The way we were

For a glimpse of landscapes and rural communities unchanged for centuries, and a diverse flora rivalling many better known botanical destinations, join Naturetrek on an 8-day appreciation of the flowers of Slovakia’s mountains and plains, departing London 7th June 2008. The richness of the flora will be revealed during this carefully timed tour exploring a range of contrasting habitats from the Slovak Karst in the south, where flowers typical of the dry steppes may be found, to the high alpine meadows of the High Tatras Mountains.

Using conveniently located hotels as bases, guests enjoy daily forays into wildflower-filled meadows, a nostalgic reminder of how Britain used to be.

The first focus of the tour is the former Roman province of Pannonia, containing expanses of mostly flat country known as the Slovak Karst, a northern spur of the Great Hungarian Plains. June is the peak of the flowering season for the many local and specialised plants that occur here. Several nature reserves have been established to protect this vulnerable steppe habitat and it is here that Naturetrek hopes to discover the endemic Turna Golden Drop (Onosma tornensis), amongst a host of unusual species, many of them unfamiliar to British botanists.

The Muran Plateau National Park, a forested limestone massif, provides the perfect habitat for the endemic Saxifraga wahlenbergii, Alpine Aster and Red Helleborine. Campanulas and other flowers add vivid splashes of colour to the wild meadows, whilst the woodland undergrowth conceals the maroon flowers of the exotic Lady’s Slipper Orchid, one of the most striking members of the Orchidaceae family. Next, Naturetrek travels into the Tatras Mountains, beginning with a couple of nights in the Mala Fatra National Park, also known as the Low Tatras.

Explorations in the picturesque valleys and gorges carved by the region’s many rivers, hope to reveal more floral gems including False Daisy, Jasmine Hungarian Snowbell and Alpine Butterwort. Higher up in the alpine zone or High Tatras, accessed by ski-lift or on foot, species such as Carpathian Snowbell, Spring Gentian and Crimson-tipped Lousewort are just a few of the specialised flowers flourishing above the tree-line.

The tour costs £1,095 p/p including flights, transfers, comfortable hotel accommodation with private facilities, all meals and expert botanical guiding.

For more information, visit Naturetrek.co.uk.