Chandlers Ford sits just far enough from Southampton to feel like proper countryside, yet it's only a short hop to one of Hampshire's more memorable family days out: walking your own alpaca around Itchen Valley Country Park. If you've been wondering whether it's worth the trip, here's what to expect from booking to bootlaces.
How Far Is It, Really?
From most parts of Chandlers Ford it's about 20 minutes by car, covering roughly 8 miles. You can cut through Fair Oak and Horton Heath on quieter lanes, or jump on the M3 at Junction 12 and take the A335 down towards West End. Either way you'll end up on Allington Lane, SO30 3HQ, with parking right by the alpaca paddocks — no long walk from the car park before your walk even starts, and no motorway crawl to get there either.
Who It Suits
This isn't a petting-zoo, five-minutes-and-you're-done experience. It's a genuine two-hour walk where you hold the lead yourself, guided throughout by one of our handlers. That makes it a good fit for a wide range of ages: children from 3 to 12 share a lead with a parent, those 12 to 16 can take the lead with an adult nearby, and over-16s walk solo. Grandparents, teenagers and toddlers can realistically all take part on the same visit, which is rarer than it sounds for a Hampshire day out, and makes it a strong choice for a Chandlers Ford family with a wide age range to entertain.
What to Wear and Bring
Itchen Valley Country Park is a working outdoor site, so sturdy shoes or wellies are the priority whatever the season — the paddocks and paths can be muddy after rain, even on an otherwise dry Chandlers Ford morning. Layer up in fair weather since alpacas are walked whatever the forecast, and bring a camera or phone; there's no shortage of photo opportunities once your alpaca decides you're worth posing next to. A change of shoes for the car home is a small but appreciated bit of planning.
Best Time to Book
Alpacas are walked year-round, but many Chandlers Ford visitors find spring and fewer months either side of it particularly appealing, when the country park is green without the peak summer crowds elsewhere in Hampshire. Weekday mornings tend to book up more slowly than weekend slots, so if your schedule is flexible, a weekday visit can mean a quieter paddock and more one-to-one time with the handlers.
Prices and What's Included
Standard walks start from £32 per person, with family packages from £92 covering the group rate, and baby-alpaca walks available from £54 for anyone who'd like to meet our youngest herd members. An extra walker can be added for £18, and £4.50 rescheduling insurance is worth adding given how changeable Hampshire weather can be. Gift vouchers are available too, which makes this an easy present for a Chandlers Ford friend or relative who's already got everything else.
Accessibility
We run dedicated accessible walks every Wednesday between April and October, with free tickets for carers. If accessibility is a concern for anyone in your group, it's worth calling ahead on 0333 050 4012 so we can make sure the day works for everyone before you set off from Chandlers Ford.
Booking Your Walk
With 40-plus alpacas in the herd and 16 years of running these walks as a family business, we've had plenty of practice matching visitors with the right alpaca for the day. See full details and book your alpaca walk near Chandlers Ford online, or call the team directly if you'd rather talk it through first. Either way, it's one of the shortest drives in Hampshire to a genuinely different kind of morning out.