Most recently updated January 16th, 2022
From the moment I heard the phrase “llama trekking”, I was hooked. I love to hike – and who doesn’t love a llama??
Even better, when you go llama trekking at Divine Llama Vineyards, there could be wine involved 🙂
Divine Llama Vineyards is equally famous for its wine and for the Llama Treks they host together with their neighbor, the Four Ladies & Me Farm.
I stopped by for a visit one afternoon after a day of hiking at nearby Pilot Mountain State Park. It’s so close, you can see the mountain from the vineyard, and they’ve put Pilot Mountain on their label.
Equally close by is Hanging Rock State Park – so I plan to reward myself with another visit to Divine Llama after a day of hiking there, too!
What is Llama Trekking?
Llama hiking, also known as llama trekking, is when llamas accompany people on walking expeditions.
Llama hiking can be appealing to everyone, but especially to people that might not usually participate in more strenuous hikes – such as couples looking for a new way to enjoy some romantic time together, or a group or family that includes disabled children.
Llama treks can last from as little as a few hours to several days. The treks at Divine Llama are usually 1-1.5 hours long.
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For longer trips the llamas can carry up to three days trekking supplies or cargo in pack saddles so the people with them only need to carry a daypack.
Unlike trendy – and fun! – goat yoga, llama trekking has it basis in history.
Llamas and alpacas have been used by people of the Andes mountains as pack animals for hundreds of years.
Since the second half of the 20th century, large numbers of llamas have been bred and used for farm work in the USA and Canada.
In the US and abroad, llama hiking has also become a popular recreational activity.
Llamas have recently found new work in the US and the UK as therapy animals for children and adults with emotional and learning difficulties, and also for adults or the elderly suffering from Dementia.
Divine Llama Vineyards offers short llama treks, where llamas carry your supplies and walk with you on 2.5 miles of winding hiking trails.
About Divine Llama Vineyards
Originally started in 2007 by two architects who met at school, the Divine Llama Vineyards now has about 10 part- and full-time employees.
Divine Llama teamed up with the Four Ladies & Me llama farm next door to create their llama treks.
“Llamas are really in vogue right now,” Divine Llama owner West says. “We’ve seen a huge increase in interest in the past three to five years.”
He says having the llamas around also has helped build their wine business.
Four Ladies & Me Llama Farm
Four Ladies & Me Farm is a family run North Carolina llama farm. With 70+ lamas, is the largest llama farm in the Southeast.
In addition to the llama treks on site, they do a lot of business breeding and selling llamas, and bringing them to shows around the country.
Whether you’re looking for a show llama, a pet, a guard, a trekking llama, a fine fibered animal, a specific color or a companion for other animals (like alpaca) they probably have a few for you to choose from.
They also enjoy discussing anything about llamas and visitors are welcome.
THE SETTING
The vineyard and llama farm are nestled on 91 acres of rolling hills in North Carolina’s Yadkin Valley – and you can just make out the distinctive peak of Pilot Mountain in the distance.
The tasting room and a small gift shop are located in a rustic farmhouse among five acres of vineyards and twenty acres of pastures for llama and miniature horses.
Outdoor space on the farmhouse porch or at picnic tables under the trees allow visitors to enjoy wine and conversation while looking over the vineyards.
Guests are also welcome to walk to the farm and visit the llamas, even if they aren’t on a trek.
“On a busy Saturday with good weather, we usually average around 250 people,” owner West says.
“People make a day out of it and walk around the farm.”
NOTE: These days the indoor tasting room is closed, and tastings are not offered due to COVID concerns, but wine flights and by the glass are offered on the outdoor spaces. There’s a $10 charge to just walk the farm, if you aren’t purchasing any wine.
Llama Trekking at Divine Llama
To be completely transparent, I tried for months to get to Divine Llama for a trek. But between their limited hours, months of rainy weekends, and the 3 hour drive for me to get there, it never happened.
I did, however, plan a hiking day trip on a sunny Friday (when llama treks aren’t offered) and finished hiking with enough time to get to the winery for a tasting, followed by a wander around the llama farm to see the animals.
It was a great day!
That said, I’m still plotting to go on an actual trek with the llamas when time and weather allow – with Pilot Mountain and Hanging Rock nearby, I might make a weekend of it 🙂
Treks begin and end near the Divine Llama wine tasting facility where you can complete the trek experience with a bottle of wine.
They aren’t difficult hikes, and most children (over 6yrs) and ambulatory adults should be able to do it without any problem.
The treks are a little over 2 miles long, wandering over rolling hills and following along Miller Creek.
Your llama will carry chairs, water and other provisions to a remote creek-side area.
Enjoy views of Pilot Mountain and Divine Llama Vineyards when you take a water break about half way beside the creek.
This is a perfect spot for pictures with your llama, and to feed them treats.
Feel free to bring a picnic for yourself to eat during the trek or afterwards at the farmhouse.
More Trek Info
- Treks must be scheduled in advance. Hikes are approximately two miles, and the outing usually takes about two and half hours.
- The treks start at 1:00pm on most Saturdays and Sundays in the Spring, Fall and Winter. The cost is $50 per person.
- Optional wine tastings are available at Divine Llama Vineyards’ tasting room for an additional charge.
The Divine Winery
With no former grape-growing experience when they started in 2007, the Divine Llama owners took classes at Surry Community College for 18 months to study the business.
The Divine Llama tasting room opened 2009 – just two years after starting the vineyard.
They now have 5 acres growing Chardonel, Traminette, Cabernet Franc and Merlot grapes and make 10 different wines.
WHAT’S IN A NAME
Some of the wines are named for an Alpaca, for example:
-
The Divine Llama wine label features a llama and Pilot Mountain In a Heart Beat – is a red blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot and named after an award-winning llama in the 2006 Grand Nationals.
- Red Rita Rose – a blush blend of Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc, is named after the llama herd matriarch.
-
Versailles “Si” – is named after the West’s youngest daughter’s show llama. Si, a blend of 90% Traminette and 10% peach juice, is the newest wine made by Divine Llama Vineyards.
Divine Llama is one of the few wineries in North Carolina offering a 100 percent Chardonel — a hybrid of Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc.
It’s a crisp light white wine, perfect for summer sipping.
You can see a complete list of the current wines here.
Award-winning wines include traminette, chardonel, merlot, cabernet franc, a red blend, and a rose. Today the vineyard produces 1,000 cases of wine annually.
Over the last five years, wine sales at Divine Llama have grown steadily. Although it’s open year-round, the vineyard is at it’s busiest in the Spring and Fall.
Divine Llama Info
Nationally recognized for it’s award winning wines, beautiful scenery, and the largest llama farm in the Southeast, a visit to Divine Llama is always unique and memorable – even if you don’t take a llama trek!
Here’s the info you need to plan your visit:
Location
Divine Llama Vinyards is located at 5349 Macedonia Road, East Bend, N.C.
It’s about a 2.5 hour drive from the Raleigh area, about 30 minutes from Pilot Mountain State Park, and 40 minutes from Hanging Rock State Park.
Hours
Monday-Thursday: Closed
Friday & Saturday: Open Noon-5pm
Sunday: Open 1pm-5pm
Contact Info
Click here to email for more information or trek reservations.
Go to www.divinellamavineyards.com or call 336-407-8413.
What’s So Great About Llamas?
These graceful creatures have a wide variety of benefits for people cultivating a self-sustaining lifestyle:
- A single llama can provide large quantities of wool for spinning, matting for blanket and cushion fill, and even insulation.
- They breed easily and can be used for meat as well as milk.
- A llama can carry about 25% of its body weight with no problem. So an average animal of 300 pounds can carry around 75 pounds of equipment in its packs.
- A three-compartment stomach helps them cope with poor quality food sources.
Llamas have padded feet similar to a dog, which lets them easily traverse steep and rocky paths while being more environmentally friendly to the ground than horse hooves.
Due to their docile and friendly natures, llamas are suitable for close contact with children.
Parents have reported children being willing to walk twice as far when accompanied by llamas.
Llamas as Therapy Animals
Llama trekking is a popular therapeutic activity for disabled children.
Autistic children can respond especially well to llamas, and sometimes the expressive eyes of the animal help them make their first sustained eye contact.
By offering friendship and warm touch, llamas can help alleviate loneliness, lower blood pressure and reduce stress in both children and adults.
Only 14 llamas were registered as therapy animals in the U.S. back in 2016, and today there are almost certainly many more.
Llamas can provide benefits for children and adults who have emotional and learning difficulties, as well as for the elderly suffering from Dementia.
Although llamas are large creatures, they offer a feeling of peace which takes away any concern about their size.
They are also so loving, friendly and entertaining, that watching their antics can be a great release for those who are generally overwhelmed by their own difficult lives.
What is a Therapy Animal?
Research has shown that animals help humans by acting as social bridges, reducing blood pressure, and directing thoughts outward.
Therapy animals, in particular, provide this special service to people.
All kinds of animals are used as therapy animals, but regardless of the species, they typically go through a veterinarian’s assessment, have received basic training, and have been screened to ensure they do well with people.
NOTE: Though the animals at Divine Llama Vineyards are not registered therapy animals, they interact well with people.
MORE ABOUT LLAMAs
- Llamas greet each other by sniffing each other’s breath. Once you have approached or been approached by a llama, blow out softly from your nose or mouth. Your llama may blow back gently with his breath.
- The halter must fit up close to their eyes as they have very little bone or cartilage on their noses. If it fits improperly, they will feel that they might suffocate.
- For the same reason, llamas don’t like to be petted on the nose. Most like to be scratched or petted on the side of their neck or under their chin.
- Llamas usually share a manure pile. If one goes, most likely others will join in.
- Llama’s weigh in anywhere from 200 to 350+ pounds—roughly twice the size of Alpacas.
- Llamas are guard animals, and have been known to guard Alpaca herds.
The Divine Llama Vineyards is a great place for family gatherings, or a kids’ outdoor activity to trek with the llamas and have a picnic.
And if you’re camping in the area, it could be a special adventure outside the local trails and parks!
Until Next Time…
Divine Llama is also a good place to do some shopping for your gift list or yourself – especially if you’re in the market for some wine or your very own llama 🙂
If you have a question, drop me a note and I’ll reply as soon as I can. I had a great time, and I plan to go back. I hope you do, too.
If you’re looking for some travel pointers or ideas for your next adventure, check out my Travel Resources page.
Thanks for stopping by – see you next time! LJ
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LJ has spent much of her free time as a single Mom – and now as an empty-nester – hiking in the US and around the world. She shares lessons learned from adventures both local and in exotic locations, and tips on how to be active with asthma, plus travel, gear, and hike planning advice for parents hiking with kids and beginners of all ages. Read more on the About page.