ONTARIO
ORCHIDS OF THE BRUCE & ALGONQUIN
Slipper Orchids are the stars of the show. Under pale green maple canopies are magnificent stands of Large Yellow Lady's Slipper, rare red and white Ram's-head Lady's Slipper adorn the dunes of Singing Sands, and the vinous Moccasin Flower carpets mossy northern forests. Cypripedium parviflorum seems to be everywhere. Undoubtedly most spectacular are the magnificent pink pouches of the Showy Lady's Slipper.
Calypso Orchid nestles amongst mosses on scenic Flowerpot Island at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula, a hundred kilometre long finger of dolomitic limestone jutting into the heart of Lake Huron. Forty-four of Ontario's sixty-odd species of orchid are found amongst the woodlands, fens, dunes and limestone 'alvars' that make this such a unique landscape. Fen Orchids and Tall White Orchids join Pitcher Plants and Indian Paintbrushes in calcareous mires, whilst under shade we'll find Striped Coralroots and lovely Amerorchis rotundifolia. Other treasures include lovely Iris lacustris and the regional endemic Lakeside Daisy, as well as Red-backed Salamanders, Northern Leopard Frogs, Sandhill Cranes, Pileated Woodpeckers and Eastern Bluebirds.
We'll traverse Manitoulin Island to reach Killarney's mountainous wilderness of sapphire lakes and jack pine ridges, considered one of Ontario's crown jewels. There are gems amongst the flowers too with Fringed Polygala, Goldthread and the Rose Pogonia to look forward too. We'll look for Black Bears and Moose amidst the majestic landscapes of the Algonquin Provincial Park. Otters and Beavers inhabit myriad lakes and rivers whilst in Black Pine-dotted bogs we'll find Nodding Trillium and Trailing Arbutus, the gorgeous Corydalis sempervirens, and Round-leaved Orchid. A superb wildflower show, impressive mammals, and some very beautiful and approachable birds, all with the wonderful wild landscapes of Ontario providing a fitting backdrop.
INFORMATION
Focus
Flowers, particularly Orchids. Also Birds and Mammals.
Leaders
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 transport, accommodation and meals in Canada. Services of your leaders. Please note: drinks, tips, and items of a personal nature, including insurance, are not included.
Group Size
Minimum is 4 and the maximum is 15. Only one leader will accompany a group of 8 or less.
Accommodation
After a night in the modern Hilton Garden Inn in Cambridge we'll move north to Tobermory at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula. We've five nights in the spacious and comfortable rooms at the Big Tub Harbour Resort. Moving across Georgian Bay we'll spend three nights at the Killarney Mountain Lodge. Set on a dramatic pink granite coastline this lodge has pleasant rooms, a heated swimming pool (Georgian Bay's not so warm!) and a fine restaurant. To finish with, we've a real treat, with four nights at the gorgeous Bartlett Lodge, a bastion of comfort in the wilds for almost a century. On the shore of Cache Lake, the lovely wooden cabins are large and very comfortable, and the restaurant serves absolutely fabulous four course dinners! All rooms and cabins on this tour have en suite facilities.
Climate
Generally warm and often sunny! Temperatures are in the range of 14°C to 28°C. Rain is likely to be in the form of showers or occasional more prolonged spells.
How To Book
Download a booking form (or contact us and we will send one to you)from the Booking Information section. Complete and send to us. You will receive confirmation of your place and a detailed information pack will be dispatched to you about twelve weeks before departure. Plant, mammal and bird checklists are available.
