Guided alpaca walks just a short drive from Botley at Itchen Valley Country Park – lead your own halter-trained alpaca with an expert handler.
Botley might be best known for its historic chartered market and its pretty stretch of the River Hamble, but locals are increasingly discovering that one of the best days out on their doorstep is a short drive away at Itchen Valley Country Park. Hensting Alpacas runs guided walks there throughout the year, and for anyone in Botley it's one of the quickest alpaca experiences to reach in Hampshire – usually no more than ten to fifteen minutes via Botley Road and the M27.
Botley sits right on the edge of the Hamble Valley, and that same river winds its way down towards West End and Itchen Valley Country Park, so the drive over feels like a natural extension of a Botley afternoon rather than a big trip out. Whether you're coming from the High Street, Bugle Green or the newer estates towards Boorley Green, you'll be parking up at the country park well within a quarter of an hour, with plenty of green space and woodland walks to explore either side of your alpaca experience.
Each walk lasts around two hours and starts with an introduction to our herd of more than 40 alpacas, so you can find out a little about the individual personalities before you head out. You'll then halter up your own alpaca and lead it yourself, with one of our experienced handlers walking alongside the group the whole way round. The route takes in some of the prettiest corners of Itchen Valley Country Park, following the river and skirting the woodland – a proper change of scene from a Botley afternoon, but close enough that you're home in time for tea.
We welcome all ages on our walks: children aged 3 to 12 share a lead with an adult, those aged 12 to 16 can lead their own alpaca with an adult present, and anyone 16 and over is welcome to walk independently. That makes it a genuinely flexible day out for Botley families looking for something different from the usual park trip, for couples wanting a relaxed afternoon together, or for a small group of friends marking a birthday or catching up. We also run accessible walks every Wednesday between April and October, with free carer tickets available.
Hensting Alpacas is a family-run, BAS-registered business with 16 years' experience caring for alpacas, so you can be confident you're in good hands from the moment you arrive. Gift vouchers are available too, if you're booking on behalf of someone else in Botley who deserves a treat.