Swap screens for scenery this half-term — lead your own alpaca on a two-hour woodland walk through Itchen Valley Country Park, with the whole family welcome.
Half-term has a way of arriving faster than you can fill it. Between the "I'm bored" refrain and yet another rainy-day trip to the soft play, Hampshire families are increasingly looking for something that gets everyone outside, off their screens, and doing something none of them have tried before. A guided alpaca walk at Itchen Valley Country Park does exactly that.
Each walk runs for around two hours and takes you and your own halter-trained alpaca along quiet woodland and parkland trails at Itchen Valley Country Park in West End, just outside Southampton. You're not watching from behind a fence — you're leading the animal yourself, alongside one of our experienced handlers, with plenty of time to stop, ask questions and get to know your alpaca's particular personality (some are curious, some are shy, a few are outright divas). With more than 40 alpacas in our herd, no two walks feel quite the same.
We get a lot of half-term bookings where grandparents, parents and children all want to take part, so we've kept the age rules simple. Children aged 3 to 12 share a lead with an adult, those aged 12 to 16 can hold their own lead with an adult present, and anyone 16 or over can walk independently. Family packages start from £92, which tends to work out better value than booking everyone separately, and if a grandparent or friend wants to tag along an extra walker can be added for £18.
Whether you're filling the October half-term, the February break, or the May bank holiday week, we run walks throughout the year, so there's rarely a bad time to visit. Half-term weather in Hampshire is famously unreliable, which is why we'd recommend adding rescheduling insurance for £4.50 — if the heavens open, you can move your slot without losing your booking fee. If you'd rather introduce younger children more gently, our baby-alpaca walks (from £54) let little ones meet this year's crop of crias without the full two-hour trek.
Itchen Valley Country Park sits around 15 minutes from Southampton, Winchester and Eastleigh, with straightforward routes in from Portsmouth, Fareham, Romsey, Basingstoke and the New Forest — handy if half-term has family visiting from further afield. We've been running walks here as a family business for 16 years and are BAS-registered, so you're walking with people who know the herd inside out.
Walks start from £32 per person and book up quickly during school holidays, so it's worth reserving a slot as soon as your half-term plans start taking shape. Gift vouchers are also available if you're booking on behalf of family visiting for the break. Call us on 0333 050 4012 if you'd like help picking the right time slot for your group.