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When you tell your friends you’re having brunch with Zorro and Pedro, you’ll have to clarify that they’re not new friends—they’re llamas. The duo are the stars of a new offering at Garden of the Gods Resort and Club in Colorado Springs: the Llama Brunch Series.
The third and final event of the inaugural season will be held on Sunday, October 19. (Don’t worry: Additional llama-focused programming is in the works.)
How it works: Book your brunch at Grand View, an on-site restaurant with a hearty menu (chicken and waffles, chilaquiles, truffle fries) and views over the jagged red rocks of Garden of the Gods, and then choose a time slot for your meet-and-greet with the camelids.
Don’t expect a petting zoo experience, though. Zorro and Pedro are part of Luxy Llama, which provides guided hikes and other llama connection opportunities. “Llamas are very unique animals,” says founder Terry Rajendran, who owns 10 llamas (Zorro and Pedro are currently the best behaved). “There are many things that are interesting and therapeutic about llamas.” She points to their resilience and the fact that they like to be fed but not hugged. “They have boundaries that they enforce,” Rajendran says. “People have a tendency to get very calm when they’re around them.”
That therapeutic response is why she wanted to partner with Garden of the Gods Resort, which is known for its wellness offerings, including the Strata Med facility. Most of the resort is accessible only to members and hotel guests, but Grand View opened to the public for the first time back in 2023 after the property underwent a $40 million renovation.
During the 10-minute llama meet-and-greet, Rajendran shares fun facts about the animals and explains how to safely and respectfully interact with them. Attendees get to feed the pair and take photos with the Reflection Pool and Garden of the Gods in the backdrop.
Colin Thomas is a resort member who happens to live next door to Luxy Llama. He brought his five-year-old, animal-obsessed daughter to the first brunch event in August. “She loved it,” he says. “[It was something] not a lot of kids get to experience.”
The 34-year-old was surprised by the interaction. “These animals have a lot more depth to them…. They have to be treated in a certain fashion. You have to earn their respect,” he says. It was a positive learning moment for his daughter, who gets excited at the sight of any animal but had to be calm and patient with the llamas. It was so much fun that he’s planning to take her again.
Want to meet the llamas in person? Book your brunch and llama time via Garden of the Gods Resort and Club’s Instagram page (click the link in the bio). The booking link will go live in early October. You can also email marketing@gardenofthegodsresort.com to get on the resort’s email list and be notified before reservations open so you can book ahead.
