Hortobágy National Park

Understand

1 Tourinform Hortobágy (Hortobágy National Park Visitor Centre, Hortobágy Nemzeti Park Látogatóközpont és Kézművesudvar), Hortobágy village, Petőfi tér 13, ☏ +36 52 589321, +36 52 589000, +36 52 369140, [email protected]. Jan-Dec closed; Mar-Apr Nov: M-F 08:00-16:00. May Oct: M-F 08:00-16:00, Sa Su 10:00-16:00. Jun: M-F 08:00-17:00, Sa Su 10:00-18:00. Jul Aug: M-F 08:00-18:00, Sa-Su 10:00-18:00. Sep: M-F 08:00-17:00, Sa Su 10:00-17:00. Tourist information, souvenirs. Exhibition about the flora and fauna of the national park. Conference room for 90 people, meeting rooms. Field study education room, playground. Craftsmen's workshops. +E-mail: [email protected]. (updated Jul 2014)

History Hortobágy (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈhortobaːɟ]) is an 800 km2 national park in eastern Hungary, rich with folklore and cultural history. The park, a part of the Alföld (Great Plain), was designated as a national park in 1973 (the first in Hungary), and elected among the World Heritage Sites in 1999. The Hortobágy is Hungary's largest protected area, and the largest semi-natural grassland in Europe

Landscape The Hortobágy landscape is defined by its flat, treeless expanse, with seemingly endless views of open steppe that stretch out to the horizon. This lowland area is largely shaped by the natural processes of flooding, wind, and human interaction over millennia. The puszta is a floodplain of the Tisza River, and historically, seasonal flooding shaped its terrain, creating a mosaic of wetlands, grasslands, and marshes. These ecosystems, although altered by modern agricultural practices, still reflect the ancient character of the region. The soil of the Hortobágy is primarily composed of loess and clay, and due to the high salt content in certain areas, some parts of the landscape are classified as saline steppes. These saline areas are particularly interesting ecologically, as they support a range of salt-tolerant plants that have adapted to the harsh conditions. Species such

Getting there

By bus There are about six-eight buses per day from Debrecen, a 40-minute trip.

By car From Tiszafüred or Debrecen take the national road 33.

Getting around

The Fishery Railway Hortobágy (Hungarian: Hortobágy-halastavi Kisvasút) is a narrow gauge railway with a gauge of 760 mm (2 ft 5+15⁄16 in) at the fish ponds near Hortobágy in Hungary. Since 2007, the railway is used as a tourist train. A one-way trip lasts 23 min

1 Hortobágy-fishpond Light Railway. (updated Jul 2024) 2 Hortobágy-fishpond Light Railway, fishpond. (updated Jul 2024)

See

1 Nine-Arch bridge. One of the most beloved photographic subjects in the park. (updated Jul 2018) 2 Fishpond. Small pond in the middle of the park. (updated Jul 2018) Hortobágy Stud. (updated Jul 2018) Windmill Karcag. (updated Jul 2018) 3 Shepperds museum (Hortobágyi Pásztormúzeum), 1 Petőfi tér, ☏ +36 52 369 040. Mar 12-Mar 31, Apr, Oct-Nov: Tu-Su 10:00-16:00; May-Jun, Sep: Tu-Su 09:00-17:00; Jul-Aug: daily 09:00-18:00; Nov 1, Dec 1-Jan 11 closed. Adult Ft 2900; children, student, pensioner Ft 1500/person; family (2 adults, 1 or 2 children) Ft 6900. (updated Jul 2024) 4 T-34 tank (Hortobágyi tankcsata emlékműve) (On the side of route 33). Hortobágyi World War II tank battle memorial (updated Aug 2024)

Do

1 Mátai Ménes Puszta Carriage Tour, Mátai Ménes, Nyerges Café, 4071 Hortobágy Máta major 48 (parking lot at the Saddle Café and at the Office building.), ☏ +36 70 492 7655, [email protected]. Mar-Oct: 10:00, 12:00, 14:00; May-Sep also 16:00. Starting from the Nyerges espresso of the Mátai Mátai Máta, the program leads to the interior of the puszta in the echoes of nóniu horses. Those who arrive can get to know the native Hungarian pets, their keeping, breeding, the world of the shepherds guarding them, the sachets that are loud with the whip with the rings and can admire the sight of the indefinite. After the program is complete, you can take a walk in the stallion’s stables, you can check in K. József Nagy, a potter from Nádaudvar, from whom the tricks of making black ceramics can be learned. Before or after the Pusztai carriage, you can visit the Nyerges espresso in the area of the stud for a refreshment or coffee, where it is a real curiosity to gain insight into the everyday life of the central stable of the stud through a glass wall. An interactive exhibition of the history of the museum awaits our visitors. Adult Ft 4000, children Ft 2500. (updated Jul 2024) 2 Puszta Animal Park (Pusztai allatpark), 4071 Hortobágy, Tornyi Hill 1, ☏ +36 52 701 037. W-Su 09:00-18:00. farm animals zoo Ft 700, child Ft 500. (updated Aug 2024)

Viewpoints Locate them on the map

3 Nine hole bridge viewpoint. (updated Aug 2024) 4 Függőcinege torony. bird hide tower (updated Aug 2024) 5 Madárles. bird hide tower (updated Aug 2024) 6 XI-es torony. viewpoint (updated Aug 2024) 7 Kungyörgyi torony (Pre-registration needed. Contact with HNP Visitor Cente). bird hide tower (updated Aug 2024) 8 Hortobágy-Faluhídvég észlelőhely. astronomy observatory (updated Aug 2024) 9 amatőrcsillagász észlelőhely, Hortobágy, Halstavak (7,1mn darksky). astronomy observatory (updated Aug 2024)

Cycling The Eurovelo 14 (Waters of Central Europe) crosses the north part of the park via the road 331

Buy

Black Pottery 1 K. József Nagy. potter from Nádaudvar, from whom the tricks of making black ceramics can be learned (updated Jul 2024)

Eat

1 Hortobágy Csárda, Hortobágy, Petőfi tér 1 (easy parking on the street), ☏ +36 52 589-338, +36 52 589-010. 11:00 to 21:00. The famous Hortobágyi Csárda, built at the foot of the Nine-hole Bridge, is unmissable. It was built along the Salút in 1699, next to the tax collector and post office at the Hortobágy River. The most famous, largest inn of the Great Plain and the oldest building of Hortobágy, which, as in the past, still serves the needs of travellers and tourists. (updated Jul 2024)

Sleep

1 Ecotour Camping Cottage Hotel Hortobágy (Ökotúra Vendégház és Kemping), 4071 Hortobágy, next to main road No. 33 at the 74th kilometre, ☏ +36 30 206 9770, +36 52 369 075. rooms from Ft 24,000/night,. (updated Aug 2024)