Turkey is a vast and varied country full of exciting wild flowers and birds in a great range of landscapes from coastal lagoons to high  forest and alpine meadows. Our holiday  explores the fascinating area known as Lycia that lies along the Mediterranean coast. A history stretching from antiquity through the Byzantine and Ottoman empires has left many archaeological remains. During our week in Turkey, we will visit the impressive ancient sites at Olympos and Chimaera, Arykanda, Patara and Myra.

The holiday is timed to catch the best of the spring flowers, including orchids, tulips and fritillaries, while enjoying pleasant temperatures before the majority of tourists arrive. The end of April is the peak time for northbound bird migration in the eastern Mediterranean, when large numbers of birds should be passing through, including storks, raptors, chats, shrikes and warblers.

The nearby mountains form part of the Western Taurus, famous for the finest stands of Cedrus libani in the eastern Mediterranean, home to Persian Squirrel and Krüper’s Nuthatch. The hillsides also have deciduous woods and forests of juniper, with pine and coastal maquis lower down. We will go higher into the alpine zone on one day to see other plants and bird the shores of Lake Avlan.

Our base for the final four days of the trip will be the colourful Lycian coastal town of Kaş, with a picturesque harbour and interesting shops. A boat trip takes us around the tranquil bay near the island of Kekova, where we can see the remains of ancient cities under the water and perhaps glimpse a passing Loggerhead Turtle.