霍托巴吉平原国家公园

霍托巴吉既是豪伊杜-比哈尔邦县一个村庄的名字, 也是匈牙利东部一个800平方公里的公园的名字,那里充满了民间传说和历史文化。公园是大平原的一部分(大平原),1973年被定为国家公园(这在匈牙利还是第一次),1999年列入世界遗产之列。霍托巴吉是匈牙利最大的保护区,也是欧洲最大的天然草原。霍托巴吉跟西伯利亚的草原有些相似,是个有牧牛、绵羊、公牛和牧马的草原,由牧民管理,它给许多物种提供了生存环境(据统计这里已经出现过342种鸟类)。它的象征是九孔桥,这也是传统的地龙墙。游客也会在这里看到海市蜃楼。

I live nearby and keep on going there to visit, there is always something new to see. Bird watching, dark sky star watching tours, horse shows, cultural programs on the train on the dam of the lake, boat rip on the river, carriage tour in the Puszta, etc.

Hortobágy National park is one of the iconic places of Hungary. The largest and oldest National Park in the North-Eastern part of the country. From Budapest will take a 2 hours drive to reach the area, but to get acquantied with it, it takes a life time. One of the in-land areas within Europe where you still can see the unbroken horizon (where the sky touch on the ground) as well as on siutable days, the feature of mirage or "fata morgana". The first impression when you meet the area could be the feeling of the "big nothig", but if you take the effort to enter the area (several and different facilities as visitor centre, hiking trails, narrow gauge railway within the fishpond sytems, wetlands, grasslands are available) will reward you with an unexpected richness of biodiversity that can be experienced within the area. The sytem of roadside-inns (csárda), pleasant accommodation, thermal baths in the region will make even enjoyable your stay in the HNP region. The best time of the year to visit the area is April, May June and beginning of July. It is advisabe to get in contact in advance with the administration of the national park, where colleagues responsible for visitor management will be able to provide you with all the necessary advices and details for a well planned visit. Write here: E-mail: info@hnp.hu (Former deputy director of HNP)

Marvelous authentic Hugarian landscape with polite people in the middle of puszta in eastern Hungary. Good transportation by train from Keleti railway station, Budapest.

Beautiful area and polite people in the middle of Hungary puszta. Visited there twice and going back back every time when I go to Hungary. Original Hungary landscape with bulls, horses and flat puszta nature. Easy to go by train from Budapest Keleti railway station.

This National Park is so simple and so wonderful! It looks only a big square but if you go by ship into the undiscovered places it'll show its really face! There lives the peace.

The Hortobágy National Park is a unique area in the easter part of Hungary, Europe. The soil have an elevated sodium salt content (see Photo 1), the plants are small with limited productivity. The whitish area in the foreground is salt-effected soil (solonec or natraquept), typical in this area. Tens of thousands of years ago the plain used to be under sea water.Also a unique phenomenon is that the water burns (see Photo 2). "Water that burns"... well, not quite; rather gas, that had found its way from a nearby field, accompanies the water as it comes to the surface.

The visit was very enjoyable and we learned a lot about landscape, people and animals of the region.

We went for the wagon ride out to see a herd of the traditional Hungarian grey cattle. Then we saw an amazing display of horsemanship. One man stood on the backs of two horses while controlling three more horses in front. To see him galloping around with the five horses was amazing.

We were surprised how many interesting activities the park has to offer! Visited it on Hungarian National holiday for the whole day and still there were a lot of things left to fill one more day. As many suggested, visit tourist information center to get the information about the programs for the day. We tried carriage drive from Mata Stud which took us on a 2 hour trip to the puszta. One could see Water Buffaloes, Hungarian Grey Cattle, Mangalica pigs and Raczka sheep. The horsemanship show was amazing! The only downside was that our guide provided information in Hungarian ONLY although we were definitely not the only foreigners in the group. After I approached her and asked to repeat the same in English, she did, but for sure with fewer details. We also enjoyed Hortobagy Wild Animals park, Herdsmen Museum, Korszin craftsmen exhibition, and Hortobagy Csarda Museum and restaurant. Overall, a great attraction and an unforgettable experience.

The Hungarian Plain really is an interesting place worth exploring, and this is the easiest nicest way to do it. The park is around 30 km from Debrecen, on the 33 national road, very well signed and very well organised. There is a small market in the downtown square, at the roundabout, selling local gifts and home decorations. Also at the roundabout lies the highly recommended Hortobágyi Csárda, a very special, old and perfectly restaured Inn that serves good food, using products and meat from the animals that grow in the Hortobagy local farms. The service was prompt, the waiters spoke great English and they even had a band of local violin virtuous that identified our language and played us some nice and old Romanian songs to perfection, without hustling us at the table, just smiling mysteriously from the porch. We had different types of soup made of grey cattle and water buffalos meat, breeds that are specifically grown in the Hortobagy complex that were especially good. From the roundabout, buy tickets for the Park's vehicle from the Herdsmen museum and hop on the oldest, loudest and funniest vehicle you have ever seen, that leaves right from the left side of the museum. It will take you deep into the vast plain and leave you in a small complex surrounded by enclosures where you can look the wolf, the bald eagle and the pelican in the eye. This is The Wild Animal Park and it is great fun if you want to spend some time on your own admiring the forest, the deep blue skies, and the greatness of the plain at the horizon. The wolves are great fun to watch too, and they let you observe their natural rituals and tantrums without a worry in the world. Once you are over with that, and returned to the main square and the roundabout, take your car and drive about 2 km to the right on a good, well marked road, right after you cross the 9 Arch Bridge and go see the most majestic animals you'll ever see this close, the beautiful Hungarian Horses of Mata Stud. Enlist at the ticket office right away, to make sure you catch a vacant spot for the next excursion into the Puszta. We caught the 2 o'clock trip and it must have been around 10 wagons filled with people ( lots of foreign travelers which is a good sign) that joined the trip. For about an hour and half you will see buffalos and cattle and wild horses and the Mangalita pigs, the cute and curly pigs traditional to Hungary and the Sarcza sheep with its black wool and exotic horns, plus the people of the Puszta in their purple dresses reminiscent of the Mongolian plains. The wagon ride in itself can be great fun, even if the horses fart a lot ( well, that probably added to the fun:) Back at the stables you can see the horses training or visit them freely in their enclosure. Pick your favourite and pet him to death:) they really are dramatic creatures. This whole day in the sun will spice up your Hungarian experience and you will find yourself giggling and smiling and channeling your long forgotten inner kid:) Definitely worth it

The day was very hot, but we all had a brilliant day, the horsemanship was amazing, the things the horses did like sit (just like a dog) the cattle and pigs where very happy and the water well gas to be seen to very believed , saw the stud which was very interesting. All in all a great day with good hospitality.

The large park offers historical, natural history and commercial venues at the main headquarters. The nature display and gift shop were pleasant, but the best part was visiting parts of the extensive land area of the park! Birds everywhere... the viewing was quite good and even without binoculars, everyone can enjoy the sites and sounds of nature. A visit to the northern part of the park in the morning offered many bird sightings and a pleasant cool beginning of the day. We later took the train up to the fish ponds for a late afternoon outing and benefited from the ride to see the canal and wetland setting along with the numerous waterfowl that can be seen from the tower and boardwalks. Really a unique place and rightfully a nature outing not to miss at this critical habitat that is being well served with the conservation efforts in place. It would be a lovely place to do more extensive walking or bike riding to see more.

We stayed here almost all day in the bird park, in the bird park playground, on the horse-carriage ride, visiting a horse-ranch and seeing the large bird and animal areas. The tour with the old-fashioned bus was also interesting. Bathroom facilities were poor, but usable.There were several playgrounds for the children, a kiosk to buy some small things and we enjoyed the traditional food we were served. All in all a great day out. You get here by following the 33 east. If you go here, consider stopping for breakfast on the Latokepi Csarda which I have reviewed separately. Remember to bring a jacket and rain-coat and some extra water to drink. You might get very cold and wet if the elements turn against you.

Awesome experience, we talk a walk very close to the show with horses, I has the ocasion to ride one. Excellent Park, very nice people. Unforgetable