I always enjoy returning to this magnificent area of steppe, wetlands and mountains. The place is choked with bulbs and the role call of flora is topped by the six taxa of stunning Oncocyclus irises. Personal highlights are the irises, the bulb-feast on the rugged Karabet Pass with the amazing big goblets of Colchicum (Merendera) kurdicum, oceans of Puschkinia scilloides, singing Radde’s accentors and the views down to Bahcesaray. Throw in bluethroats at Guzeldere, the wonderful steppe flora throughout, the amazing orchid meadow at Ercek and the outstanding birdlife too. Chris Gardner
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/VERBASCUMSUROWIANA_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/USINVAN_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/TULIPAHUMILISMACRO1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/TULIPAHUMILISINHABITAT_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/TENDUREKLAVAFIELDS3_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/SAXIFRAGAKOTCHYI_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ROEMERIAREFRACTA1_2_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/RINDERALANATAMACRO1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/RINDERALANATA3_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/RANASP_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/PUSCHKINIASCILLOIDESONKARABETPASS1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/PRIMULAAURICULATAMEADOW_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/POLYGALAANATOLICA1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/PHELYPAEATOURNEFORTII1_2_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/PEDICULARISCOMOSA4_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/PAPAVERFUGAX3_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/PAEONIAMASCULA2V_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/OROBANCHEKURDICA_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ORCHISTRIDENTATA1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ORCHISPSEUDOLAXIFLORAMEADOW2_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ORCHISPSEUDOLAXIFLORAMEADOW1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/NONEAPULLA1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/NEMRUTDAGCRATERLAKE2_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/MUSCARICOMOSUMANDGRASS1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/MUSCARIAUCHERIANDBELLEVALIAPYCHNANTHA_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/MOODYHILLS3_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/MERENDERAKURDICA309_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/MERENDERAKURDICA3_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/MERENDERAKURDICA2_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/LIBELLULADEPRESSAMALE1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/KARABETPASS1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ISAKPASHACARVING1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IRISURMIENSIS20109_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ISAKPASHAARCH_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IRISURMIENSIS20105_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IRISURMIENSIS20102_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IRISSARI211_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IRISSARI111_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IRISIBERICAELEGANTISSIMAYELLOWFORM_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IRISIBERICAELEGANTISSIMACOLONY2_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IRISIBERICAELEGANTISSIMAANDAGRIDAG_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IRISIBERICAELEGANTISSIMABACKLIT3_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IRISIBERICAELEGANTISSIMA1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IRISCAUCASICAMACRO1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IRISCAUCASICA2_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IRISBARNUMAE2_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/HEDYSARUMCAPPADOCICUMcrop_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/HESPERISPERCISUS1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GENTIANAVERNAMACRO1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GERANIUMTUBEROSUM4_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/FRITILLARIAMINIMAINHABITAT1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/FRITILLARIACRASSIFOLIA1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/FRITILLARIACAUCASICA3_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/EUPHORBIAMACROCARPAVIEW2_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/EUPHORBIAMACROCARPAVIEW1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/EREMURUSSPECTABILISONGRAVE_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/EREMURUSSPECTABILIS3_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/DRABAROSULARIS1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/DACTYLORHIZAUMBROSAWHITEFORM1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/COMPERACOMPERANA2_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/CHURCHONAKDAMARISLAND2_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/CEPHALANTHERAKOTSCHYANAINHABITAT_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/CAMPANULASTEVENII_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/CAMPANULAREUTERANA6_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BUNGEATRIFIDAINHABITAT1.1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BEE-EATINGBEETLEINEUPHORBIA_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ASTRAGALUSOOCEPHALUS3_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BASAKATTHEWINDOW_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ASTRAGALUSONOBRYCHISVIEW3_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ASTRAGALUSMACROCEPHALUSMACRO1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ASTRAGALUSLINEATUS1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ASTRAGALUSFRAGRANS_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ARNEBIAPULCHRA2_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ANEMONENARCISSIFLORA3_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ANDROSACEVILLOSALANDSCAPE_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ANDROSACEVILLOSAINCUSHION_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/AMONGTHETULIPS_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ALLIUMAKAKA1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/AKDAMARISLAND1_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/AHLATCEMETERY7_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/AHLATCEMETERY3_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/AGRIDAGLAST2_resize.jpg)
![](https://www.greentours.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ADONISAESTIVALISANDAGRIDAG1_resize.jpg)