BOTANICAL TOUR / GROUP

The Botanical Tour of Vidzeme

Tallinn This tour is planned to show a variety of habitat found in different types of forests, wetlands as well as sea coast. The tour will pass some impressive ancient trees and beautiful landscapes. Along with some rare and endangered plants you could spot

Rīga different types of butterflies and dragonflies. The tour involves some longer walks and historic monuments along the way.

Vilnius (5 Days)

Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) Wild pansy (Viola tricolor)

Common sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) General Route: Rīga - Salacgrīva - pathway leads through the meadows, Valmiera - Sigulda - Līgatne - Rīga and at the end of the path is a bird watch- ing tower. Possible plants of interest: Ba- Day 1 trachium baudotii, Beakead Tasselweed Arrival in Rīga (Ruppia maritime), Small Spikerush (Eleo- Overnight in Rīga. charis parvula), Blinks (Montia fontana), European Searocket (Crambe maritime), Day 2 Siberian Bugseed (Corispermum inter- Rīga - Salacgrīva medium), Seaside Centaury (Centaurium Departure along the Vidzeme sea coast. littorale), Smallmarsh Rush (Juncus gerar- The rocky shoreline of Vidzeme is a dii), Strawberry Clover (Trifolium fragifer- unique and rocky phase of the eastern um) as well as different orchid species. shore of the Bay of Rīga, with small cliffs Overnight in Salacgrīva. Northern firmoss(Huperzia selago) from the Devonian period along the shoreline. You can hike for 4-5 kilome- Day 3 tres along the seashore from the Vec- Salacgrīva - Valmiera zemu cliffs (Mantiņi) to Meleki. Possible Departure. The Dambju oak tree, Kaņepju plants of interest: Sea Sandwort (Hon- oak tree and Baložu juniper tree are all ckenya peploides), European Searocket in the Northern Gauja Protected Land- (Cakile maritima), Lime-grass (Leymus scape Region, and from the perspective arenarius) as well as very rare Pincushion of biological diversity, it is a unique terri- Moss (Leucobryum glaucum). The Randu tory along the central stretch of the Gau- meadows are seashore meadows which ja River, with environmental information are known as an “herbarium” for Latvia’s trails established nearby. Visit the Zīles wild plants, because there is a wide vari- and Vekšu nature trails, as well as the ety of different plants there. A wooden park-like meadow of oak trees at Marsi.

Baltic Country Holidays / Lauku ceļotājs Kalnciema Str. 40, Riga, LV-1046, Latvia, T: +(371) 67617600, [email protected] www.countryholidays.lv / 2011

...more than 30 plant species can be found in a few square meters...

One of False Morels (Gyromitra)has been found The trail at seaside Randu Meadows TRIP DETAILS Package price per person: from EUR 515.00 Based on group of 8 -10 persons

INCLUDES: • Accomodation based on shared DBL room with breakfast and dinner • Bus transfers • Guide/botanist (4 d) • Information pack

EXTRA COSTS: • Single supplement Across the meadow full of flowers • Other meals • Entomolog services • Possible fees

TOUR GUIDE: Evita Zviedre, botanist

PERIOD OF TRAVEL: June - July

WALKING: Easy short walks in meadows and nature trails combined with bus drives.

redivia), the baneberry (Actaea spicata), Possible plants of interest: Meadow Oat- that is found there. The Gauja ecologi- the common wood-sorrel (Oxalis aceto- grass (Helictotrichon pratense), Mountain cal trail (Murjāņi-Sigulda-Līgatne) leads sella), the maple (Acer platanoides), the Clover (Triofolium montanum), Fern- along the left bank of the ancient Gauja oak (Quercus robur), the European lily-of- leave Dropwort (Filipendula vulgaris), River Valley between Līgatne and Sigul- the-valley (Convallaria majalis), the dog’s Early Purple Orchid (Orchis masculata), da. There are hillside forests and wet- mercury (Mercurialis perennis), the com- Military Orchid (Orchis militaris) as well land meadows along the way. Possible mon hazel (Corylus avelanna), as well as as other species of orchids, From fungis to see the yarrow (Achillea millefolium), other species of plants related to hillside – rare Safron Bracket (Hapalopilus cro- wild thyme (Thymus serphyllum), the forests and meadows. The trail between ceus). Overnight in Valmiera district. Burnet saxifrage (Pimpinella saxifraga), the sticky catchfly (Viscaria vulgaris), an- Sigulda and Līgatne is around 20 km in Day 4 nual bluegrass (Poa annua), the meadow length. Drive to Rīga. Overnight in Rīga. Valmiera - Sigulda - Līgatne - Rīga buttercup (Ranunculus acris), the spiked Departure to Murjāņi. The Gauja Nation- speedwell (Veronica spicata), the or- Day 5 Rīga al Park was set up to protect the most chardgrass (Dactylis glomerata), the Ger- Transfer to the airport. Departure. impressive ancient river valley in the mander speedwell (Veronica chamae- Baltic States – the Gauja River, its shores, drys), the Queen Anne’s lace (Anthryscus and the cultural and historical heritage sylvestris), the perennial honesty (Lunaria For further information contact: Baltic Country Holidays / Lauku ceļotājs Kalnciemawww.countryholidays.lv Str. 40, Riga, LV-1046, Latvia, T: +(371) 67617600, [email protected]