Butterflies of Hungary

Tour Code: HUN02

An 8-day butterfly holiday to the Aggtelek and Bükk National Parks in north-eastern Hungary.

8 days from
£2,795
Land only price from
£2,495
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Highlights

Summary

Summary

Home to 150 butterfly species, Hungary is a firm favourite destination with lepidopterists, just as it is with ornithologists! We’ll spend three full days in Aggtelek National Park in search of the numerous fritillaries, blues, whites, coppers, hairstreaks and graylings that flourish here. For the second half of our holiday we will be based within the Bükk National Park, at the southern edge of the Carpathians. We’ll explore a variety of habitats, including Beech woods and plains, across an altitudinal range between 300 and 960 metres above sea level. Black Hairstreaks, Reverdin’s Blue and Berger’s Clouded Yellow should be among our finds, as well as a host of interesting birds, moths, damselflies and dragonflies.

  • Almost 3x the number of butterfly species found in the UK!
  • Pallas’s Fritillary, Purple Emperor & Hungarian Glider along River Bodva
  • Scarce Swallowtail, Sooty & Purple-edged Coppers, and possibly Poplar Admiral
  • Chequered, Turquoise, Silver-studded & Chapman’s Blues
  • Raptors, warblers, woodpeckers & shrikes
  • Rich butterfly fauna & flower-filled meadows
  • Led by expert naturalist guides

Grading

Easy day walks.

Hungary has long been established as one of Europe’s top birdwatching destinations but this beautiful land-locked country at the heart of the continent is less well known for its other wildlife treasures, amongst them, butterflies. Although modern farming practices are on the increase, many areas are still farmed using a variety of low intensity, wildlife-friendly techniques that have been passed down for generations. As a result, butterflies thrive, and dancing clouds of these colourful sprites are still a common sight over flower-filled meadows and sunny woodland glades. Nearly 150 species occur here – almost three times the number found in Britain – meaning Hungary is a favourite with lepidopterists. 

We begin our holiday with a flight to the nation’s capital, Budapest; a beautiful city that merits a few extra days for sightseeing either side of our tour, should you so wish. From here we travel to the Aggtelek National Park, which lies along Hungary’s border with Slovakia, about a four-hour drive from the capital. Aggtelek is situated within one of the most scenic parts of Hungary, a region rich in wildlife, history and folklore. Here, amongst a landscape which predominantly consists of rolling meadows that are still mown by hand and ploughed by horse, pretty villages lie scattered, together with patches of deciduous woodland, limestone karst and, along the River Bodva, damp water meadows. This diversity of habitats is home to a wealth of butterflies, as well as other fauna and flora, and we have our first four nights here to thoroughly explore the region in search of the numerous blues, whites, coppers, graylings, hairstreaks and fritillaries that abound. Species to look out for include Pallas’s Fritillary, High Brown Fritillary, Silver-washed Fritillary, Duke of Burgundy, Map Butterfly, Purple & Lesser Purple Emperor, Hungarian Glider, Dryad, Great Banded Grayling, Scarce Swallowtail and many, many others. The birdwatchers among us will no doubt keep an eye skyward should a Goshawk, Eastern Imperial or Short-toed Eagle pass overhead. Meanwhile, at lower levels, such species as Barred Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, Woodlark and Rock Bunting may be seen.

Leaving Aggtelek National Park, we next drive the short distance to Bükk National Park, our base for the final three nights of this holiday. The Bükk Hills lie at the southern edge of the Carpathians and rise gently from 300 metres above sea level to a maximum elevation of 960 metres. Although an upland area, most of our time will be spent exploring the deciduous woodlands and valleys in the lower reaches of the park and thus no strenuous walks will be necessary to fully appreciate this luscious area. This park is rich in butterflies – amongst the woods and over the flower-filled meadows and verges fly Scarce and Common Swallowtails, Wood Whites, Chestnut Heaths, both Brown and Purple Hairstreaks, Poplar Admirals (if very lucky), Large, Sooty and Purple-edged Coppers, Queen of Spain Fritillaries, Purple and Lesser Purple Emperors, Berger’s Clouded Yellows, and Chalk-hill, Short-tailed, Chequered, Turquoise and Reverdin’s Blues, amongst many others. Woodland edges host Black Hairstreaks whilst the Bükk’s fine old Beech woods are home to Hungarian Glider and Woodland Brown. The great Hungarian Plain begins at the foot of the Bükk Hills and we will also visit the grasslands and wetlands here in the hope of adding such species as Silver-studded Blue and Chapman’s Blue to our tally. For those with an interest in other wildlife, birds to look out for include Hawfinch, White-backed, Black and Grey-headed Woodpeckers, whilst dragonflies include Southern and Small Emerald Damselflies, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Common and Migrant Hawkers, White-tailed Skimmer and Vagrant Darter.

As an added bonus, this north-eastern region of Hungary is also famed for its full-bodied red and white wines, the fruity red ‘Bull’s Blood’ being one of its more famous exports. There will be the opportunity to try some of Hungary's best over dinner each evening... and perhaps raise a glass to the quality of the Magyar wildlife enjoyed during the week!

DETAILED INFORMATION
Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1
Fly Budapest and transfer to Aggtelek National Park
Day 2/3
Aggtelek National Park
Day 4/7
Bükk National Park
Day 8
Fly London
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What's Included

What's Included?

  • Flights
  • Accommodation:

    The first hotel will be close to Aggtelek National Park for four nights, although accommodation in the area is limited, so it is possible that we might stay just the other side of the border in the Slovakian town of Turňa nad Bodvou. The second hotel of the tour for Bükk National Park is in the village of Noszvaj and is very good quality. All rooms have private facilities.   

  • Food:

    All included in the price.

Reviews
Dates & Prices

Dates & Prices

2027

Departures Availability Cost
Fri 4th Jun – Fri 11th Jun SPACES £2,795
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Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£2,495
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£195

Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

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Why Naturetrek?

Why Naturetrek?

At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:

  • The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
  • Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
  • Outstanding value and exceptional customer service

Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!

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