a similar walking pace to humans. When you rest, they’ll also appreciate a rest. Particularly on a longer distance hike, when you rest, we recommend taking off the panniers to give the llama’s a break from the weight, similar to you wanting to momentarily get that pack off your back.

We have never had an issue with packing out fish, deer or elk meat, including large antlers. We know of other packers that regularly use pack llamas for other game pack-outs, such as moose, goat and bighorn sheep. Llamas have been known to react poorly to the sight of a bear (alive or dead); they see the dead bear as a predator. If you plan to bear hunt, it’s best to put the cape in a game bag before you introduce it to the llamas. With that said, you’re still dealing with an animal, which comes with unpredictability and inherent risks. Every llama is different and can react differently to certain situations. It’s always best to proceed with caution when introducing dead game to a llama.

One llama can generally pack out one (1) boned-out deer, including the head and cape. For a large mule deer, it would generally take two (2) llamas to pack it out if you plan to take the head and cape, but the 2nd llama would be carrying a minimal amount of meat and could be used to pack out any other gear you might have with you.

Three (3) llamas can generally pack out a boned-out elk, including the head & cape. For larger bodied elk, such as Roosevelt Elk, we would recommend taking one (1) additional llama to ensure you stay within the weight capacity limit of each llama. The additional llama would also have capacity to carry other gear you might have with you.

Llamas do not like to travel alone and must be accompanied by at least one other llama.

Typically, between 300-400lbs.