The Swiss Alpacas
Between September and October, the Alpabzug, the transhumance rite, takes place in the Swiss Alps. The herds that have spent the hot summer months in the cool pastures at high altitude, go down again to the valley, to the villages, before the winter cold.
Traditionally, it is the cows, the most numerous inhabitants of the Alps, who make this walk down the valley, richly adorned with flowers, to the delight of hikers who have to give way to these parades along the mountain roads. In Switzerland, however, there is another large herd that returns from the mountains to winter in the low-lying villages of the Kiental. This is an unexpected group of around 150 llamas and alpacas, who live together for a few months of the year with the herds of cows to enjoy the pleasant days in the mountains.
We arrive in the village of Gorneren, around 9 am, where everything is still wrapped in the cold morning mist. We begin to climb from the last parking lot towards the malghe, and as soon as we arrive on the main road, a group of curious llamas and alpacas welcome us, observe us, and go back to graze undisturbed in the light of the first rays of sunshine.
In the distance you can hear bells and voices in turmoil. We continue after the first bend, and we wait outside the road where shepherds keep at distance the courious people, trying to understand what is about to happen.
A few uphill bends of the road a thick set of ruffled heads appear, with soft white, brown or black hair. The giant family of alpacas and llamas looks around perplexed and without lowering their eyes they all take the descent and, guided by young shepherds in traditional clothes, they start to run down the road as a single element. Now they all bend to the right, now to the left, and at high speed they paw into the valley passing in front of us, and picking up the other animals from the fences they meet.
It's a funny event, and don't miss the opportunity if it coincides with a mountain hike. The alpacas descend towards the valley at great speed, and it is impossible to follow the herd for a while, as in the case of the cows. So get well informed, and make sure you get there at the right time to not miss the marathon of these animated stuffed animals.
