Polaroid of the week: Meet Diego, the llama

Last Updated on October 22, 2024

Meet Diego, the llama! When we stopped in Taos, we had the opportunity to go on a llama trek with him and three of his friends, who had names after more famous mountain peaks like K2 and Picchu.

Together with another couple and our guide, llama rescuer and expert Stuart, we trekked down into the Rio Grande Gorge, descending 800 feet from the rim to the bottom of the gorge, where we picnicked near a fresh water spring before exploring some ancient petroglyphs.

Spending the day with the llamas was one of the highlights of our New Mexico road trip, and we couldn’t have been luckier with the weather on our trek – bright blue skies, sun and summer temperatures made this the perfect day to get to know this part of northern Mexico. The Rio Grande gorge is sixty miles long and absolutely packed with a rich, fascinating history. Stuart taught us about flora, fauna and history and fed us a gourmet picnic on top of it. With the llamas carrying our bags, drinks and food, we didn’t have to worry about a thing…other than leading these graceful creatures up and down the gorge. Diego was the most entertaining one of the bunch, doing a lot of this and smiling for my camera all day long. We will share more pictures of our hike here with you soon!