WILD ECHO

This tour is focused on the very first spring butterflies of Northern Greece. In fact, our main target is the beautiful and extremely local False Apollo. It is not possible to see this species later in the year and that is the reason why we have developed this special tour - the tour dates are set up to fit with the best time in the year to see the species in prime condition and that is our main focus. Everything else seen will be a bonus. During the tour we will visit various habitats (including dry maquis, rocky places to meadows in a pine forest, riverbanks and an impressive gorge) which will allow us to find also other local and interesting species like both Festoons, Gruner's Orange Tip, Eastern Greenish Black Tip, Powdered Brimstone, Cleopatra, Krueper's Small White, Eastern Wood White, Small Bath White, Eastern Baton Blue, Eastern Dappled White, Nettle-tree Butterfly. Of course we will also record a number of early Mediterranean flowers and many birds.

ITINERARY

Day 1 Arrival at Thessaloniki airport (Greece) and transfer to our hotel, at Alexandroupoli for three nights. Accommodation and dinner.

Days 2 and 3 Both days we will explore the town surroundings, where our main target is found. In fact it has very interesting story here - one hundred years ago the Bulgarian entomologist Delcho Ilchev released twice 500 False Apollo caterpillars from the Entomological station in Sofia (by Kurudag, Gelibolu Peninsula in European Turkey, where now the species is probably extinct). Once we find it we shall have plenty of time to see and photograph it well and when ready, we shall look for some other early species that might have emerged already. Will visit different habitats - from dry maquis, rocky places to meadows in a pine forest and riverbanks. Species to be seen here are Southern Festoon, possible Eastern Festoon, Powdered Brimstone, Camberwell Beauty, Large Tortoiseshell, Eastern Dappled White, Southern Small White, Small Bath White, possible Grecian Copper. We also have the option to visit Dadia National Park and Evros River where we can see a good number of birds including raptors.

Day 4 Transfer to Xanthi with stops at a river valley not far from Komotini and at the footsteps of Avgo Mtn. Searching for Nettle-tree Butterfly, Green-underside Blue, Eastern Baton Blue, Grecian Copper, Gruener's Orange Tip etc.

Day 5 Visits to the impressive Nestos (Mesta) Gorge and its surroundings where we will search for Krueper's Small White, Eastern Wood White, Southern Comma, Cleopatra, both Festoons, Green Hairstreak. 

Day 6 Transfer to Drama for 2 nights with some stops along Mesta River on the way.

Day 7 Explore the surroundings (Bozdag/Falakro Mtn.) for Eastern Greenish Black-tip, Gruener's Small White, Eastern Dappled White, Eastern Bath White etc. 

Day 8 Transfer to Thessaloniki airport for your flight back home. Time permitting we will have few stops on the way.