| Duration: | 10 Day(s) - 9 Night(s) |
| Tour Category: | Nature Tours |
Tbilisi Sightseeing program. In the evening visit Tbilisi Botanical garden. Following endemic and rare species may be seen in Tbilisi Botanical garden (Department of Plant Conservation): Paeonia caucasica, P.cartalinica, P. lagodechiana, P. tenuifolia, P. witmaniana, P. mlokosewitschii, L.steveniana. Iris iberica, Juno caucasica, Tulipa eichleri, T. biebersteiniana, Taxus baccata, Scabiosa georgica, Andrachne colchica, Hedera pastuchowii, Staphyllea colchica.
Visit Mtskheta (Jvari Monastery & Svetitskhoveli Cathedral) and Uplistsikhe cave town.
Day 4: Bakuriani – Tskhratskaro pass (2450m) – Tabatskuri Lake – Bakuriani
In the morning we drive (by minibus or 4X4 WD) to beautiful Tabatskuri Lake via Tskhratskaro pass (2450m) and observe unique flowers of the Lesser Caucasus: Impatiens noli-tangere, Geum rivale, Lilium szovitsianum, Corydalis marshalliana, Paeonia steveniana, Pinus sosnowskyi, Alnus barbata, Acer ssp., Gadellia lactiflora, Campanula ssp., Stachys macrantha, Geranium ssp., Rhododendron caucasicum, Vaccinium myrtillus, Primula ssp., Delphinium flexuosum, Aconitum nasutum, A. orientale, Grossheimia macrocephala, Centaurea fisherii, Scabiosa caucasica, Gentiana ssp.,Aethyopappus pulcherimus, Dianthus crinitus, Sedum tenellum, Tripleurospermum transcaucasicum,Ziziphora puschkinii, Thymus transcaucasicus, Gladiolus caucasicus, Senecio ssp
Day 5: Bakuriani – Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park – Gudauri
We drive for an hour to Borjomi-Kharagauli National park – the biggest NP in Europe. Later drive up the famous Georgian Military Highway to the Great Caucasus. On our way we may see: Rhododendron ponticum and rhododendron luteum, cherry-laurel, ilex and others. Hiking up to around 2000 m you will find subalpine meadows with caucasian lotus, ranunculus, alchemilla, anemone and other.
Day 6: Gudauri – Truso valley – Kazbegi
In the morning we drive to Truso valley by 4X4 WD and later walk alongside beautiful landscape, we will see amazing alpine slopes, ancient towers and remote villages, inhabited only by a couple of families. Afterwards we continue our drive to Kazbegi.
Plants we may see: Saxifraga cartilaginea, Saxifraga juniperifolia, Draba bryoides, Silene pygmaea, S. linariifolia, Linaria meyeri, Heracleum sosnowskyi, Campanula darialica, Campanula paradoxa, Juniperus ssp, Silene lacera.
Day 7: Kazbegi Area (Geregti church area & Gveleti waterfall area)
From Kazbegi a leisurely 1.5 hour walk up (it is possible to use 4X4 WD to drive up) through beautiful valleys and woodland leads us to Gergeti Trinity Church located at 2170m. If Weather permits you may catch a glimpse of one of the highest glaciers in the Caucasus – Mt. Kazbegi (5047m). Plants we may see: Primula algida, Swertia iberica, Daphne glomerata, Macrotomia echioides,Pulsatilla violacea (in fruit), Gentiana angulosa, G. jimilensis, Gentianella caucasea, Minuartia ssp., Vaccinium vitis-idea, Vaccinium myrtyllus, Betula raddeana, Scabiosa caucasica, Geranium ssp., Campanula bellidifolia
Later drive to Dariali gorge and near the Gveleti waterfall see some more flowers: Saxifraga cartilaginea, Saxifraga juniperifolia, Draba bryoides, Silene pygmaea, S. linariifolia, Linaria meyeri, Heracleum sosnowskyi, Campanula darialica, Campanula paradoxa, Juniperus ssp, Polemonium caucasicum, Lilium gerogicum, Campanula petrophila, Pseudorosularia pilosa caucasicum, Lilium gerogicum, Campanula petrophila, Pseudorosularia pilosa
Day 8: Kazbegi – Juta (2150m) – Kazbegi
In the morning we drive to Village Juta and observe some more flowers around the village: Iris colchica, Sobolewskia caucasica, Dactylorhiza euxina, Lilium georgicum, Primula algida, P. amoena, Silena lacera, S. saxatilis, S. linearifolia, Geranium ssp., Vicia purpurea, Trifolium ssp., Rosa oxyodon, Sempervivum caucasicum, Linum hypericifolium, Pyrethrum carneum, Centaurea cheiranthifolia, C. salicifolia, Anthemis marshalliana, Saxifraga ssp., Campanula ssp., Rhododdendron caucasicum, Draba bryoides, Inula orientalis, Pulsatilla violacea, Papaver fugax, Pedicularis condesata, Polygala transcaucasica, Echium russicum, Swertia iberica, Scabiosa caucasica, Minuartia ssp
Day 9: Kazbegi – Cross Pass – Tbilisi
In the morning transfer to Cross Pass (2395 m) and see unique flowers of the Great Caucasus: Rhododendron luteum, Salix kazbekensis, Pyrethrum carneum, Polygonum carneum, Campanula ssp. Geranium ssp. Fritillaria latifolisa (in fruit), F. lutea (in fruit), Linum hypericifolium, Inula orientalis, Primula auriculat, Papaver fugax, Stachys macrantha, Rhododendron caucasicum
In the transfer to Tbilisi and time at leisure.
Plants to see:
Day 10: Departure
For prices and availabilities please contact us.
