Transylvania & Hungary
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Price: £ 1,795
The price per person includes return flights from London - Budapest*, airport taxes, 8 nights' accommodation, all meals, incidental tips, coach transport and the services of the leaders.
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We take an autumn tour with an imaginative itinerary to two strikingly different areas in Eastern Europe: the Hortobágy in Eastern Hungary and Transylvania in Romania for an excellent variety of habitats and birds, and a chance to see some of Europe's largest mammalian predators! |
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The sweeping landscapes of the steppe country extend across a huge swathe of temperate Eurasia, eastwards to Mongolia and beyond. In only one place does a part of this vast steppe wilderness extend a finger into Europe - the plains of Eastern Hungary.
The famous Hortobágy Puszta was once a wild place of fishermen, shepherds and horsemen. This ancient landscape is still grazed by herds of the huge, long-horned Hungarian Grey Cattle, descendants of the hardy cattle driven here by the original Hungarian horsemen more than a thousand years ago. Shepherd dogs, some looking like small bears, run circles around the herds of the strange Racka Sheep, also of ancient lineage, while herds of pigs, including the ancient Ôwoolly pig' also roam free. One of Europe's largest national parks, the Hortobágy offers some of Europe's most exciting birdwatching. Transylvania is a wild mountainous land, which hosts one of Europe's best populations of large mammals, the star of which must be the Brown Bear. Our tour should give us the opportunity to observe these impressive creatures in the wild from special hides, and to learn more about their lives. In addition we will look for tracks of Wolf and Lynx. A superb range of birds is possible on this tour, and could include Great Bustard, Red-footed and Saker Falcons, Imperial Eagle, Pygmy Cormorant, Wallcreeper, Three-toed Woodpecker and Nutcracker, to mention just a few. Itinerary Day 1 We take a morning scheduled flight London - Budapest, and drive eastwards to the Hortobágy. The lakes, alkaline steppes, gallery forests and vast grasslands are one of the most important migration gathering places for several sought-after species. On the way we might stop to search for one of Hungary's real specialities, Eastern Imperial Eagle and we have a good chance of seeing Saker Falcon during our stay. The world-famous Hortobágy Puszta, part of the Great Hungarian Plain forms the westernmost piece of the Asiatic Steppe in the heart of Europe. This extensive plain has very diverse habitats and unique species: seasonal salt marshes, semi-deserts, grasslands and steppe oak woods. Overnight Hortobágy Day 2 The marshes and lakes of the puszta at this time can be alive with resident and migrant wetland birds, including Spoonbill, Bittern, Pygmy Cormorant and Bearded Reedling. The vast grasslands are home to the magnificent Great Bustard which has a healthy population in the area. The fishpond systems of the Hortobágy attract numerous waders and other waterfowl, and the profusion of bird life always attracts some of the area's White-tailed Eagles. Another highlight could be the post-breeding gatherings of the handsome Dotterel, which arrives by mid-August and spends a period of about two months on the Southern steppes of the park in moult. We hope to find a flock or two, and as they are usually very tame we could have good views of them. Stone-Curlews are also gathering at their traditional sites, and it is not too difficult to find them during the afternoons when they are feeding more actively in the short grass of the steppe. Long-eared Owls use the same spots over the years to gather in huge numbers during winter, and we will visit a place where one of these roosts may just be starting to form. Syrian Woodpecker is also typical in the gardens of small villages. If we are lucky we might still see the impressive gathering of hundreds of, and sometimes over a thousand Red-footed Falcons, as they come to their night roost. We will probably enjoy views of some other typical breeding birds such as Penduline Tit, and some late migrants such as Roller, Red -backed Shrike and Serin. Overnight Hortobágy Day 3 We continue our journey eastwards, towards Romania. Pretty soon we reach the first hills of Transylvania, crossing them at King Pass, an excellent viewpoint. Transylvania is a huge area, bordered by the ridges of the Carpathian Mts. a few hundred miles away to the east and south. It is the historical homeland of the Seclers, ethnic Hungarians living in Romania. We may stop in either Kalotaszentkirály or Kšršsf_ where the original folklore and culture still prevail. We will make several short stops for birds until we arrive in the heart of the Harghita Mountains, an area of ancient forests, hand cut meadows and exciting mammals such as Brown Bear, Lynx, and Wolf. Overnight near Székelyudvarhely Day 4 We start to explore the beautiful forests and meadows of the Harghita Mountains. Here we will search for typical mountain species such as Three-toed Woodpecker, Black Woodpecker, White-backed Woodpecker and Common Crossbill. The elusive Ural Owl is to be found in the beech forest, but we need luck to spot these perfectly camouflaged birds. Along the mountain streams we will find Dipper, and in the areas of dense lower vegetation we might be lucky to flush a Hazel Grouse or attract one with a special whistle. After an early dinner we will have our first chance to go to one of the bear-watching hides. Depending on the success of this evening, we have a second chance the following day. Overnight near Székelyudvarhely Day 5 We start the day early, as we are heading to the lek site of the rare Capercaillie which has a short displaying period during autumn. This is probably the best area for the species in Eastern Europe, but it is often tricky to get a good view of this magnificent bird. Early morning can also give us the chance to spot them perched on the tops of the huge spruces. The beautiful meadow near the peak holds Water Pipit, while Raven and Peregrine appear regularly. Our short walk along the forest road might bring us Crested Tit, Treecreeper and hopefully Nutcracker. After our picnic lunch we have a little rest and then a short drive takes us to the bear-watching hides. Overnight near Székelyudvarhely Day 6 Today is Wallcreeper day, in one of the very few places where it is possible to see this star bird without a long and arduous walk. The dramatic walls of the Bicaz Gorge hold several pairs of Wallcreeper in the summer, and some of them are still around at this time, sometimes even feeding a few feet away from the road. This wonderful place also gives us the opportunity to buy some handicraft souvenirs typical for the region, or we can scan the cliffs for Chamois, which has a healthy population here. On the way home we will stop in the small village of Senete that lies in a charming basin where the neighbouring wet sub-alpine meadows of thick peat-moss layer hold Great Grey Shrike, Nutcracker, Common Crossbill while Lesser Spotted Eagle may be seen on passage either here or in Hungary. Overnight near Székelyudvarhely Day 7 Today we leave the Harghita area and drive westwards towards the World Heritage village of Rimetea , also known by its Hungarian name Torockó, where we can enjoy the excellent local cuisine. We stay in a superb family-run hotel, with the stunning views of the nearby massive Secler Rock, towering above us up to 1,200 m. The area boasts wonderful tranquil scenery: a unique landscape dotted with tiny farms of the local people whose life has hardly changed for centuries: men work and travel using buffaloes and donkeys, while women wash the clothes in the streams. It is like a trip through time that will be hard to forget! Overnight near Torockó Day 8 In the morning we will visit the breathtaking Turda Gorge where both Syrian Woodpecker and Golden Eagle can occur, but we will have another chance to see Rock Bunting and also Great Grey Shrike. After a short visit to this scenic place we head back towards Hungary to spend our last night in the Hortobágy. Overnight Hortobágy Day 9 After breakfast we will have a short birding walk before leaving the Hortobágy and heading to Budapest to catch our return flight home, with birdwatching en route if time permits. Accommodation: Good hotels with all rooms en suite. For lunches we usually visit some excellent local restaurants, or picnic in the forest. Leader: Gabor Orban Numbers: Max. 14 clients |
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