The Hortobágyi National Park – the Puszta World Heritage Site covers almost 75,000 hectares in the Great Hungarian Plain in eastern Hungary. This cultural landscape preserves visible evidence of more than 2,000 years of traditional pastoralism. In Hajdú-Bihar, nature watching and shepherd culture go hand in hand with museums, exhibitions and other ways to discover the region.
The Puszta, birdlife and trails
The Hortobágyi-halastó pond system has several protected and World Heritage designations: it is a Ramsar site, an Important Bird Area, part of the World Heritage Site and a Natura 2000 site. Visitors who want to explore the landscape on foot can choose from 3.6-, 5.4- or 10-kilometre routes on the Hortobágyi-halastó nature trail. None has any difficult sections. The different lengths make it easier to choose a route that suits your outing.
There are also different ways to learn about the wildlife. Hortobágy Wildlife Park showcases animals of the Hungarian Puszta, including wolves, Przewalski’s horses, vultures and pelicans. A bookable Land Rover safari, led by an expert, takes visitors to see wild horses and aurochs. The “Nature of Hortobágy” exhibition in the visitor centre offers further insights into the landscape’s rich flora and fauna.
The crane migration is a popular event throughout Hortobágy. Around 1,500 visitors watch the cranes at feeding grounds during the day and at their roosts at sunset. The “The World of Cranes” exhibition at the visitor centre explores the topic: a diorama, tactile objects, quiz questions, a magnetic puzzle and a digital drawing board combine learning and entertainment for all ages. If you are planning your trip around the crane migration, check dates and visiting conditions in advance.
Experiences between landscape and history
A roughly 90-minute carriage ride through the Hortobágy Puszta offers insights into natural and cultural history, as well as shepherd traditions. Check the current timetable before your visit. Another excursion option is the Zsuzsi Forest Railway, which runs seasonally to the Hármashegy rest forest and provides access to additional tourist attractions there. Its history dates back to 1882: the narrow-gauge railway was originally built to transport timber from the Gúth forests near Debrecen.
The Shepherd Museum presents the lives of shepherds through handmade clothing, tools and decorated personal items. It is housed in a former wagon shed that was part of the Hortobágyi Csárda complex. The exhibition in the Hortobágyi Csárda explores the history of the inn, transport across the Puszta and its famous guests; it also offers historical costume try-ons and a photo spot. The Körszín exhibition features workshops furnished to faithfully represent traditional crafts, including saddlery, pottery, blacksmithing, hatmaking and wagon building.
The visitor centre also provides information about programmes and events and sells products by local craftspeople, as well as books and T-shirts. This makes it easy to combine an exhibition visit with practical trip planning. For an outing focused on the landscape and traditional work, Hortobágy offers different ways to explore: a nature trail, wildlife watching, a carriage ride and exhibitions on cultural history.
Museums and discoveries in other towns
In Hajdúböszörmény, the Hajdúság Museum is housed in the former seat of Hajdú County and preserves the region’s history. In Álmosd, the village museum has permanent exhibitions covering 100 square metres on the town’s archaeological periods, its history and traditional peasant culture. An exhibition in Ferenc Kölcsey’s former home explores the life of the poet, who spent his childhood and part of his adult life there.
Balmazújváros offers further insights into crafts and social history. The Veres Péter Memorial House shows the living conditions of the poor peasant population in the late 1930s and early 1940s, as well as Veres Péter’s experiences in the house. The Mihalkó House explores a family tradition of hatmaking dating back to the 1800s; hats and other folk art objects are also on display. Visits are possible only by prior appointment. Arrange your visit before travelling. The Semsey Castle houses the Semsey Andor Museum and a Tourinform office.
Debrecen-Bánk has its own focus: the exhibition house presents the area’s plant and animal life, as well as material evidence of rural life. The grounds include a 15-hectare arboretum with deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs. In Bakonszeg, the Bessenyei Memorial House is a museum in a mud-brick house with a reed roof.
Plan your overnight stay around your interests
Cycling enthusiasts can travel the Hajdú-Bihar section of the Alföldi Kéktúra on foot or by bike. Another circular cycling route starts and ends in Debrecen and passes through, among other places, Hajdúböszörmény, Balmazújváros, Hajdúszoboszló, Berettyóújfalu and Álmosd. No specific route length is given here, so plan your route based on the stages that suit you and the information available about the route.
Choose where to stay based on the destinations you actually plan to visit, and check the routes between them. In Hajdúszoboszló, Hungarospa is open year-round from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and has three indoor thermal pools and four outdoor pools. Its certified medicinal water enables medically supervised treatments supported by health insurance. Check opening hours before your visit; timetables and booking conditions can also change.
Discover more destinations: Debrecen, Berettyóújfalu, Derecske-Létavértes, Balmazújváros, Püspökladány, Hajdúszoboszló, Hajdúböszörmény, Hajdúhadház, Polgár.
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