Climate snapshot for alpacas
98/100Alpaca climate comfort score
18°CAverage high, Oct
2°CAverage low, Jul
~0Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~72Frost nights per year
1267 mmAnnual precipitation
1Barber pole worm months
12Hay bales / alpaca / year
Advantages
- Summers rarely reach heat-stress levels for alpacas
- Practically frost-free winters
- A long grazing season (9 months of grass growth)
- Short or no barber pole worm transmission season
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 98/100 — Excellent on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Cold subtropical highland (Köppen Cwc). GBIF holds 217 alpaca occurrence records for Peru.
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16°C | 4°C | 190 mm | 131 · ok | grass |
| Feb | 15°C | 4°C | 247 mm | 136 · ok | grass |
| Mar | 15°C | 4°C | 229 mm | 137 · ok | grass |
| Apr | 15°C | 4°C | 65 mm | 126 · ok | grass |
| May | 15°C | 3°C | 26 mm | 114 · ok | grass |
| Jun | 15°C | 2°C | 1 mm | 92 · ok | — |
| Jul | 16°C | 2°C | 4 mm | 95 · ok | — |
| Aug | 17°C | 2°C | 5 mm | 100 · ok | — |
| Sep | 18°C | 3°C | 28 mm | 113 · ok | grass |
| Oct | 18°C | 4°C | 73 mm | 121 · ok | worms, grass |
| Nov | 17°C | 5°C | 188 mm | 129 · ok | grass |
| Dec | 16°C | 5°C | 212 mm | 135 · ok | grass |
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 -14.9°, -70.6°, elevation 3891 m.
Alpaca care calendar for Peru
January 16° / 4°C
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Toenail check and trim.
February 15° / 4°C
March 15° / 4°C
- Toenail check and trim.
April 15° / 4°C
May 15° / 3°C
- Secure winter hay: about 12 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Toenail check and trim.
June 15° / 2°C
July 16° / 2°C
- Toenail check and trim.
August 17° / 2°C
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
September 18° / 3°C
- Run pre-season fecal egg counts so you know each animal's baseline.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 18° / 4°C
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- 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).
November 17° / 5°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).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 16° / 5°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).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: October.
- Best months for crias to be born: Sep–Dec (breed in Oct–Jan).
- Heat precautions: rarely needed — still provide shade and water.
- Barber pole worm season: Oct — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Winter: frost is rare.
- Vitamin D: winter sunlight is usually adequate at this latitude; ask your vet about dark-fleeced crias.
- Grazing season: Sep–May (about 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sol Alpaca | shop | 79 km | — |
| Rancho Alpaca | farm | 142 km | — |
| Mundo Alpaca | farm | 194 km | Visit |
| Incalpaca · Tahuaycani | shop | 196 km | Visit |
| Textilería Incalpaca | farm | 196 km | — |
| Pure Alpaca | shop | 210 km | — |
| Sol Alpaca | shop | 210 km | — |
| Sol Alpaca | shop | 212 km | — |
| Jatun Alpaca · Cusco | shop | 213 km | — |
| Sol Alpaca | shop | 214 km | — |
| Pure Alpaca | shop | 214 km | — |
| Mundo Alpaca | shop | 214 km | — |
| Pure Alpaca | shop | 214 km | — |
| Pure Alpaca | shop | 214 km | — |
| Alpaca 111 | shop | 214 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 Peru?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Peru scores 98/100 (excellent) on our alpaca climate comfort scale.
When should alpacas be shorn in Peru?
Plan shearing for October, 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 Peru?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Sep–Dec. For births then, breed females in Oct–Jan (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Peru?
With roughly 3 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 565 lb (256 kg) — around 12 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
Coordinates -14.900, -70.600. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to World.