Birding holidays
Europe/Hungary & Romania
The famous Hortobágy and Transylvania
Hortobágy, Turda Gorge and Harghita Mountains, 10 days
By bringing together a varied choice of landscape and habitat, our tour offers a unique combination of first class birding in locations such as the steppe of Hortobágy in Hungary and the mountains and valleys of Transylvania.
The renowned Hortobágy Puszta, part of the territory of the Great Hungarian Plain, is the westernmost area of the Asian Steppe in the heart of Europe. Hortobágy National Park provides home for rare bird species such as Pygmy Cormorant, Squacco Heron, Spoonbill, Ferruginous Duck, Long-legged Buzzard, Red-footed Falcon, Great Bustard and Aquatic Warbler, amongst many others.
Transylvania with its breath-taking landscapes, imposing gorges, beautiful lakes, endless hay meadows and vast forests is home to Golden and Lesser Spotted Eagle, Capercaillie, White-backed and Three-toed Woodpecker, Alpine Swift and Rock Thrush. Translvania is one of the best places in the world for Wallcreeper as several pairs can be observed at eye-height in a scenic gorge and it provides an outstanding opportunity of seeing Brown Bear from secure and comfortable hides.
Facts
- 4 days in Hungary and 6 days in Romania
- begin and finish in Budapest
- 3 accommodations located close to the birding sites
Highlights
- 2 full days in Hortobágy National Park
- trip to Turda Gorge in Transylvania
- birding in the Harghita Mountains
- visit to Bikaz Gorge in the Eastern Carpathians for Wallcreeper
- bear watching from secure and comfortable hides
- wonderful scenery, rare birds and mammals
Hotels
3 nights at the Hortobágy, Hungary
2 nights in Torockó, Transylvania
3 nights in Zetea, at the Harghita Mountains
1 night at the Hortobágy, Hungary
Departure Dates
June or September
Price
Optional extension
3 days in Zarnesti in the Southern Carpathians
Itinerary
Our English-speaking guide meets us upon our arrival at the Budapest Airport. On the way to the famous Hortobágy National Park we check for Imperial Eagle. We spend 3 nights at the Hortobágy, exploring marshes, fishponds and the vast steppes for Pygmy Cormorant, Squacco Heron, Long-legged Buzzard, Saker, Red-footed Falcon, Great Bustard and Aquatic Warbler.
We continue our way to Romania, staying in the picturesque village of Torockó. We visit the spectacular Turda Gorge searching for Golden Eagle, Alpine Swift, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Dipper, Rock Thrush and Rock Bunting.
We drive further east into Transylvania and in the afternoon we arrive to our lovely hotel in Zetea, which offers fantastic local food., The pine forests of the Harghita Mountains provide home for Capercaillie, Hazel Grouse and Brown Bear. Among the species we may see are Three-toed and White-backed Woodpecker, Ural Owl, Nutcracker, Crested Tit and Common Crossbill. We take a trip to visit Bikaz Gorge, known as one of the most certain and easily accessible sites for Wallcreeper in Europe. We also take in nearby Killer Lake and a swamp-meadow next to Senetea, where Lesser Spotted Eagle, Great Grey Shrike and Scarlet Rosefinch are breeding.
Following breakfast we have a long drive back to Hungary for another night in the Hortobágy.
After a morning birding we travel to Budapest airport for our flight back home.
