Nothing figures more prominently in Andean culture than South American camelids. They sustained life for many cultures for tens of thousands of years, but many first-time visitors to Peru can’t tell them apart.

What is the difference between the camelids of South America? First off, you need to know that two have been domesticated: the llama and the alpaca. Two are still found in the wild: the vicuña and the guanaco. If you want to see all four of them in one place, visit Awana Kancha, between Cusco and Pisac.

Llamas (below) were the pack animal of the Inca and you can read more about pack llamas at the Llama Pack Project. Their wool is very rough but is still used for ropes and some blankets. Their meat is dried for jerky (charki) but almost never eaten otherwise.

Alpacas (below) are prized for their incredibly warm and strong wool. Baby alpaca wool is especially prized for its softness. Their meat is often served in the sorts of dishes where you could expect beef elsewhere. They have rounder, furrier faces than llamas and have smaller mouths and teeth.