Orchids of Sardinia

Tour Itinerary

• DAY 1
  Arrival at Cagliari Elmas Airport. Time permitting, we will visit coastal pinewoods for Gennaria diphylla, Ophrys liveranii and Serapias nurrica. Night around Domusnovas.
• DAY 2
  The first full day in the field will be spent in the mountains behind Domusnovas looking for endemic orchids such as Ophrys normanii, Ophrys chestermanii, two of the most spectacular Ophrys,and the near-endemic Orchis ichnusae. Plenty of other species are present in the area as well, to name a few: Ophrys neglecta, Ophrys bombyliflora (good chances today to find some hybrids between these two species), Orchis anthropophora, and Neotinea maculata. We will also find at least two species of Epipactis (E. microphylla and E. helleborine), but they will most likely be just in bud by this time of the year. Night around Domusnovas.
• DAY 3
  The morning will be spent again in the mountain range behind Domusnovas in order to appreciate once again the magnificent endemics of this area, and to look for any hitherto missed species. After a picnic lunch we will move toward the north-east to a high plateau placed in the middle of the island, famous as one of the best orchid sites in Sardinia, and Italy as a whole. On the road we will also stop in a eucalyptus plantation known to host good numbers of Ophrys and Serapias, among which we will try to find Serapias nurrica and the spectacular hybrids between Ophrys speculum and Ophrys neglecta… a nice team work will be needed to succeed in this particular quest for hybrid glory! Night around Laconi.
• DAY 4
  Our first full day in the Laconi/Ortuabis pass area, one of the richest areas for orchids in Sardinia, both in terms of species and sheer volume of flowering plants. We will make several stops around road edges where we will be amazed by the sheer numbers of Anacamptis papilionacea and Anacamptis longicornu, and their hybrid is not rare either in this area! We will also explore some fields, grasslands, and light woods in order to observe some of the special rare species of this area, including a long list of endemic or near-endemic (shared with Corsica) species, such as Ophrys lepida, Ophrys ortuabis, Ophrys annae, Ophrys morisii, and Orchis ichnusae, as well as some 'less endemic' species, but still with a limited range such as Ophrys iricolor eleonorae, or the hybrid between Orchis ichnusae and Orchis provincialis. Night around Laconi.
• DAY 5
  Second full day in the Laconi/Ortuabis pass area in which we will both explore different altitudes/habitat to find a few more species and visit again the richest sites to find any missing species or, why not, something unexpected! Night around Laconi.
• DAY 6
  After a slightly later and more relaxed breakfast, we will drive north-east in the direction of the Supramonte karstic massif area, the 'Sardinian Dolomites'. On the way we will stop at the UNESCO world heritage site of Su Nuraxi, an extraordinarily well preserved Bronze Age village composed of Nuraghi, a special type of defensive structure (for which no parallel exists anywhere else in the world). After a guided visit to this prehistoric site, we will head to a nice lightly wooded area in the mountains where the rare Dactylorhiza insularis blooms, along with other nice species such as Orchis provincialis, Neotinea lactea, Anacamptis longicornu, and many more. After this stop we will head to the hotel in which we will spend the next two nights and, depending on the time left, we may make a bit of orchid prospection in the outskirts around the hotel. Night around Dorgali.
• DAY 7
  This full day in the Supramonte area will be spent in the mountain range, especially at a high plateau at around 1,000m elevation in the Supramonte of Urzulei, a floristically and faunistically very rich area in a dramatic landscape. On the way back to the north, we will stop and check the road sides for one more endemic orchid (and a very beautiful one!): Ophrys panattensis, which shares the small space of the road sides with Ophrys morisii and Orchis antrhopophora. In the evening, a visit to a place close to Dorgali will allow as to see more Ophrys panattensis as well as search for the rare and tiny Orchis brancifortii, only present in Sardinia and Sicily. Night around Dorgali.
• DAY 8
  Return to Cagliari Elmas Airport. Time permitting, we will make a stop or two en route to the airport to enjoy some final orchid treasures.

As with all of our tours, we want our guests to enjoy the very best views of the very best wildlife and, as such, we think it’s important to retain a little flexibility in the holiday itinerary. This means that we may choose to swap days around to take into account local weather conditions, or the timing of the flight or flowering season we find upon arrival at our holiday destination. Rest assured, we will ensure you visit all the best sites, and we have your best interests and comfort at heart!