Dear Guests,
Hortobágy is the largest continuous natural grassland in Europe. The Hortobágy National Park, established in 1973 is the country’s largest protected area of 82 thousand hectares. Hortobágy has outstanding landscape features and is a unique example of the harmonic coexistence of people and nature based on the considerate use of the land, maintaining great biological variety in respect of species and habitats. However, at first sight there is nothing here. If you look around, the most conspicuous thing is that your eyes are not arrested by any buildings, hills or mountains. The mirage can be a spectacular sight on hot summer days, where you see something that is not in fact there.
A major part of the area of the National Park is formed by natural habitats, alkaline grasslands, and meadows, smaller and bigger marshes enclosed between them. Some artificial wetlands covering a much smaller area are of considerable importance: these are the fishponds, situated on 6 thousand hectares. The marshes and fishponds are breeding habitats of birds and important sites for the migrating birds. So far the appearance of 340 bird species has been registered in Hortobágy, of which 160 species nest in the National Park. It cannot be doubted that one of the most spectacular sights is the migration of the cranes in the autumn. Tens of thousands of Cranes, which is also the symbolic bird of the Park, can be seen every October as they fly above the grasslands to their overnight roosting places.
The Hortobágy National Park has been inscribed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO on the 1st of December in 1999 in the category of cultural landscapes, since the Hortobágy Puszta have been used by humans for grazing their domestic animals for more than two millennia.
A large number of tough, undemanding local breeds can be found here: the Hungarian Grey Cattle, Water Buffalo, Raczka Sheep. Less ancient species are the curly bristled Mangalica Pig, which gives good bacon, and the Nonius horse.
The visitors are amazed at the skills of the horsemen and at the sight of the galloping herds of horses. The herdsmen living on the grasslands do not have permanent buildings for themselves or their animals. Most of the ancient herdsmen’s buildings are very simple but also practical, made chiefly of reed. The sweep-pole wells for watering the animals have become symbols of the Hungarian grasslands. Inns were built 10–12 km apart along the commercial roads crossing the plains, where travellers could rest and the herdsmen turn in for the night. Tourists still like to visit these inns where they can taste the excellent herdsmen’s dishes and other specialities of the cuisine of the Great Plain.
It is worth getting information on the areas open for visits at the Visitor Centre of the National Park, before setting out on your journey.
The Puszta - Our world heritage (pdf)
TOURISTIC OFFERS OF THE HORTOBÁGY NATIONAL PARK
Hortobágy National Park Visitor Centre
H-4071 Hortobágy Village
Tourist information, souvenirs
Exhibition about the flora and fauna of the National Park
Conference room for 90 persons, meeting rooms
Field study education room
Craftsmen workshops *
- Opening hours:
All year round: 8.00 - 16.00 on weekdays, in July and August: 8.00 - 17.00
1 May - 1 October also: 10.00 - 16.00 at weekends, in July and August 10.00 - 17.00
- Tel.: +36 52 589 000, +36 52 589 321
- E-mail: info@hnp.hu
- Web: www.hnp.hu
*THE "CRAFTMENS' YARD" AT THE VISITOR CENTRE
(closed on Monday)
The "Craftmens' Yard's" mission ist to unit craftmen of Hortobágy and of the geographicaly connecting regions under the brand of World Heritage title of Hortobágy
The aims of the association:
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improving the circumstances of the creative work and the working and selling conditions
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protecting the quality of the products and the authenticity of the traditions
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renewing and rescuing the folk art traditions
-
demonstrating the local ethnographical values
Some crafts and workshops of the "Craftmens' Yard"
leather goods maker
soft rush doll maker
"szűr" (long embroidered felt cloak) maker
weaver
bone and horn sculptor and coppersmith
felt goods maker
potter
wood-carver
blacksmith
Hortobágy Herdsmen Museum
Traditional herdsmen life on the puszta
Scenes about livestock breeding and everyday life of shepherds
Souvenirs, information
- Opening hours: (every day)
- 1 May - 30 September: 9.00 - 18.00
- April, October: 10.00 - 16.00
- 15-31 March – November: 10.00 – 14.00
- 1 December – 14 March: CLOSED
- Information:+36 52 369-040
- E-mail: info@hnp.hu
- Web: www.hnp.hu
Körszín Museum
Exhibition about craftsmen in Hortobágy
Souvenirs
Visiting the exhibition is free.
- Opening hours: (every day)
- 1 May – 30 September: 9.00 – 18.00
- April, October: 10.00 – 16.00
- 15-31 March – November: 10.00 – 14.00
- 1 December – 14 March: CLOSED
- H-4071 Hortobágy, Petőfi tér
- Tel: +36 52 589 321
- E-mail: info@hnp.hu
- Web: www.hnp.hu
Puszta Rare Breeds Park
Domestic animals in the Carpathian basin
Cowherd and Shepherd Festival held on Whitsunday each year
Souvenirs, parking
- Opening hours: (every day)
- 1 March – 15 November: 9.00 – 18.00
- 15 November – 1 January: 9.00 – 16.00
- 2 January – 29 February: CLOSED
- Off season opening depends on the weather
- Information: +36 52 701 037
- E-mail: allatpark@hortobagy.eu
- Web: www.hortobagy.eu
Hortobágy Great Fishponds
Greatest bird habitat in Central Europe
Exploring the area in a narrow gauge railway
Nature trail with information about the avifauna, life of the fishermen, hides and watch-towers
Can be reached by bike from Hortobágy village on the Kungyörgy dirt road
- Departure time of narrow gauge trains at the fishpond:
- April, May, June, September, October: 11.00, 13.00, 15.00 at Saturday and Sunday
Monday-Friday: only with previous registration
- July, August: 11.00, 13.00, 15.00, 16.20 every day
- For groups: also with previous registration
- Ticket:
- one way 400 HUF/adults, 200 HUF/ students and pensioners
- return 600 HUF/adults, 300 HUF/ students and pensioners
- Location: Along the main road 33 near the milestones 67 turn to Hortobágy- Halastó and drive until the end of the road.
- Tel.: +36 52 589 000, +36 52 589 321
- E-mail: info@hnp.hu
- Web: www.hnp.hu
Szálkahalom Nature Trail
Information
Watch-tower and burial mound "Szálkahalom"
Wind-brake forest
Flora and fauna of the alkali and loess vegetation
Grazing herds
Egyek-Pusztakócs Nature Trail
Revitalised marshes with rich avifauna
Mosaic of different habitats in alkali/loess puszta and wetlands
The famous "salt road" - dirt road with information
Bird saving centre
Entrance fees
- Entrance fee for visiting the nature trails of the National Park: HUF 900/person/day
Reduced entrance fee: HUF 600/person/day (for students and pensioners)
Commission for groups
- Fee for professional foreign language guiding:
Less than four hours: HUF 15,000/group
More than four hours: additional HUF 3,500/hour
- Information: National Park Visitor Centre at Hortobágy village
Tel.: +36 52 589 000, +36 52 589 321
E-mail: info@hnp.hu
- Web: www.hnp.hu
Máta Stud, Horse Breeding Centre
300 year-old stud with Hungarian breeds
Horse-drawn carriage drive into the puszta, visiting famous Hungarian rare breeds such as grey cattle, Nonius horse, water buffalo, Raczka sheep and woolly pig. Visitors can get an insight into the traditional life of local herdsmen.
Possibilities for riding and other programmes in the puszta
- Opening hours: from the middle of April to the end of October
- Carriage drive: 10.00; 12.00; 14.00; 16.00
- Tel.: +36 52 589 369, Fax: +36 52 589 087
- E-mail: mataimenes@hortobagy.eu
- Web: www.hortobagy.eu
Tisza Lake Water Trail
1,500 metre board-walk into the wetlands of the lake
Information about the flora and fauna, hides and watchtowers
- The water trail can be reached by a small ship from the lake end of Poroszló village
- Opening hours
16 June - 31 August: every day 10.00 - 18.00
1 May - 15 June and 1 September - 31 October: weekends and bank holidays
Off season: for groups with previous registration
- Information: Tel. +36 30 466 33 00
- E-mail: info@vizisetany.hu
- Web: www.vizisetany.hu
Karcag Old Wind Mill and Museum
- "Largest wind mill in Hungary
- "Exhibition about the rich flora and fauna of South Hortobágy
- Opening hours: all year round, previous registration necessary
- Tel.: +36 59 503-224
