For those who find the city too noisy once again, there’s a herd just under half an hour south of Vienna that will instantly slow your heart rate.
In Mödling, more specifically in the Föhrenberge Nature Park, lives a pretty laid-back bunch. The alpacas and llamas have South American roots and originally hail from the rugged Andes. Karina Pöschl has settled her herd in Mödling and keeps the local farm bustling with activity.
Here in Lower Austria, the animals have quite prominent names. The eight alpacas are named, among others, Gimli, Gandalf, Aragorn, Semmel Glorfindel, Pippin, and Legolas II. With the five llamas, you’ll hike side by side with Frodo, Sam, Bilbo, Elrond, or Tolkien.
Here’s how the tour in the Vienna Woods works
The entire hike takes exactly two hours, of which you’ll spend a good hour and a half actively walking through nature with the animals. A 15-minute break to rest and take photos is firmly scheduled.
The route takes you on a leisurely hike along the forest trails of the Föhrenberge, requiring no prior mountaineering experience. However, a certain level of mobility is required. Unfortunately, strollers are not permitted on the hike. Alternatively, you can enjoy an experience with the animals on the farm, where none of this is an issue.
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Prices and the perfect pace for kids
A single ticket costs around 50 euros per person. If you’d rather have the place all to yourselves, you can book a private event for 200 euros (Monday through Friday) or 250 euros on weekends.
It’s also a blast for the kids. School-age children can easily lead an animal on their own. Younger kids simply hold the halter together with an adult.
By the way, the effect of the hike sets in after just a few meters. The animals have their own, leisurely pace. They literally force you to slow down, which has a massively relaxing effect.
By the way, according to Karina, there’s no need to be afraid of the animals spitting. The animals don’t spit at people unless you hurt them.
When is the best time to visit and how youcanbecome a sponsor
Tours run year-round. During the week, you have a lot of flexibility when booking; on weekends, there are fixed time slots between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
If you don’t want to part with your animal buddy after the tour, you can sign up for a sponsorship right away. This helps care for the herd and also makes for an extremely thoughtful gift for animal-loving friends. You can find information about the tour here.
