Climate snapshot for alpacas
100/100Alpaca climate comfort score
12°CAverage high, Oct
-4°CAverage low, Aug
~0Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~253Frost nights per year
554 mmAnnual precipitation
0Barber pole worm months
24Hay bales / alpaca / year
Advantages
- Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
- Winters are cold but rarely severe
- Short or no barber pole worm transmission season
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 100/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Tundra / alpine (Köppen ET). GBIF holds 198 alpaca occurrence records for Chile.
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11°C | -1°C | 120 mm | 129 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 10°C | -0°C | 137 mm | 131 · ok | frost |
| Mar | 10°C | -1°C | 144 mm | 133 · ok | frost |
| Apr | 10°C | -2°C | 20 mm | 109 · ok | frost |
| May | 9°C | -3°C | 3 mm | 89 · ok | frost |
| Jun | 8°C | -4°C | 2 mm | 73 · ok | frost |
| Jul | 9°C | -3°C | 1 mm | 69 · ok | frost |
| Aug | 9°C | -4°C | 0 mm | 74 · ok | frost |
| Sep | 11°C | -3°C | 0 mm | 82 · ok | frost |
| Oct | 12°C | -3°C | 23 mm | 98 · ok | frost |
| Nov | 11°C | -1°C | 50 mm | 110 · ok | frost |
| Dec | 12°C | 0°C | 54 mm | 114 · ok | — |
Heat-stress index = average high (°F) + mean humidity (%). “Worms” marks months that suit barber pole worm transmission; “grass” marks the grazing season; “frost” marks months with average lows below freezing. Source: Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis (2023-2024) at -18.4°, -69.4°, elevation 4361 m.
Alpaca care calendar for Chile
January 11° / -1°C
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Toenail check and trim.
February 10° / -0°C
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
March 10° / -1°C
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Toenail check and trim.
April 10° / -2°C
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
May 9° / -3°C
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 8° / -4°C
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
July 9° / -3°C
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Toenail check and trim.
August 9° / -4°C
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
September 11° / -3°C
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 12° / -3°C
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
November 11° / -1°C
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Toenail check and trim.
December 12° / 0°C
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Winter prep: install water heaters, repair shelters and windbreaks, stock bedding.
Key recommendations
- Shearing: December.
- Best months for crias to be born: Oct–Dec (breed in Nov–Jan).
- Heat precautions: rarely needed — still provide shade and water.
- Barber pole worm: low transmission risk on average — still run fecal egg counts in spring and autumn.
- Freezing nights: Jan–Nov — keep water from freezing.
- Vitamin D: winter sunlight is usually adequate at this latitude; ask your vet about dark-fleeced crias.
- Grazing season: none (about 0 months); feed hay the rest of the year.
- Meningeal worm: Meningeal worm (P. tenuis) is a North American parasite and is not present here.
- Selenium: Check regional soil selenium with your vet or agricultural advisor — many temperate regions are low.
Tools: heat-stress calculator · winter hay calculator · due-date calculator · parasite control guide.
Alpaca farms & shops nearby
Places mapped on OpenStreetMap with “alpaca” in their name, within about 250 km. Contact them before visiting — opening times change.
| Name | Type | Distance | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lana de Alpaca | shop | 249 km | — |
Data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Know a farm that's missing? Add it to OpenStreetMap and it will appear here in the next update.
Frequently asked questions
Can you raise alpacas in Chile?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Chile scores 100/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale.
When should alpacas be shorn in Chile?
Plan shearing for December, once nights stay above about 38°F (3°C) but before summer heat builds.
What is the best time for crias to be born in Chile?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Oct–Dec. For births then, breed females in Nov–Jan (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Chile?
With roughly 12 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 1,167 lb (529 kg) — around 24 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
Coordinates -18.400, -69.400. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to World.