Nature trails: With a licensed tourist guide one can explore numerous nature trails that go through scented forests of pine and oak trees, waterfalls and lakes with splendid and panoramic views across the island, secrets waiting to be unveiled. The island offers a great variety of endemic and medicinal plants and herbs, mammals and birds that can be observed and photographed. The Department of Forests has initiated the creation of nature trails within the state forests in various parts of the island. Along these paths there are signposts in place, to indicate the flora and the geologycal features of the area. The best season to organise this type of walks in nature are during late autumn and early spring, when the forest and rural areas are blooming. 

Flora: Discover the Island's remarkable flora. Cyprus is one of the hotspots of Mediterranean biodiveristy, hosting more than 1950 indigenous plant taxa, from which 140 are regarded as endemic plants. The most important part of the flora dwells in the forests and the forest land. The plants vary from one forest to another depending on the climate and the ecological conditions in each region. Vegetation is distinguished into trees, tall and law shrubs, subshrubs and annual or perennial herbs. The orchid flora of Cyprus is equally rich and diversified, with a fine display of more than 50 species, subspecies and varieties, flowering almost the whole-year round. Orchids grow almost everywhere in Cyprus, from sea-level to the highest slopes of Chionistra at an altitide of about 1952 m. Moreover, the Cypriot flora is rich in pharmaceutical plants and until today the use of medicinal plants is widespread. In the ancient times some plants were considered to be sacred because of their medicinal properties and they were sometimes protected by legend and myth.

Geology: Explore with a professional guide the rich and abudant geological presentations of the island that constitute a magnificent record of geological evolution and make Cyprus a geological model around the world. Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean and it is characterized by a great variety of habitats ranging from alpine high on the Troodos mountains to nearly desert in the Mesaoria plain. The island lies at the crossroads of three continents, between Asia, Africa and Europe, separated at the same time long enough from the surrounding mainland masses. The topography of the island is remarkably varied, with fertile plains in the interior, rugged limestone peaks on the northern mountainous range, rounded lavas on the southern mountainous range, sandy or rocky seashores, sand dunes, salt lakes and marches, narrow plains at sea-level and plateaus as high as 1920 meters on the Troodos range. 

Birds of Cyprus: Cyprus is a very important place for birds at a worldwide level. Over 390 species of bird have been recorded in Cyprus. Its geographical location means that about 200 of these occur regularly as passage migrants flying between Europe, Africa and the Middle East. BirdLife International has identified Cyprus as a unique Endemic Bird Area (EBA) in Europe. It has more endemic species and subspecies of birds that any other European country. The island has two endemic species, Cyprus Wheatear and Cyprus Warbler. In addition there are four endemic subspecies, Cyprus Scops Owl, Coal tit, Short-toed Treecreeper and Jay. Migration takes place in Cyprus in spring and in autumn. The spring migration starts in February with the arrival of the first Hirundines and Wheatears. Early March sees the first Hoopoe and the migration continues into early April. Breeding birds include the Griffon Vulture, Bonelli's Eagle, Eleonora's Falcon, Long-legged Buzzard, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Roller, Cyprus Wheatear, Cyprus Warbler, Olivaceous Warbler, Masked Shrike and Cretzschmar's Bunting. The autumn migration starts in early August. Passerines are less obvious in the autumn than spring. At the end of August one can see Demoiselle Cranes at Akrotiri Salt Lake. The winter months can also be very productive, as duck numbers increase and species like Black Redstart, Robin and Song Thrush are quite common. The sea around the island can produce sightings of Shearwater, wintering Gulls or Cormorants. Another important visitor is the flamingos in spectacular numbers, with at least 18,000 total. The flamingos spend the winter months in the salt lakes of Larnaka and Akrotiri feeding off populations of the brine shrimp. Cyprus is an excellent location for bird watching and has a lot to offer for local and visiting birders. 

Endemic birds

Cyprus Warbler - Sylvia melanothorax

Cyprus Wheatear - Oenanthe cypriaca

Coal Tit - Parus ater cypriotes

Jay- Garrulus glandarius

Scops Owl- Otus scops

Endemic plants

Ranunculus kykkoensis  Brassica hilarionis 

Thlaspi cyprium Alyssum troodi

Alyssum akamasicum Astragalus cyprius 

Hedysarum cyprium       Rosa chionistrae

Cyclamen cyprium Onopordum cyprium 

Centaurea akamantis Quercus alnifolia

Scorzonera troodea Thymus integer

Salvia veneris     Bosea cypria

Euphorbia veneris Crocus cyprius

Crocus veneris Tulipa cypria

Cyperus cyprius 

Orchids

Ophrys kotschyi Ophrys lapethica

Epipactis troodi Orchis anatolica

 Serapias aphroditae Ophrys memosa

Ophrys sicula    Orchis troodi

Orchis laxiflora