The Shamarra Alpaca Farm in Akaroa is so beautiful!

1. Shamarra Farm is located on the mountainside opposite the town of Akaroa. The alpacas, lake, and mountain views make for great photos, which is the main reason we chose to visit. We were lucky that the weather cleared up in the afternoon, with blue skies and white clouds. It's about a 1.5-hour drive from Christchurch city center, with a lot of mountain roads in the second half. If you're not familiar with the road conditions, it's best to set off 2 hours in advance to be safe. Cars can drive directly to the reception room on the mountainside farm, but RVs can only park on one side of the entrance at the foot of the mountain. However, the farm owner, Frank, can drive guests up from the entrance. He usually guides vehicles at the entrance, as the driveway from the entrance to the mountainside is only wide enough for one car. The farm tour lasts about 1 hour, with a Chinese or English guide who will introduce the alpacas and let you pet and feed them. 2. Overall, the experience was great. Most of the alpacas on this farm are very friendly, and coffee, tea, and cookies are provided at the end. The farm doesn't have the fragrant smell of poop everywhere that you might expect. The guide said that alpacas don't have lanolin, so they don't have much of a smell, and alpaca wool is completely odorless. At first, they gave us some cut alpaca wool to feel and smell, which has a natural perm shape. 3. But there is still poop, so be careful when walking, as the grass is taller in the alpacas' toilet area. However, there are facilities at the entrance to clean your shoes, so you don't have to worry about bringing poop into the car. The navigation address is 328 Wainui Main Road, Wainui 7582. There are three sessions every day at 11:00, 13:00, and 16:00. You need to sign in 15 minutes in advance and make an appointment online in advance, as there is a limit on the number of people per session. It's best to arrive a little early so you have more time to take photos. Frank, the farm owner, said that he has been running this farm for 12 years and started offering tourism experiences. The previous owner had been there for about 100 years, but they mainly had sheep and didn't offer tours or have alpacas. I was a little worried before I came, but when I got here, it felt different. The green grass and beautiful nature were wonderful.