This photo was taken on the high-altitude plateau (Altiplano), an area over 13,000 ft (4,000 m) above sea level, not far from Lake Titicaca. Given the altitude, agriculture is limited, mostly potatoes and livestock. We saw this herd and stopped for a snapshot.
The alpacas were curious but leery of us. The large white woolly alpaca in the left of the photo was the alpha male and was of bad temperament. He charged at us twice wanting to spit on us (which involves regurgitated stomach contents, a type of projectile vomiting), but fortunately didn’t hit us as he was chased away by our heroic guide. We took the beast’s not too subtle hint and continued on our journey.
