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ALPINE FLOWERS OF CARPATHIANS RANGE
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itinerary
Day 1 Meet the group at Vienna airport and transfer to southern Moravia. The tour cany also start from Prague . On the way we can have a short stop in Palava Hill and visit the famous Lednice Castle and Park(both are UNESCO listed). Later we continue to the little town of Uherske Hradiste, accommodation and a welcome dinner in our comfortable hotel in the centre of town. Day 2 Transfer to the southern part of the White Carpathians area. We will be guided by a local expert who is responsible for the botanical reserch of the area. We will see a great range of meadow and woodland plants and flowers. On the way back we stop in the town of Straznice and visit open air museum of the south-east moravian village and exposition of folk music instruments. After we visit another botanical areas we will stop in local wine cellar and meet local wine produces. Overnight in Uherske Hradiste. Dinner could be arranged in wine cellar which originally belonged to a 17th century monastry in the village Velehrad (5km from our hotel). Before dinner with performance of local folk dance and music group, we may visit one of the most important pilgrimage site of the Czech Republic - impresive cathedrale from 9th century in little town of Velehrad. Accommodation can be arranged in comfortable hotel restored from 13th century castle. Day 3 Crossing the border to Slovakia and continuing to eastern Slovakia via capital of Slovakia - Bratislava. We will visit botanical garden of Komensky University where a part is designed as a rock garden. Later we will stop in the Mala Fatra National Park and using a chair-lift go to an altitude over 1600m.a.s.l. and research limestone flora there. Except species of flowers as Homogyne alpina, Aconitum napellus, Saxifraga carpatica, Anemone narcissiflora, Cortusa mathiolli,etc., this area is also known by many rare species of birds including nesting Wallcrepers and Eagles and big mammals as Brown Bear or Wolf.Wooden architecture of mountain villages Stefanova is a typical and traditional of the area. Overnight in comfortable hotel inside of national park area. Day 4 We are going further to east Slovakia. After botanical stop in Great Fatra Mountains area (an endemic of area Cyclaman fatrense), we may visit tiny village of Vlkolinec, with more than 40 wooden houses which are still lived today. This is only village complex in Slovakia which has kept its exact original form. Later we are going further to town of Revuca and stay for two night in centre located hotel. This is still very untouristic area and foreign visitors are real strangers in this regions. Day 5 Whole-day botanical excursion on the Muran Plain including a research area of endemic plant DAPHNE ARBUSCULA and a large meadow. We may visit local village where people living in traditional houses like village Sumiac. Day 6 Transfer to the southern part of Slovakia and visit one of the most fascinating botanizing areas of Slovakia the SLOVAK KARST near Hungarian border. Accommodation for days 6-8: hotel in the town of Revuca. Typical flower species include: Onosma tornesis, Iris aphylla, Ajuga laxmanii, Astragalus versicarius, ... Day 7 Transfer to the High Tatras. On the way we may visit beautifull decorated Dobsinska Ice cave (one of the largest system in Europe) and later we may also stop in charming medieval town of LEVOCA with its valuable and beautiful decorated buildings. Individul lunch will give people a chance for their own cuisine "research" there. Later we will continue to the cental High Tatras with a stop in the museum of the High Tatras National Parks and open rock garden exhibition of High Tatran plants, both in Tatranska Lomnica. There is chance to buy seeds and plants there. Day 8 We will use the cable cabin to SKALNATE PLESO ( nearly 1800m high) and a chair lift for the highest portion of our journey (2000m). Flowers such as Primula minima, Ranunculus montanus, Soldanela carpatica and hungarica, Saxifraga wahlenbergii, Silene acaulis are typical for this locality. In the afternoon we will move closer to the mountain hotel Slieszky Dom for lunch and visit the surrounding area. Day 9 We will move via the village of ZDIAR(known for its well-preserved wooden houses) to eastern part of Tatras called Belianske Tatra and visit a few localities nearby. The Belianske Tatras is the only part of the High Tatras composed of limestone and is known for its special flora and fauna. This is definatelly Alpine flowers paradise. Most of area were closed for long period and reopened a few years ago. Option to visit the smallest Slovak national park- PIENINY, situated on the border with Poland. Accommodation in a small mountain hotel with high reputation for traditional cuisine and friendly atmosphere. Perfect location. If you would like to feel atmosphere from the beginning of last century, we may arrange accomodation in hotel Grand, which was popular place for European politicians and artists of that period. Day 10 After breakfast transfer to the Czech Republic - Moravia area with a few botanical stops. Arrival to Brno, the second biggest city of the Czech Republic in late afternoon. Sightseeing walk around city centre in the evening with dinner in traditional restaurant. Accommodation in historical hotel in centre of city. Day 11 This morning following breakfast we will visit famous arboretum of Mendel University, an outstanding contemporary university garden with a large alpinium designed by the architect Otruba and the museum of Gregor Mendel. Later we will visit private rock gardens in surroundings of Brno. Day 12 In the morning we will visit an Alpine flowers nursery in Lelekovice. Later continuing to Prague. On the way we may stop in Pruhonice near Prague and visit the Institude of gardening with its modern garden which is an expaple of the best of modern gardening practises.. Accommodation in beautifull hotel near centre of Prague. . Opportunity to arrange opera or concert in the evening. Day 13 Visit private rock gardens in surroundings of Prague in the morning. Guided walk around the most interesting monuments of Prague in the afternoon. We can arrange tickets to National Theatre or concert. Day 14 Individual programme and transfer to Prague airport in the afternoon for home flight. Options:
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