Trips available:
To see Crete and its flora at their best, why not come 'out
of season' when the air is crisp and clear and the orchids
grow so profusely that it is difficult to step between them.
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| 1. |
Autumn Flowering Bulbs Trip 2011:
A chance to find wild cyclamen, crocus, sternbergia, narcissus, colchicum, scilla and much, much more!
Bookings can be made for either or both weeks.
Starts 4th October, finishes on 18th October.
Updated PDF itinerary to come soon - last year's (below) gives a good guide for plans.
Price about £1200 per person, per week, tbc.
» Click here! to download the PDF itinerary |
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| 2. |
Spring Flower Finding Trips 2012
Visiting villages, mountains and seas in search of amazing spring flora.
Trip One – Flower Finding Trips 2012
Tuesday 13th - 20th March
Tuesday 27th March - 3rd April
Tuesday 10th - 17th April
Trip Two
– Orchid Finding Trips 2012
Tuesday 20th - 27th March
Tuesday 3rd - 10th April
Tuesday 17th - 24th April
Click here to download the PDF itineraries for 'Orchid Finding Trips' 2012. The full 'Flower Finding Trip' itineraries will be published soon.
New for 2012 - Rare Orchids Trip 2012
To find the rare, endemic Cephelantera cucullata and the beautiful Limodorum abortivum
Tuesday 5th - 12th June
Tuesday 12th - 19th June |
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New!
3. |
Minoan Pack Route over Thripti Mountains
This is a full day’s trip, starting from Aghios Nikolaos, and taking the coast road as far east as Sitea. We then turn off onto a narrow mountain road, which winds through some spectacular, unspoilt scenery with very little sign of man’s effect on the landscape. We will take several stops along this road for photography and plant identification. After a few kilometres, we will turn off onto a little used dirt track which will lead us high into the mountains, with stunning views on either side. Eventually we will reach the high mountain pasture, that forms the ridge between the peak. Here we will stop for lunch, and a welcome drink. There will be plenty of time for exploration and walking amongst the flowers and herbs which flourish in the clean, cool air.
The track we follow is that of an ancient Minoan trade route between Sitea and Ierapetra. Lunch over, we begin our descent, stopping briefly at an ancient, deserted mountain settlement and taking a short detour to visit the seldom visited ‘Shrine to the Goddess with the Upraised Hands’. Here we will stop for a while to take in the amazing views and for a short walk to explore the ruins and the surrounding mountain tracks. Once back to the coast, we have the option of driving to a secluded beachside taverna for dinner, or of heading back to Aghios Nikolaos.
Cost per person €75 (excluding dinner) |
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| 4. |
Eastern Mountains
and the High Pasture - forests & flowers:
On this excursion we will show you unspoilt
countryside, forests and wild flowers as we
walk along an old Minoan
trade route through some of the most beautiful
landscape that Crete has to offer.
€55 per person. |
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| 5. |
Around Psiloritis
and the Orchid Meadows - orchids & tulips:
A day's driving excursion where we go west along
the north coast road and return through the
agricultural region of the Mesara
Plain - a wonderful round trip
with many stops along the way.
€70 per person. |
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| 6. |
Southern
Slopes of Mount Dikti - forests, pastures &
beaches:
We approach Mount Dikti
from the south, after a short detour to find
dozens of different orchids. En-route we make
a refreshment stop at Prina to visit the famous
viewpoint where visitors can see both the Cretan
and the Libyan seas. The day finishes with a
meal at a quiet beach side taverna on the south
coast.
€90 per person including evening
meal. |
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| 7. |
Katharo
Plateau - river beds, rocky slopes, flowers
& much, much more:
We head east from Aghios
Nikolaos, then head into the mountains
towards Katharo – 1,100 metres above sea
level. Here we will see birds of prey, wild
orchids and flowers that are endemic to the
region.
€50 per person. |
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| 8. |
Mohos to
Krasi & Malia marshes - cyclamen, sternbergia
& orchids:
A day of contrasts. Hundreds of cyclamen,
a myriad of orchids and countless other interesting
and beautiful flowers await you in the mountains,
while the marshes near Malia
are home to an orchid found in only a few places
on the island. Here this impressive orchid is
endangered by development and may soon perish.
€45 per person. |
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| 9. |
Akrotiri, Agios
Ioannis Peninsula – meadows, gorges &
pastures:
We visit the windswept and remote north-eastern
peninsula to find rare and beautiful flowers.
Fantastic views over the bay and islands can be
enjoyed during this outing, which involves some
walking and easy climbing.
€50 per person. |
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| 10. |
Contrasts in Crete - June 2010:
This trip takes in the stunning remoteness of the Kallergi Refuge high above the Samaria Gorge and the wonderful traditional retreat of the eco-village of Milia.
» Click here! to download the PDF itinerary |
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| picture to follow |
| 11. |
Late-flowering Orchid Finding
Trip,
June, 2012:
Dates: 5th – 12th June,
12th- 19th June,
19th-26th June
» Click here! to download the PDF itinerary |
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Please note:
Prices shown are for a minimum of three participants (a surcharge
may apply for fewer). Prices per person from rendezvous point
in Aghios Nikolaos or Elounda. Meals and drinks are extra,
except for trip 4, where an evening meal is included in the
price.
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