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Flora in the Caucasus - a Botanical journey to Kazbegi, Bakuriani and to the Black Sea Region June/July 2009
Travel date: 20.06.- 03.07.2009
Number of participants: 4-10
Meadow near the Lomis Mta Mountain in the National Park Borjomi-Kharagauli
The Caucasus is well-known for its plant wealth, whereby the Central European thinks first of the mountain world of the Greater Caucasus. However one also has to include its Vorland, the hugh highlands of the Lesser Caucasus
and further areas of the South Caucasus in addition. Large parts of it are on the area of the Republic of Georgia. The Caucasus is a climatic sheath between the northern non-tropical and the southern subtropical climate. The north-south running mountain range of Surami separates the perpetually damp catchment area of the Rioni valley from that the summer-dry Kura valley. The frequently changing geological underground, the increment and in close connection with it the annual amount of precipitation form the condition for a very rich plant world. For the entire Caucasus 6530 kinds are called by bloom plants, of it are 1600 Endemiten, partly. as tertiary relict flora. In Georgia there are about 4200 bloom plant types. The largest part of these kinds is common and to the well-known characteristic vegetation increments bound in the mountains. For example in Georgia 20 Orchid kinds with 51 sub kinds were proven. For approximately 200 years the Flora of the Caucasus is investigated by considerable botanics.
The journey leads into 4 Georgian areas with characteristic plants:
Into the steppe landscape southeast from Tbilisi
Into the mountain world of the Greater Caucasus Range
Into the mountains of the Lesser Caucasus and on the Georgian-Armenian Highland on over 2000 m sea level and
Into the Colchis, the subtropical vegetation zone at the Black Sea
Steppe landscape southeast from Tbilisi
In company of coworkers of the Botanical Institute of the Georgian Academy of Sciences in Tbilisi you will
experience the joy of the most different plant societies and discovering particularly beautiful flowers, plants and motives for photography. Impressive landscapes will inspire you and you may catch a glimpse in the daily life of Georgia and the friendly Georgians too.
View of the Tergi valley with Kazbegi
The journey takes place in a minibus. For accommodation we provide private accomodations and simple hotels. The daily journeys start usually by bus and bring us across light and moderately severe ways to the biotopes. Hiking in the mountains brings us into the subnivale vegetation.
As minimum equipment you need clothes for warm, cold or wet days, an anorak and steady shoes, a hat, sun glasses and sun protective creme. Tent and sleeping bag are not necessary.
The mountain village Juta in the Greater Caucasus
Travel line:
- support and organization: Hans Heiner Buhr
- technical support: Dipl. Biol. Dr. Hans Buhr (Cecidologe)
- Georgian Botanics: Gregori Deisadze, Nukri Sikharulidze
Travel program:
Day 1: Arrival, accomodation, city round course Tbilisi, greeting meal in the restaurant Zveli Sakhli, overnight accomodation in Tbilisi
Day 2: Attendance of the Botanical Institute, the Herbariums and the Botanical garden of the Georgian Academy of Sciences, overnight accomodation in Tbilisi
Echium rubrum Jacq.
Day 3: Travel (approx. 70 km) into quilts east of Tbilissi and to the salt meadows near Udabno, visit of the monastery and the rock chambers of the famous David Gareji, overnight accomodation in Tbilisi
Day 4: Travel (approx. 140 km) on the Georgian Military Highway into the Greater Caucasus Range to Kazbegi with stops at the monastery Ananuri, at the Friendship monument, cross pass and at botanical interesting biotopes, overnight accomodation in Kazbegi
Campanula alliariifolia Willd.
Day 5: Short travel to the place Gergeti and ascent to the church Zminda Sameba, walk over the meadows into the subnivale vegetation range and possibly up to the Gergeti glacier (10 km), overnight accomodation in Kazbegi
Lilium szovitsianum Fisch. et Ave-Lall
Day 6: Short travel to the Darial gorge and to the Gveleti Gorge. Walk inside the valley. Short travel to Gergeti to the left-sided bank meadows and a mountain-slope near the river Tergi, overnight accomodation into Kazbegi
Sempervivum ssp.
Day 7: Travel along the Valley Sno up to the mountain village Juta (approx. 15 km, on 2250m altitude) with stops at interesting biotopes, refreshment at the khevsurian farmer family of Jago Arabuli, walk over the meadows to the Chaukhi massif, overnight accomodation in Kazbegi
Galium verum L.
Day 8: Short travel via Sioni old church to Almasiani and into the Truso Gorge, walk (approx. 7 km) into the Truso valley at the upper run of the river Tergi with spectacular cliff and subalpine vegetation, return trip to Tbilisi in the afternoon, overnight accomodation in Tbilisi
Gymnadenia conopsea (L.) R. Br.
Day 9: Travel into the Lesser Caucasus to Bakuriani (approx. 150 km) with stops in botanical interesting places, visit of the Borjomi valley and the Information Center of the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Par
Polygonum alpestre C A. Mey.
Day 10: Visit of the Alpine Botanical Garden in Bakuriani and visit of the forest station Goodyera repens, travel (approx. 15 km) on the Georgian-Armenian Plateau to Tabatskuri lake with stops at interesting biotopes, overnight accomodation in Bakuriani
Chenopodium foliosum Aschers.
Day 11: Trip to Batumi at the Black Sea via the capital of the Colchi, Kutaisi, visit of the historical Academy of Gelati from the 11th Century, overnight accomodation in Batumi
Symphytum ssp. with the brush beetle Trichius fasciatus
Day 12: Visit of the Botanical Garden of Batumi and the Citrus garden at Tsikhi Dsiri, overnight accomodation in Batumi
Day 13: Return trip to Tbilissi, visit of the church in Ubnisi, overnight accomodation in Tbilisi
Day 14: Day off or walk to a interesting mountain-slope at the outskirts of Tbilisi, like Ephedra procera, Stipa ssp.,
Visit of the church Zveti zkhoveli in Mzhketa, the most important church og Georgia, overnight accomodation in Tbilisi.
Day 15: Transfer to the airport, departure.
Sempervivum pumilum Bieb.
Included:
Technical preparation, support and organization
Guidance, company, transportation, German/English-language travel Guide
All overnight accomodation, admission fees
Tbilisi: Guesthouse
Kazbegi: Guesthouse
Bakuriani: Guesthouse
Batumi: Hotel
Half-board, breakfast and a rich warm dinner
Price: EUR 1480.00
Please, use this form for your inquiry
Landscape at the Tabatskuri lake in the Lesser Caucasus
Contact us for individual information