Take an alpaca for a walk. Ballyburren is a guided 1.5-hour amble with a gentle alpaca on a lead, along a purpose-built trail of woodland, wetlands and little wooden bridges near Ballynahinch — ending with a coffee stop on a pond island.
What you'll do — meet your alpaca, learn how to handle it, then set off on a guided walk with a handler along a 1.4km loop through woodland, wetlands and farmland, crossing a run of little wooden bridges, with a stop at the coffee trailer on the pond island for a hot drink and something baked.
The trail — flat and purpose-built, taking in a Japanese-garden corner and a wetland with plenty to spot; the walk itself is a gentle 30–40 minutes inside the 1.5-hour session, so it's an easy pace rather than a hike.
How long — the standard experience runs about 1.5 hours in total; the luxury-hamper version is closer to 2 hours.
Cost — from £35 per alpaca, and up to four people can share the one alpaca and take turns on the lead, so a small group can walk together for one price; add a luxury picnic hamper from £29.99 if you fancy it. Confirm the current rate when you book.
Come ready — sturdy shoes or boots, and a coat whatever the sky's doing; on a bright day bring a hat and some water and enjoy the sunshine. Prams and baby carriers are fine on the trail.
Pre-booked only. There are no walk-ins — book your session online first at ballyburren.com so your alpacas are ready for you.
Little ones need a grown-up. To hold a lead you need to be about 12 or over; younger children are very welcome to come along, and under-5s go in a carrier, pram or held by the hand.
Plan your visit
Book your slot, then just turn up and enjoy it
Ballyburren runs on pre-booked sessions, so the first job is to pick your date and time online and reserve your alpacas — there are no walk-ins. Trekking starts from £35 per alpaca, and because up to four people can share the one animal and swap the lead along the way, a couple or a small family can walk together for a single price; extra alpacas are available if everyone wants their own, and a luxury picnic hamper can be added from £29.99. On arrival you'll meet your alpaca and a handler, get a quick how-to, then set off on the trail at an easy pace, pausing at the coffee trailer on the pond island. Prices, times and what's running can change with the season, so confirm the current details on ballyburren.com when you book.
Coffee trailer & baked goodsToilets incl. reduced-mobilityFlat trail — prams & carriers fineAccessible car park on sitePicnic hampers from £29.99
Worth knowing:
Sessions are pre-booked only, and the outdoor trail means the day depends a little on the weather — a bright day is glorious, and a soft, drizzly one has its own charm alongside the ponds, so come dressed for it either way. Always check the times and prices on ballyburren.com before you set off.
Before you set off
What to wear & bring
👟Sturdy shoes or bootsThe trail is flat and well-made, but it's a farm walk through woodland and by wetland, so comfy closed shoes beat sandals.
🧥A coat, whatever the sky's doingIt's an outdoor experience — a light coat keeps a soft, drizzly day cosy, and rain by the ponds has a charm all its own.
👒A hat and water on bright daysThe sun's a joy out on the trail — a hat, a drink and the shade of the woodland make a warm day lovely.
📷A camera or phoneThe pond reflections, the bridges and a fluffy alpaca right beside you make for the kind of photos everyone wants.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Cost
Alpaca trekking from £35 per alpaca for the standard 1.5-hour session, with up to four people able to share one alpaca and take turns on the lead; extra alpacas can be added at a discount if everyone wants their own. A luxury picnic hamper can be added from £29.99 (a roughly 2-hour version). Prices change with the season and the package — confirm the current rate when you book on ballyburren.com.
Booking
Pre-booking online is the only way in — there are no walk-ins. Choose your date and time and reserve your alpacas ahead through the website.
Duration
The standard experience runs about 1.5 hours in total, with roughly 30–40 minutes of that spent walking; the hamper option is closer to 2 hours.
The trail
A flat, purpose-built 1.4km loop through woodland, wetlands and farmland, crossing a series of little wooden bridges, taking in a Japanese-garden corner and finishing at the coffee trailer on the pond island.
Ages
Good for all ages as a family outing. To hold an alpaca's lead you need to be around 12 or over; younger children come along and can help, and under-5s should be held by the hand or kept in a carrier or pram. Check the current age guidance when you book.
Food & drink
A coffee trailer on the pond island serves hot drinks and baked goods mid-walk, and there are picnic tables by the water. Luxury picnic hampers can be pre-ordered from £29.99.
Toilets
Toilets on site, including reduced-mobility facilities by the accessible car park.
Accessibility
The trail is flat and purpose-built, so it suits prams and baby carriers, with an accessible car park and reduced-mobility toilets. If anyone in your group has specific access needs, it's worth a quick call ahead to check what's manageable on the day.
Parking
Parking on site, with accessible spaces by the entrance.
Awards
The site shows a Best Tourism Business 2025 award (Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council) and a TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice 2026 badge.
Also here
Ballyburren Outdoor Escapes is a wider site — as well as the trekking it offers A-frame glamping lodges, wellness sessions and group and corporate days. The alpaca walk is the star day-out for most visitors.
Questions
Before you go
Do I need to book?
Yes — Ballyburren is pre-booked only, with no walk-ins. Pick your date and time and reserve your alpacas online at ballyburren.com before you travel.
How much is it, and can we share an alpaca?
Trekking starts from £35 per alpaca, and up to four people can share the one animal and take turns on the lead — so a couple or a small family can walk together for a single price. Extra alpacas can be added at a discount if everyone wants their own, and a luxury picnic hamper can be added from £29.99. Confirm the current prices when you book.
Is it suitable for young children?
Little ones are very welcome as part of the family. To actually hold a lead you generally need to be around 12 or over, but younger children can walk alongside and help, and under-5s go in a carrier, pram or held by the hand. Check the current age guidance when booking.
How long and how far is the walk?
The standard session is about 1.5 hours in total, with roughly 30–40 minutes of gentle walking on a flat 1.4km loop — an easy amble rather than a hike, with a coffee stop partway round.
What's the trail like — can I bring a pram?
It's a flat, purpose-built path through woodland and wetland with little wooden bridges, so prams and baby carriers are fine. Wear comfy closed shoes and a coat for the weather.
Is there anywhere to eat?
There's a coffee trailer on the pond island serving hot drinks and baked goods mid-walk, plus picnic tables by the water, and you can pre-order a luxury picnic hamper from £29.99.
Getting there
143 Dromore Road, Ballynahinch, Co. Down, BT24 8HZ — in the countryside just outside Ballynahinch, with parking on site including accessible spaces. Sessions are pre-booked, so reserve your slot before you set off.
A quiet farm turned over to alpacas and slow walks
Ballyburren Outdoor Escapes sits in the drumlin countryside just outside Ballynahinch, where a working family holding has been reshaped around one simple, disarming idea: walk an alpaca and slow right down. The team laid out a purpose-built trail across their own land — woodland, wetland and farmland stitched together by a run of little wooden bridges — so that a walk that would be a muddy scramble anywhere else becomes an easy, well-made loop anyone can enjoy.
The alpacas are the heart of it. Calm, curious and improbably soft, they take to the lead happily and set the pace, which is the whole point — you match their unhurried step, and after a few minutes the phone stays in the pocket and the shoulders drop. Handlers walk with every group, so first-timers and children get all the help they need, and the loop is short enough that no one flags before the coffee trailer appears on its little pond island, ready with a hot drink and something baked.
It has caught on. The site shows a Best Tourism Business 2025 award from Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council and a TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice badge, and the trekking now sits alongside glamping lodges and wellness days as part of a growing outdoor escape. But the alpaca walk is what most people come for — an hour and a half of good air, gentle company and a bit of a giggle, the kind of morning you're glad you gave the time to.