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Generally easy to
moderate walks |
Hungary
Orchids of North-west Hungary
Botany tour, 7 days
During this one-week-long tour our main goal will be not just to show the most interesting orchid species of NW Hungary, but to learn about the special habitats, local ecosystem as well. Depending on the group’s interest we would be happy to share our knowledge about the birds, butterflies and other interesting members of the local fauna as well.
Fact File
- 7 days in NW Hungary
- start and finish in Vienna, Austria
- using 2 accommodations
Highlights
- topography, geology and soils as a background of compilation of vegetation
- complete overview of plant associations from the mountain zone to the plains
- rare and typical plant species of the region
Accommodation
3 nights at Sopron
3 nights at Balaton Upland National Park
Departure Dates
29 May - 4 June, 2010
Price
Ask for the actual price.
Our price includes:
- all travel as noted in the itinerary;
- all accommodation based on shared rooms (most rooms are twin bedded), at most locations there are single rooms as well for extra charge (Please ask for a single room at the time of booking!);
- 3 meals per day, generally breakfast at the accommodation, packed lunch, dinner (consists of at least two courses);
- services of the leader(s);
- trip materials.
Not included:
- flight to and from Vienna; suggested arrival BA 13.15, 29May
- optional programmes to places of interest and its entrance fees
- passports and visas
- airport and other departure taxes, tips
- food beyond generally 3 meals/day mentioned in the itineraries
- excess baggage charges,
- telephone calls,
- alcoholic beverages,
- compulsory personal insurance
If you have questions about the inclusion of any cost item, please contact us!
Activity level
Easy and moderate, 2-6miles daily
Itinerary
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First we visit wet meadows close to Sopron, which are influenced by the vicinity of the Alps and lowland areas. One of the first orchids to find during the tour should be Listera ovate and Dactylorhiza majalis. But we will find many more interesting wildflowers as well such as Cirsium rivulare, Lathyrus pannonicus, Clematis integrifolia, Cirsium pannonicum, Sesleria uliginosa. Iris sibirica will decorate the area in large numbers.
Close to Sopronkőhida we will look for Liparis loeselii, Pedicularis palustris, Pinguicula vulgaris, Dactylorhiza ochroleuca and Epipactis palustris.
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We visit a recently discovered bog-meadow which is incredibly rich in rarities and various habitats in a small area. 4 Dactylorhiza species and a couple of more orchid species can be found on the patches of wet meadows. Other interesting species include Veratrum album, Iris sibirica and different Carex-rarities.
Later on we stop at a unique location where we can find acidic soil and limestone-based soil and their characteristic flora side by side with Pulsatilla species, Muscari tenuiflorum, Himantoglossum adriaticum, just to mention a few.
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Our last day in the Sopron region will be spent on sunny slopes with different types of meadows. These habitats are characterized by patches of Quercus pubescens and dry meadows with several orchid species, some of them are really sought-after. Some of the possibilities: Epipactis atrorubens, Ophrys insectifera, Orchis militaris, Orchis puprurea, Orchis ustulata, and if we are lucky we can find even Cypripedium calceolus as well.
Besides the orchids many other species create a fantastic carpet of wildflowers here, such as different Linum species, Polygala major, Iris graminea and some Allium species.
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We leave Sopron and start the day visiting an interesting oak-hornbeam forest, where large carpets of Gladiolus imbricatus cover the forest floor. We should also find a wide range of species including Dianthus superbus, Galium pumilum, Hypericum dubium, Salix aurita, Platanthera bifolia, some Carex and Dryopteris species. The nearest village is locally famous for its Roman-style church, which dates back to the early Middle Ages.
As we travel further in a hidden valley at an isolated little meadow we can admire Hemerocallis lilio-asphodelus, Carex buekii and Alchemilla xanthochlora. Finally we visit an oxbow lake of the River Rába where the water will be covered with Trapa natans, but there will be some more rarities as well, like Scirpus radicans and Carex repens.
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We visit Keszthely Hills, which are characterized by steep southern dolomite slopes with a strong Mediterranean effect. It is a perfect place to observe interesting species, normally with much more southerly distribution. On the driest slopes Paronychia cephalotes, Aethionema saxatile and Jovibarba hirta are found. On the steppe-meadows and in the small, short paches of woods among dolomite domes we can find Orchis tridentata, Ophrys insectifera, Dictamnus albus and Iris graminea.
In another part of Keszthely Hills we spend a day walking from the bottom of a valley, where the beech wood is covered with Cyclamen purpurascens, Lilium martagon to the top. Within a couple of hundred meters we will be at a completely different world at rocky outcrops surrounded by Amelanchier ovalis, Daphne cneorum and different Stipa species.
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We spend another day in the Balaton Upland National Park, visiting some more wet meadows around the town of Sümeg, which is decorated by an attractive mediaeval fortress and Tapolca, famous for a system of caves.
It is quite incredible that even alongside the main road the meadows are full of wildflowers and other botanical raritites: we can find more than 20 Carex species, Iris sibirica and Asphodelus albus.
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Depending on the flight schedule, on the way back to the airport we can either stop to take photos of Asphodelus albus close to Sárvár and botanize a bit or we walk up to the top of a volcanic hill, where beside the panoramic view we can enjoy masses of flowering Aethionema saxatile.
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