Land of Magyars

Hungary

€ 1050

When you look around, there are picturesque hills covered with grapevines all around. An old, wild forest lays on the other side, stretching to the horizon. A distant roar of the cattle can be heard somewhere behind us and horses snort right under our saddles. A shot of palinka and… giddyup, to Hungary!

Days overall

8 days

Days in saddle

6
Group size

10

Available

check
Standard

Magyar campgrounds (tents, fire and wine)

Luggage

no limit kg

Food

local cuisine, vegetarian meals available
Skills

walk, trot, gallop

We move out to Hungary, where – as they say – you’ll find company for both riding and fun. We will wonder through forests and hills, see local monuments, visit picturesque wineyards and taste traditional Hungarian cuisine – from plates, cauldrons and glass.

Our Hungarian base of operations is located on a farm in Bajna. It’s an amazing place, home to over a hundred horses of different breeds, mostly pasture bred. Apart from horses you can also meet Hungarian Grey cattle, with those big horns on their heads, as well as goats, dogs and cats there.

During our trek you will have plenty of opportunities to taste traditional Hungarian food (made at the farm, on the trail or by local producers) and drinks. We will taste great wine and raise toasts with palinka. Visiting small, local pubs as well as the best winery around is also an important part of the adventure.

The trail in Hungary is picturesque and moderately difficult. There is a number of horses available on the spot, so choosing a horse according to your preferences should be easy. We will spend five and a half days in the saddle, daily parts of the trail take five to six hours.

What is included in this tour?Items that are included in the cost of tour price.

Accomodation in a hotel in Budapest
Accomodation in tents on the farm and on the trail
Breakfast in Budapest
Full alimentation during the trail ride (breakfasts and dinners, optionally packed lunch)
Palinka and wine tasting at a local winery
Local guide during the entire stay
A horse with a complete tack
Transfers between Budapest and Bajna
Tourist insurance covering high risk sports

What is not included in this tour?Items that are not included in the cost of tour price.

Flight ticket to and from Budapest / other means of transport to and from Budapest
Additional alcoholic drinks
Minor expenses (souvenirs, extra snacks, etc.)

Day 1 Arrival

Riders arrive to Budapest. You can get some rest and refresh after the travel. In the evening the group will go for a walk in the city center and for a first dinner together. Night at the hotel.
Day 2 Welcome to the farm!

The group will have breakfast at the hotel. Next we will get on a minibus at round 11:00 AM and go to the farm in Bajana (about an hour by car). Upon arrival the group will be welcomed with a second breakfast. After having some snacks and coffee the group will go for a walk around the farm. We will visit the stables, pastures and paddocks and meet local, four-legged inhabitants: Hungarian Grey cattle, friendly goats and – of course – horses. Later in the afternoon riders will mount up and go for a 2-3 hours ride around and outside the farm. In the evening we will hold a traditional dinner to welcome everybody once again, talk about the trail and have fun together. The group stays in tents for the night, there’s access to regular toilets and shower.
Day 3 In the shade of the Old Rock

After breakfast the group will ride out on horses to picturesque Péliföldszentkereszt region. We will pass a local water spring and cross the hills through Tokod, from where we will be able to see the oldest basilica in Hungary – the Esztergom Bazilika. Then, riding through a forest, we will reach the village Mogyoròsbánya, formerly inhabited by Slovaks. Our next destination is the wild peak of Öregkö – „Old Rock” in Hungarian. Then through another forest, to the abandoned village of Pusztamaròt, where we will stay and camp. The village is known for a big battle between Hungarian lords and the Ottoman invaders in the 16^th century. Thousands of Hungarians lost their lives there and locals call this place „the man-killer valley” still today. We will stay in tents for the night.
Day 4 Through the wilderness and backwoods

After breakfast we ride out west, towards the national park in Gerecse. Our trail will run through a wild forest, where even our guides lose the way sometimes! For the large part of the day we will be dashing through nature in order to reach a charming village of Tarján in the evening. Our camp will be set nearby a recreated medieval settlement.
Day 5 Hills and valleys

Let’s have a nice breakfast in the morning, as there’s quite a long ride ahead of us that day. Our trail leads up through hills, down to valleys and across farming lands. After an active day we will reach an old German village of Héreg. There we will stay and camp on the trail for the last time.
Day 6 Gallops and wine

That day we will ride mostly through open spaces and fields. There are numerous good places and opportunities for long gallops there. On our way we will pass next to a former private forest lodge of János Kádár, Hungary’s comunist party leader in 1956–1988. In the late afternoon we will arrive back to the farm. After leaving our horses at the stables all riders will go together to a dinner in the best winery around. We will taste local wine and palinka, that’s for sure. We stay for the night in tents at the farm.
Day 7 In the footsteps of graff Móric Sándor

After a Hungarian breakfast at the farm we will ride out one more time together – to the village of Bajna. We will take a look at the castle that used to belong to graf Móric Sándor. This nobleman was famous for his horse riding skills and stories of his daring escapades made it even to books. One of them claims graf Sándor used to ride on a horse to Vienna in one day, which is 200 km away! We will pass through very nice hills covered mostly with viniculture of the local wineries and ride down to Epöl, for a break in a bar. In the afternoon we will return to the stables and have a farewell dinner together. Last night in tents at the farm.
Day 8 Going back home

After breakfast the group says goodbye to the farm and its ihabitants and heads to the airport or Budapest center by minibus.

The guide might modify the route according to weather conditions and group's riding skills.

While in Budapest the group stays at a regular hotel. During the horse trek we spend nights tenting. While on the farm full sanitation is available (toilets and showers), most of the spots we camp/tent at are located next to camping spots, where toilets and showers are available.

We provide full alimentation, except for the meals in Budapest on the arrival day, as the riders will have different arrival hours. Hungarian cuisine is a bit spicy, but very tasty. During our treks we use local products, quite often made on the farm or by neighbours. Basic meals are breakfasts and early dinners, we also take packed lunch. Wine and palinka are often served to meals. Riders interested in brader exploration of local beverages will be able to easily buy different types of alcohol on several occasions, especially wine – Hungary is famous for it.

Riding equipment

Horse pads are equipped with small travelling bags, but it’s better to keep your personal belongings (documents, money, phone) with you – the bags can’t be safely locked, so items could fall out during riding on hilly grounds and during gallops.

We use typical bridles, we also use bits.

Please note: we recommend using helmets during the tour in Hungary. In case of being „caught” by the Police without a helmet one might get fined for that.

What you should take with you?

During our tour we are assisted by a car. All of the luggage is left behind every morning in the camp and then transported to the next location by car, so you don’t have to worry about it.

passport or pesonal ID (EU citizens)
cash, preferably HUF, but Euro can be easily exchanged
electronic devices, e.g. camera
flashlight; head flashlights are quite handy
sunscreen
mosquito repellent
head cover against the Sun
riding equipment (helmet, Jodhpur boots, gloves, etc.)
raincoat
sleeping bag
headrest, e.g. a sweater in a pillowcase or a travel pillow
flip-flops for showering
optional: straps to attach the raincoat to the saddle