Rare and beautiful Calypso Orchids nestle amongst mosses on the Burnt Cape, a botanical wonderland with the widest diversity of Arctic-alpines found anywhere in Newfoundland…or this far south in the world! It is also a haven for orchids such as Amerorchis rotundifolia, Corallorhiza trifida, and Dactylorhiza viride, indeed, Newfoundland has an amazing orchid flora given how far north it is.

Perhaps the Slipper Orchids are the stars of the show. We’ll see floriferous stands of Yellow Lady’s Slipper, whilst undoubtedly the most spectacular will be the magnificent pink pouches of the Showy Lady’s Slipper. We’ll seek rare Platanthera hookeri amongst the commoner Platanthera huronense and Platanthera aquilonis, and the very rare Corallorhiza striata var. vreelandii blooms in the fabulous landscapes of Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here are serpentine barrens, moonscapes until one peers closely and finds botanical gems such as Silene acaulis, Primula egaliksensis and the disjunct fern Adiantum aleuticum.

Near Nameless Cove we can find Iris hookeri, Primula laurentiana and Cornus suecica and we’ll visit the 3.5 billion year old trombolite fossils of Flower’s Cove. A visit to the Maritime Archaic Indian National Historic Site at Port-aux-Choix will allow us to learn about the people that lived in the area five thousand years ago, whilst at L’Anse-aux-Meadows, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, we’ll see evidence of the only authenticated Viking presence in North America dating back to 1000 AD.

We can watch Humpback Whales offshore of the Arches, a coastal limestone outcrop with several open arches overlooking the sea. Nearby is a spectacular Fjord with gorgeous pink Arethusa bulbosa orchids blooming amongst abundant Pitcher Plants and Sundews. A boat trip out of St Anthony will be a tour highlight – the water’s here are famed for their spectacular icebergs and for their whales, and afterwards we’ll enjoy a fabulous sea-food meal in the famed Norseman Restaurant, not the first time we’ll have sampled Newfoundland’s truly delicious seafood!

INFORMATION

Focus

Orchids and Arctic-Alpine Flowers. Landscapes, Icebergs and Whales.

Leaders

Ian Bennallick, Todd Boland ,

Walking

We will be ambling no more than four or five miles in any one day, and always at a slow pace, ideally suited to photography.

Included in the Price

All flights. All accommodation, transport and meals in Newfoundland. Services of your leaders. Please note: items of a personal nature, including insurance and tips, are not included.

Group Size

The minimum is 4. You’ll have one leader for a group of up to 5, two leaders up to the maximum group size of 10.

Accommodation

We’ve two nights in four different accommodations during this tour. Three of those are good quality motels and the fourth is a fine old-style Inn. Originally built as a nursing residence a century ago the Grenfell Heritage Hotel was converted into welcoming and comfortable hotel in 2007. The Grenfell is very handily situated for an evening wander through the historic harbour at St Anthony. All rooms on this tour have en suite facilities.

Flights

UK flights are direct return from London Gatwick or London Heathrow* to St John’s, Newfoundland. There will be a short internal flight from St John’s to Deer Lake and back again at the end of the tour. Indirect routes from other regional UK Airports* are available.

*These routes may incur a supplement.

Climate

The weather is very variable… It can be warm and sunny with temperatures reaching 25°C or it can be cool and cloudy with temperatures barely reaching 10°C. We will get some rain and the wind can be quite brisk at times…

How to Book

Contact us to check there is availability for the number of places you require. Download a booking form or contact us and we will send one to you. Complete and send to us. You will receive confirmation of your place and then a detailed information pack will be dispatched to you about twelve weeks before departure. Flower and bird checklists are available.