If you are looking for something different whilst planning a trip to North Cyprus and you enjoy the great outdoors, then there are a growing number of specialist tour operators adding itineraries to accommodate the likes of the walkers, bird watchers and divers amongst us.

North Cyprus has so much to offer those who love an environment orientated holiday, and the world seems to be taking a stand of sorts against mass tourism these days, so it’s nice to see that there are companies who are grasping all that is beautiful about this part of the island and promoting its unique qualities in terms of nature and the environment.

You can do your own research to see what takes your fancy, but we will detail some of the different types of holidays that you can take in North Cyprus, and some of the organisations which can offer some great deals and packages to suit your requirements.

Walking Holidays

There are a variety of companies offering walking holidays which focus mainly on the cultural and historical as well as wildlife and scenery.  Whilst walking with these companies there are scheduled visits to historical sites, cultural centres and other places of interest for example.  When you are doing your research you will find that most of them have a detailed itinerary already available to view, so that you can see exactly what’s planned for the trip and where you will be staying.

Try www.responsibletravel.com or www.kudutravel.com and also check our article on walking groups which gives useful information on ways to go about joining a group when in North Cyprus.

Bird Watching

There are a great many interesting species of birds which are either resident or migratory in North Cyprus, and companies are quick to promote the island’s worth as a great bird watching country.  Specialist operators offer packages from 7 to 12 nights usually, and you will visit different parts of the island renowned for their bird spotting opportunities.

Try www.ornekholidays.com and check our article on birds in North Cyprus and where to see them.

Activity Holidays

If you fancy some action whilst you are visiting or even living in North Cyprus then there are tour operators who can organise an array of sporting activities for you to try, such as paragliding, diving, quad biking, tennis etc.  If you fancy something a little more sedate then there are themed holidays which will allow you to try your hand at making bread and local cheese and take part in traditional village life perhaps.

Try www.iah-holidays.co.uk / www.ornekholidays.com / www.ecotourismcyprus.com, and also check our articles on land and water activities to choose from when in North Cyprus, as well as opportunities to experience a more eco-tourism themed holiday.

Diving

Diving in North Cyprus is a fantastic opportunity to add to your existing catalogue of dives, improve your skills and attain additional certificates, or to learn from scratch.  North Cyprus is well known for its wonderful marine life and some excellent dive sites, with shallow waters that are ideal to learn the basics of diving.

Try www.cyprusholidaysave.com/cyprus/scuba-diving-north-cyprus or check out our in-depth article on diving which gives some useful information on companies and ways to go about diving whilst in North Cyprus.

Orchid Hunting

There are some specialist groups which can take you on walks to some of the best countryside in North Cyprus, where you will be able to find many different and rare varieties of orchid for which the island is famous.  On the itinerary will also be the chance to sample some of the many historical sites that North Cyprus has to offer.

Try www.walksnorchidsnorthcyprus.com.

Golf

What holiday destination these days doesn’t have the opportunity to swing your clubs should you so wish?!  North Cyprus doesn’t disappoint in that area either, and you can book a package deal that will give you the opportunity to try your hand around this challenging but excellent 18-hole championship golf course, Korineum.

Try www.directtraveller.com/north-cyprus/golf-holidays or www.cyprusparadise.com/golfpackages.

Cycling

If you are a cycling enthusiast then how about trying out a weeks mountain biking which will take you from one side of North Cyprus to the other?  Tailored packages to suit, or a set itinerary – the choice is yours – with transfers and bike transportation all accommodated.

Try www.cyprusactive.com

That’s our round up of the more specialist type holidays available here in North Cyprus, and we hope it’s given you some food for thought!

If you want to see the best of North Cyprus you can get to appreciate the landscape via the healthy option of a good bracing stroll across the mountains and lowlands, and there are a few organisations who have sought to accommodate people’s desire for walking and hiking too.

(Please note: in our other articles on land activities and water activities you will find a whole host of things to keep you occupied, things which could even become a hobby or interest which you would like to become proficient in, such as diving for example.)

Some people prefer to spend a day outside, discovering new parts of the island which they had previously been unaware of, taking time to enjoy the local surrounds, nature and wildlife whilst being part of a group which enjoys doing the same thing.  You would be surprised at the amount of open space there still is in North Cyprus, despite the property development over the last few years, and there are some very knowledgeable people who can ensure that you do see as much of it as possible.

In this article we will detail some of the groups and walking opportunities organised by people who have an expert knowledge of North Cyprus, its flora and fauna, and who at the same time help to promote what is best about this little place on earth.

North Cyprus Hash House Harriers

Originating in Kuala Lumpur in the late 1930’s the Hash House Harriers were originally a group involved in running, walking, jogging and then drinking and eating afterwards!  Each harrier group is known as a ‘kennel’ with groups now based all over the world with members and interested parties joining together for a jog, walk, run and then a beer!

The North Cyprus ‘kennel’ holds a walk/run and then a picnic on the first Sunday of each month with meeting points advertised in the local Cyprus Today newspaper.  They have the use of a coach which will collect walkers and drive them to the designated route for the day, and will transport people back at the finish.  They also have a Facebook group which you can join, and you will then be notified of any events taking place.

It’s a great way to meet new people and make friends, so if you would like to take part in the group, or just pop along to see if you enjoy the day, then they would be more than happy to have you aboard.  Contact them via their Facebook Group www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=8762508468&ref=ts or you can telephone Tony Hutchinson +90 (0)392 7213013 or +90 (0)542 8544329.

Walks and Wild Orchids

Orchid walks have been run by Maureen and Tony Hutchinson for over 10 years, these walks are a great way of learning about the rare and exotic orchid population in North Cyprus.  Based in Hasırköy on the southern slopes of the Kyrenia mountain range, Tony and Maureen are experts in the local area and its flora and fauna and they should be able to introduce you to at least 20 or more species of orchid that grow around the island.

Apart from their orchid hunting activities they have also produced a book on the walks and bird spotting opportunities available in North Cyprus, and they also hold activity days which allow visitors to help make traditional Turkish Cypriot cuisine specialities such as Pekmez (grape molasses).

Very sadly Maureen passed away in January 2012 of cancer.  This loss cannot be expressed enough in words suffice to say she was a blessing for lovers of North Cyprus and did so much to promote its environmental wealth and culture.  She is to be held in high esteem for her contribution to the island.  Maureen could be found at the Carpenters market in Karaoğlanoğlu on a Friday, where she sold handicrafts and home made delights such as marmalades and jams, and was more than happy to pass the time of day talking about the activities that you can experience on an orchid walk with her and Tony.

At the time of writing we presume that Tony will carry on with their activities but please do check their website www.walksnorchidsnorthcyprus.com or via email thutchinson@iecnc.org, or by telephone on +90 (0)392 721 3013 or mobile +90 (0)542 8544329.

Kyrenia Mountain Trail Association / North Cyprus Trails

This group has been active since 2007 and their aims are to produce a way marked trail that covers the whole of the Kyrenia mountain range – which is around 230km long, stretching from the east to the west of the island.  They also want to assist in the development of infrastructure such as picnic areas, information boards, and providing data about things to do and see on the walks.  This group offers one a fantastic opportunity for walking and hiking we are sure you would agree!

The group is actively promoting this aspect of tourism as a viable and sustainable business option, and with a huge amount of visitors each year choosing walking holidays, they are doing an excellent job in ensuring the island is prepared to accept them.  At present they are in the process of mapping the routes, which will take some time, but will be a real boost for walkers with professional maps and signage when completed.

The organisation does not specifically have a walking group, but does offer the opportunity to find out more about where to walk, what to see and how you can join specific walking tours and days out which are organised by other operators.

You can contact them via their websites which have some excellent links for other organisations too who provide other trekking options such as cycling, 4×4 tours and more – see www.northcyprustrails.org or via email nick@bointon.com or info@kyreniamountaintrail.org , or by telephone +90 (0)533 845 39 35.

Union of Cyprus Turkish Tourist Guides (KITREB)

KITREB can offer tailored walks and tours around Lefkoşa which are completely free.  Usually meeting on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10am at the Tourist Information Office at Kyrenia Gate, and at 10.30am at the Lokmacı Border Crossing, they will guide you around many of the historical landmarks within the city.

The walks usually last for around 2 hours, and are a great way to familiarise yourself with the rich history of this great city, visiting many of its famous landmarks and buildings.  You can contact them via email kitreb@hotmail.com and for the future their website is www.kitreb.org (being worked on at time of writing) or by telephone +90 (0)392 2284127.  Alternatively you can check out our article on places of interest in Lefkoşa.

For more information on castle walks, then please visit this link. You can also find out much more about tours, tour companies offering walking, hiking, bird watching and orchid hunting holidays in our related articles within our Tourism section, by clicking on any of these links.

Springtime, or anytime after February, is special in North Cyprus with many plants and trees bursting into bloom, and you can often walk through carpets of anemones, rock roses and other colourful flowers such as iris and narcissi.  North Cyprus is also well known for its tulips, and a Tulip Festival is held yearly in Tepebası which is a village located between Kyrenia and Güzelyurt on the north west of the island.

Olive trees are another feature of North Cyprus, and olive oil was once a major export, but due to trade embargoes and development, tracts of land previously home to these monumental giants of trees have been sold on and felling has occurred – even though the destruction of these ancient trees is completely illegal.  However, some olive harvesting does still occur amongst the Turkish Cypriot population, and in the autumn you will often see families out on their land, shaking the olives from the trees! From there the olives are generally pressed for their oil.

North Cyprus is home to around 30 different kinds orchids, all of which are protected species, with the Ophrys Kotscdhyi variety only growing in Cyprus, and you can join walking tours specifically tailored for those who wish to see some of the varieties growing on the island.  Mixed in with the orchids you will see brilliant splashes of colour after the rainy season, with poppies and cyclamen mixed with crocus and cyntius.

There are also a wide variety of trees found in North Cyprus, such as the jacaranda with its beautifully coloured bark, the wonderfully scented frangipani and jasmine, the purple flowering Judas tree, delicate pepper trees, and the staples of almond and carob trees which litter the gardens of many who live here.  Fig and mulberry trees are also common, and are a treat for those who see their fruits as an expensive commodity in their home countries.

Citrus trees are also an important feature in some areas such as Güzelyurt, and around November time you will regularly see orange, lemon and grapefruit trees bursting with fruit.  There are three types of oranges grown in North Cyprus, and each has a specific purpose.  There is not much demand for fruit exports since trade embargoes make it difficult though, and the citrus trade is not what it once was, but many people still have them growing in their gardens.  Pomegranates are also grown, although not in great numbers, but again these are something that visitors can enjoy at less expensive prices than in their native countries.

If you’re planning to visit North Cyprus and a big part of your trip is aimed at incorporating looking at the orchids and other wild flowers of the island, then the best time to visit is from February through to May.  This is because once the sun starts to dry out the land, the colour fades for the long hot summer months, and the lush green land soon disappears and is given over to a dustier landscape.

Another place to see fine specimens of flora at any time of year is at the Herbarium at the Alevkaya Forest Reserve station, this is located between Esentepe and Değirmenlik.  It  was opened in 1989 in conjunction with the work of botanist Dr. Deryck Viney and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.  The Herbarium now houses some 800 pressed examples, some very rare, of the flora found in North Cyprus.

If you wish to find out more information on certain topics touched upon in this article, then please click on any of the links provided within it.

The current Herbarium has been open to the public since 1989, and it was the culmination of efforts by one Dr. Deryck Viney, a one-time British resident who lived in the village of Karaman.  He worked with other foreign experts and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to develop the project.  Dr. Viney, a qualified botanist and a true English gentleman, (to those of us who have had the pleasure of knowing him), spent many years studying and documenting the flora of North Cyprus and publishing his findings in various books such as ‘An Illustrated Flora of North Cyprus.’  He also had the benefit of help from personnel at Kew Gardens.

The Herbarium now houses around 800 species, which are all found in various locations across North Cyprus, and it features a wonderful collection of pressed flowers, all with their descriptions – both Latin and common – and the locations where they were found. There is also what is known as the Spirit Collection, which forms the findings of rare orchids, stored and contained in bottles with chemicals added to preserve them.

There are also various line drawings by Dr. Viney, produced over a long period of time, with 750 being finished by the time the Herbarium officially opened, and these are shown in a calendar order fashion to enable viewers to see at what time of year they can be found.

You can get to the project either by the scenic mountain road via Catalkoy and Arapkoy, following the main coastal road, driving past the five finger mountain range (Besparmak), and once past this you will see a turning on the left signposted for Alevkaya.  From here it is another 5 or so miles along a decent track road.

Alternatively there is a shorter rout, via the Esentepe/Karaagac end of the coast road, where you can follow the road right up to Alevkaya.

At the time of writing the Herbarium is open between 8am and 4pm weekdays and weekends, and should be on your list of places to see if you are a budding botanist or someone who loves the outdoors, as the surrounding forest area is a superb place to walk too.

Please also refer to our tags below for other related articles on other nature and wildlife.