When you live in a place as big and as busy as Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex, it can be hard to step away from all the rushing around to find a quiet retreat. That retreat, Shangri-La, isn’t a mystical, harmonious earthly paradise from literature. It exists in Texas. You just have to look for it. And The Houston Chronicle found it in Royse City. It even has its own castle.

ShangriLlama: This Irish castle in the middle of Texas is home to lots of lovable llamas

By Danny Hermosillo, Chron.com / Houston Chronicle Published 10:51 am CST, Thursday, January 23, 2020

Some people just love llamas. They just can’t get enough of the large, furry critters. Unfortunately, there aren’t many places in Texas where you can meet the South American camelids up close and personal.

Well, llama-ficionados, get ready to be whisked away to a llama wonderland.

ShangriLlama Castle is nestled in the countryside near Royse City, about 40 minutes northeast of Dallas. Housed in a replica of Waterford Castle in Ireland, the estate offers plenty of land for llamas to frolic.

Visitors have plenty of opportunity to bond with them. You can spend about a half-hour learning some “llama llessons” with some selfie opportunities. Or you can spend a couple of hours walking your version of a unicorn, and getting to know everything about it.

“They get to walk through our Enchanted Forest trail surrounding the castle,” said Llama Mama, the owner and operator of this oasis. “They will walk with a pack of llamas.”

Since they live in a castle, these aren’t any ordinary llamas. The royal family includes King Dalai LLama, Prince Barack O’Llama, and Duke Como T. Llama.

They will be happy to join you for llama-themed parties (llama cake included) and even weddings, where a llama can walk the bride down the aisle.

While it’s all meant to be fun, it’s also educational. Mama Llama says she wants people to know that they are delicate animals, not to be confused with their cousins, the alpacas.

“Llamas don’t spit at people,” said Momma Llama. “It’s the alpacas that spit, then ask questions later.”

She adds that llamas sometimes do get their fur ruffled with each other. But she and her staff step in before the llama drama gets out of control.

So if it has been your dreamed of prancing through a meadow with a llama at your side, plan a trip to visit ShangiLlama. If you don’t, you might llament it forever.

And when you can’t get away, you home is your castle. And Berkeys can make your castle the Shangri-La you want it to be.

At Berkeys, customer service, value and top quality service are our priorities for our business. But before any of that comes our community. Each of our team members support their part of the community in their own way – through their church, volunteering, or donations. As a company, Berkeys supports our community, too. We are proud of our personal and professional role we play in our community. Berkeys welcomes the chance to help our Dallas/Fort Worth neighbors.

Berkeys Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electrical is a proud member of the Dallas / Fort Worth community, Our reliable, professional employees will help you keep your home’s systems running efficiently and safely so you can enjoy our great DFW metroplex.

When you need a dependable, knowledgeable plumber, electrician or HVAC technician in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, call a name you trust. Berkeys Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electrical 24/7, Call us 972-439-1581 or visit berkeys.com for questions and scheduling information or on Facebook at Facebook.com/Berkeys.