I just did this yesterday and man what a pain. This link does show the path of least resistance.

http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/quest.html?ffxivquest=110016

Vultures I was able to take a few hits from. Everything else I think once shot me. I started off taking my own path and it ended very badly. You will still have some opposition on this path but it is manageable. Not a very well designed quest at all.

FYI. When you plant the crystals, it will take about 5 minutes to turn into a deaspected crystal. I placed all five of them and still had to wait 2-3 minutes. (just so you don't wait at each one at a time)