Joint Botanical Tours
Exploring Alpine Plants in Their Natural Habitats
There is something special about discovering alpine plants where they naturally grow – seeing how they adapt to challenging environments, understanding their ecological relationships and experiencing the extraordinary diversity of mountain flora.
Joint Botanical Tours (JBT) brings together people who share a passion for alpine plants and botanical exploration. Organised through Plants Above Treeline Association (PAT Association), these occasional field excursions offer opportunities to explore fascinating mountain environments, discover plants in the wild and exchange botanical knowledge and experience with fellow enthusiasts.
About Joint Botanical Tours
Joint Botanical Tours is an initiative dedicated to botanical exploration, learning and international cooperation.
Our excursions bring together people with different backgrounds and levels of experience, including alpine plant growers, botanists, horticulturists, students and enthusiastic amateurs.
The emphasis is on shared interests and learning from one another. Participants contribute their own observations, knowledge and experience, creating opportunities for both botanical discovery and lasting connections.
JBT is not simply about visiting beautiful landscapes. It is about understanding the plants that grow there, the conditions that shape their habitats and what these observations can teach us about alpine flora, both in nature and in cultivation.
What to Expect
Each excursion is developed around the botanical interests and characteristics of its destination.
Depending on the location and itinerary, activities may include:
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Exploring mountain habitats and their characteristic plant communities.
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Observing and identifying alpine plants in their natural environments.
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Learning about plant ecology, adaptation and environmental conditions.
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Exchanging botanical knowledge, cultivation experience and field observations.
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Photographing and documenting plants and their habitats.
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Sharing experiences with fellow alpine plant enthusiasts.
Our excursions encourage responsible botanical exploration, respect for natural habitats and compliance with local conservation regulations.
The number of excursions varies from year to year, and participation is generally limited to ensure a manageable group and opportunities for meaningful botanical exploration.
Upcoming Botanical Tours
Joint Botanical Tours organises occasional botanical field excursions to mountain regions around the world.
Each destination offers its own botanical highlights, from diverse alpine plant communities to fascinating adaptations shaped by climate, geology and altitude. The destinations, number of excursions and availability vary from year to year.
Visit our Upcoming Tours page to discover excursions currently being planned and find information about destinations, dates, programmes and participation.
Membership & Participation
Joint Botanical Tours is an activity of Plants Above Treeline, an international non-profit association.
Participation is intended for eligible PAT members who share a genuine interest in botanical exploration and the association's objectives.
Membership of PAT is currently free.
Each excursion has its own programme, participation conditions, costs and registration procedure. Places may be limited, and membership does not automatically guarantee participation.
We encourage anyone interested in alpine plants and botanical exploration to become part of our wider community, whether or not they plan to join a field excursion.
The Joint Botanical Tours Grant
PAT believes that opportunities for botanical field experience should also be accessible to younger generations. Through The Joint Botanical Tours Grant, we aim to support young botanical enthusiasts aged 18–30 who might otherwise find it difficult to participate in international field excursions.
Depending on available funding, grants may help cover selected costs at the destination, such as accommodation, meals and local transportation. International travel to and from the destination is not covered.
Grant opportunities depend on available resources and may not be offered for every excursion.
Discover, Learn and Share
Joint Botanical Tours is built around a simple idea: botanical exploration becomes more rewarding when knowledge, observations and experiences are shared.
Whether you are an experienced botanist or an enthusiastic amateur, we hope JBT will provide opportunities to deepen your understanding of alpine plants, discover remarkable natural habitats and build connections with others who share your interests.