Top six hiking trails in Hungary

Hungary is blessed with nature’s best bounties like forests, valleys, caves, rare wildlife and scenic landscapes. The landlocked country has nine places declared as a UNESCO world heritage site. Whether you are a native or a tourist, you must explore the following hiking trails at least once, for an experience that you will remember for a lifetime.

Bükk National Park

Hungary’s largest national park is home to the country’s longest cave and exotic wildlife which makes for a perfect hiking trip. A walk can never be monotonous at the Bukk National Park. It has some well-defined trails for hiking combined with some breathtaking views. The national park is massive and a day-long trail will help you explore Lillafüred Lake, the ravines and ancient remains of Szalajka Valley, Hollókő heritage site, the grazing ground of Nagy Mező and the heavenly sight of the Erdőtelek Arboretum forestland.

Mátra Mountains

If you are looking for the ultimate hiking experience – then the Matra Mountains should be your go-to spot. Matra Mountains have challenging, steep hills along with gentle slopes or grounds. Make sure you are going with the right hiking shoes. The terrain is lined with dense vegetation of oak and beech trees. Most travelers begin the hike from the Nagy-völgy “Great Valley” and make their way to the majestic volcanoes. Don’t be alarmed with the name of volcanoes because they are dormant and the weather is generally very pleasant.

Pilis Mountains

The Danube Bend is a popular tourist attraction, with its towering summit, Dobogókő which is 700 meters high. The hiking trail is lined with informative signposts to guide you through. The hike takes three to four hours to complete at a normal pace – and is streaked with volcanic gorges and ravines. And you will get to see the famous rock formations like the Goon Rocks, Napoleon Rocks, Sentinel Rocks, and Sundial Rocks. Several caves provide hikers with eerie yet adventurous experience. You must explore these caves with a travel guide. 

Bakony Hills

The Boroszlán Nature Trail is a seven kilometers long trail within the Bakony Hills. The mineral-rich, gently sloped mountains are densely vegetated. Once you complete the hike, you can enjoy the picturesque, south-facing view of Lake Balaton.

The land is extensive and it is best to explore it by taking breaks at numerous camping sites.  Plus, if you’re travelling with friends or family, you can bring this 7 person family tent along with you! You will find high summits, intriguing caves, rare birds like the white-rumped woodpecker, black stork, lanner and the raven. The trail is well marked with signposts – hence, you shall have no trouble making your way through. It truly is every zoologist and botanist’s dream to hike and explore the Bakony Hills!

Forest of Gemenc

The wetlands of the Forest of Gemenc are a hub for exotic wildlife – if you dare to run into a stag, boars, grey herons, white-tailed eagles, gyrfalcons and storks then Gemenc should be your next hiking destination! Ecotourism is encouraged here with easy access to animals in their natural habitat. Your hike breaks can also be a fun, learning experience – for there are schools that teach fisheries, pottery kilns, and craft workshops. But beware of the times of the year when the forest is flooded. Scheduling and planning your trips would be a smart move.

Aggtelek National Park

The Aggtelek National Park has more than seven hundred caves.

The temperatures in these caves can go as low as 10°C but it will still not stop the curious bug in you from exploring more. Just keep some extra warm clothes with you. The park is divided into three basic zones – the first being completely dedicated to the abiotic features of the park, the second has well-defined trailers for hikers while the third zone is home to exotic wildlife.

The caves have metaled roads that are built inside the mystical and primitive limestone and artistic “dripping stones.”

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Source: mti