Aggtelek National Park
This spectacular system of caves extends for 22 kilometres and contains the world’s tallest stalagmite and even a concert hall. Dazzling rock and crystal formations, with names that include Dragon’s Head, Tiger, Mother in Law’s Tongue and the Hall of Giants – as well as dozens of underground lakes and winding passages – can be explored as part of a number of guided tours. Experienced cavers also come to Aggtelek in search of new adventures. Above ground, there is also plenty to see, including rich plant life, spectacular rocky outcrops, traditional village life and several gothic and medieval churches.
Kiskunság National Park
Classic Puszta country, the Kiskunság comes complete with traditional shepherds, a rural museum, farm and stables, where csikósok – Hungarian-style cowboys – crack whips and perform bareback stunts in traditional dress. The farmyard animals are not the type you are used to either, grey long-horned cattle and Mangalica pigs are an added attraction. By following one of the marked trails, you can also take in the local wildlife, including water buffalo, that may be hiding in the reedy marshland.
Europe’s Last Wetland Marshes
Since the regulation and draining of many of Europe’s waterways and flood plains, large numbers of migrating birds have no place to breed and feed. Hungary’s Duna-Dráva, Duna-Ipoly and Körös-Maros national parks are among the last unspoilt havens for bird life of this kind. In addition, Maros-Körös, enclosed by the Körös, Maros and Tisza rivers, is home to the Great Bustard, a globally threatened species. The Great Bustard Protection Centre in Dévabánya is instrumental in maintaining the population of the bird, currently estimated at just over 1,000 individuals. It is financed largely by donations from visitors.
Bükk National Park
The Bükk National Park to the northwest of Budapest is Hungary’s highest mountain range. The central area is 97 per cent wooded and boasts rich plant and animal life, including a variety of rare butterflies and insects. Some 90 species of migratory birds visit the park every year, among them several endangered species that only nest in the forest and cliff walls. Some of the many hundreds of caves and hollows in the range’s karst system (at Szeleta and Istállós-kő and the Suba Hole and Balla Cave, for example) are of great scientific interest as primitive archaeological remains. The narrow-gauge trains puffing their way through the forest and villages nestling in the hills will leave you spellbound and the wooded hillsides are ideal for walking and cycling.
Hortobágy National Park
Hortobágy is one of the largest protected steppes in Europe. Here Hungarian Grey Cattle, stud horses, the spiral horned Racka sheep and buffalo herds graze on the open pastures. The area of the Hortobágy National Park became a World Heritage site in 1999.
The Nine-Arch-Bridge near the village of Hortobágy is the longest road stone bridge in the country. The almost 300 years old typical `Puszta` restaurant Hortobágy Csárda offers original country dishes. The nearby Shepherd Museum shows the life of shepherds, who lived out in the open, in winter and summer. The incomparable flora and fauna, the folk art and the tools used in the crafts that are characteristic of the Hungarian Puszta, are exhibited in the Hortobágy Körszín. Visitors can see grey cattle, buffaloes, goats and mangalica pigs in the Puszta Animal Park, in open-air folds and pens. The many faces of the Puszta are shown in the paintings of the Hortobágy Gallery.
Máta is the home of the famous Hortobágy Stud: the Nonius strain has been bred here for 300 years. From the fishpond keeper's-house visitors can observe the extraordinarily rich water world, while the lookout tower at the Szálkahalom keeper's-house offers a view of the bird life of forests and salt lakes. If you are looking for adventure, make an excursion in a horse-drawn wagon on the endless flat-land.
Balaton Upland National Park
The area to the north of Lake Balaton is memorable for its spectacular volcanic mountains and breathtaking views of the water below. The Balaton Uplands National Park, established in 1997 and extending from the Tihany peninsula to Kis-Balaton (Little Balaton) to the West, is also a Mecca not only for Hungarian nature lovers, but also for international visitors. Attractions of particular interest include the volcanic geysers near Tihany and the rich birdlife of Kis-Balaton.
