Tulips in the Tien Shan
Kaş
Kazakhstan & Kyrgyzia
A truly remarkable display of colourful tulips carpet the mountains and valleys of Southern Kazakhstan in spring. Chief among them are the magnificent goblets of Greig’s Tulip which come in an unforgettable pageant of reds, oranges and yellows. Beautiful water-lily flowers of Tulipa kaufmanniana adorn the lower slopes of the Mountains of Heaven like so many jewels, while swathes of multi-coloured Tulipa ostrowskiana and Tulipa kolpakowskiana shine in the crystal clear air of these Central Asian Mountains.
Stunning red Tulipa albertii and luminous yellow and orange Tulipa lehmanniana are among twenty species of Tulip that include rarities such as Tulipa buhseana, Tulipa tetraphylla and the lovely bicoloured Tulipa zenaidae. Most recently we’ve added the beautiful Tulipa lemmersii, only described two years ago, a yellow beauty known as yet only from west‑facing rocks in a single canyon. But these are just part of a floral extravaganza. Fritillary-like Korolkovia severzovii and Rhinopetalum stenantherum, with their strange coloured bells, the latter a stunning pink, mix with bright yellow Anemones and a colourful variety of elegant Corydalis species. By patches of snow are the white stars of Crocus alatavicus and along with half a dozen species of Iris is the many-hued Iridodictyum kolpakovskianum. We’ll walk in the famous Aksu-Dzhabagly reserve where we’ll see Siberian Ibex and the globally endangered Arkhar on flowery slopes. Sometimes we encounter Isabelline Brown Bears as they select the most succulent greenery in rich turf by patches of snow. The Sugaty Plateau in the Ketmen Mountains is home to Desert Warbler and elegant Pallas’s Sandgrouse, and Susliks will whistle at us as we enjoy a fine display of bright yellow Tulipa iliensis and lovely Iris scariosa. Bird migration will be in full swing. Flocks of up to a thousand Demoiselle Cranes will be a fantastic sight. Resident Blue Whistling Thrushes and Brown Dippers are joined by migrant Blue-headed Redstarts and Black-throated Thrushes feeding in rocky valleys ablaze with Juno subdecolorata, Iris ruthenica, Paeonia hybrida and the milky wands of Eremurus lactiflorus.
For the second part of the our Central Asian bulb odyssey we move to Kyrgyzia. Over ninety per cent of the country lies above the top of the UK’s highest mountain! Independent after the collapse of Soviet rule in Central Asia, this stunningly beautiful country never actually existed before the Soviet Union, rather it was invented (as an autonomous region) in the 1920s by Stalin. Perhaps not surprising then that few of us know much about this land of alpine lakes, fast-flowing rivers, rolling steppelands, conifer forests and rare walnut forests that lie between the arms of the giant snow-capped peaks of the Celestial Mountains.
Bishkek will provide us with a comfortable base to explore the bulb-rich Alexander Range and the Besh-Kungei Hills. We’ll also explore Kastek, Kemin and Kungei Mountains and we’ll visit a number of gorges including the famed Archaly Gorge, beautiful Oruu-Sai, and, on the last day of the tour, the Belogorka Gorge. During the middle part of the tour we’ll travel to the flower-filled Suusamyr Valley, explore the Fergana and Talas Mountains, and visit several passes including the high Otmyok.
These areas are home to some very fine flowers. Tulips will be a major focus. Alongside the classical scarlet goblets of Tulipa greigii are swathes of yellow and white Tulipa tarda. There’s elegant yellow Tulipa ferganica, variable Tulipa ostrowskiana, with its red, yellow or any combination in between blooms, and if we are not too late the shiny white stars of Tulipa jacquesii. Still there’s more. We’ll see Tulipa dasystemon, Tulipa tetraphylla, pure yellow Tulipa talassica, and yellow and red Tulipa zenaidae. Flowering spires of the rather genteel (for a fox-tail lily) Eremurus zoae dot hillsides where we will also find Pedicularis albertii and Allium caricifolium as well as bright yellow Glaucium fimbrilligerum. Irises are varied and we’ll see species such as Iris loczyi, Iris songarica, and the gorgeous little pale blue Iridodictyum kolpakowskianum whose falls are dipped in purple ink. Red-pink Paeonia intermedia will impress and on the same hillsides are the tall brownish wands of Eremurus cristatus. Nearby higher ground yields pink and white Corydalis ledebouriana, Gagea liotardii, and little Colchicum kesselringii. Chorispora bungeana is that classic alpine, a little mound of large pink flowers that almost completely covers the foliage. Its cousin Chorispora sibirica is yellow. Also here are Glaucium elegans, Viola altaica, Colchicum luteum and Juno orchioides. Under the pretty pink blooms of the small tree Louiseania ulmifolia we’ll find Allium karataviense, Allium dodecadontum and yet another foxtail lily, Eremurus lactiflorus. The variety seems never-ending, and the landscapes one fabulous vista are another.
Dates and Prices
12th April - 7th May 2025 (26 days)
* doesn't apply if you're willing to share and a room-mate can be arranged
Spring Bulbs and other Flowers. Also Mammals, Birds, Mountain Wilderness and just a little culture too…
Vladimir Kolbintsev , Julia Corden , Kurt Vickery
Two leaders will accompany a group of up to the maximum of 12. Vladimir is first leader for the Tien Shan part of the trip, Kurt for Kyrgizia.
All flights. Transport, accommodation and all meals in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzia. Services of the leaders. Please note: alcoholic drinks, tips, and items of a personal nature including travel insurance, are not included. Please note that for UK citizens a visa is not needed for this tour.
We start in Almaty where we’ve two nights at the start and two nights at the end (really one and a half nights at each end of the tour) in the very comfortable modern Hotel Kazhol. At Merke we have a single night at a rather basic hotel before moving to Taraz for a three night stay in the good quality Dzhambyl Hotel. Next we’ve four nights at Yevgeny’s Guesthouse in Dzhabagly. This lovely place has a very friendly atmosphere, comfortable rooms, and we can guarantee you will be looked after superbly. The garden is a delightful and shadey place to enjoy before dinner. The first 4 nights in Kyrgyzia, and the last two nights there too, are in the Garden Spa Hotel in Bishkek, a pleasant three-star type hotel in the Kyrgyz capital. In between we have two nights in the Kerben Palace in the town of Talas, 1 night in the Salam Hotel in Karakul and 1 night in the Akbermet in the town of Toktogol. All three of these hotels are simple hotels, but clean and functional. All rooms have en suite facilities except for the night on the sleeper train that takes you back to Almaty near the end of the Kazakh part of the tour. In this you’ll be in twin-berth compartments for the one night.
For the most part easy. Walks of up to three or four miles each day, occasionally a bit more. Some walks on steep slopes.
UK flights are from London Heathrow, Edinburgh*, Birmingham* or Manchester* to Almaty via Istanbul, returning from Bishkek to the same selection of airports, also via Istanbul. Other indirect routes from regional UK Airports* are available.
*These routes may incur a supplement.
Variable – very like Britain in April! Anywhere from cold to warm. We can expect plenty of sunny weather, but should also be prepared for some rain or even the possibility of snow!
Both the Tien Shan and the Kygyzya parts of the tour can be done separately. Follow the links or see Related Tours below.
Contact us to check if there is availability for the number of places you require. Click on the ‘Book this Tour’ button on this page to be taken to the online booking form or contact us and we will send one to you which you can complete and send back 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. This will contain up-to-date health information.
