When you think of the fauna of Israel, alpacas aren’t the first species to come to mind. However, like many of the humans who have made aliyah from far-flung places, the alpacas are on their third generation as the honored denizens of the Alpaca Ranch just outside of Mitzpe Ramon, in Israel’s South.
Ilan Dvir, 64, had a dream to contribute to the country using animals, but he didn’t want to hurt them in the process. So 38 years ago, he and his wife, Naama, started with a few alpacas he imported from Chile, to produce wool and wool products. Alpaca wool has many fine qualities (especially while on the alpacas), and they were in business. The alpacas furnish 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of wool a year, some of which is made into thread, while the rest is made into garments.
Alpacas are smaller than llamas, and they have thick, insulating wool that keeps them either warm or cold as needed. A llama’s fur is coarser.
Today, the Alpaca Ranch has 200 alpacas, all sabras, along with goats, llamas, donkeys, horses, ducks and one camel. One camel? Yes because the horses can be frightened when they see a camel on the road if they’re not used to them, so the camel serves as their exposure therapy. There are camel crossing signs all over the desert.
The ranch has four rooms for guests to stay in, as well as 10 yurts. Waking up with the alpacas is a unique experience.
The ranch offers workshops, opportunities to feed the animals and, since the COVID pandemic followed by the Israel-Hamas war, therapy for PTSD, including a horseback riding experience with music.
The 25 horses at the Alpaca ranch also do double duty as a search-and-rescue patrol for the area. Dvir, the owner, is a paramedic as well.
The ranch is on 105 dunams (37 acres) with 5,000 dunams grazing rights, for which ranchers pay the State.
The Dvirs have six children and a herd of grandchildren. “All of the children have a connection to the ranch, which is their home, and each one has tied their personal and professional future to things that will continue the ranch’s activities as the family center that helps everyone, especially those who need help,” said Dvir. For example, one of the Dvirs’ children works at the ranch, and another became a vet.
The rooms at the Alpaca Ranch come with all kinds of perks like an area to light a bonfire, a hammock, and of course a magnificent view. There’s a lovely kosher café in Mitzpe Ramon and with a little creativity, you can arrange to spend Shabbat at the ranch. It’s been done.
You are also only a few minutes away from the Ramon Crater. And Seu Marom offers guided star-gazing experiences in the crater at night.
Alpacas have a bad reputation for spitting, but, Dvir assures me, it’s usually only when one is getting fed and the other isn’t. And, well, they all smiled and couldn’t have been nicer to me.
Alpaca Ranch website:
Stargazing experience:
