Best time to travel:
Climate:
Southern Hungary provides a temperate Continental climate and each season brings tis own colours, crops and weather patterns.
Spring: The average temperature is between 5 and 20 degrees Celsius. This is a lovely time to visit this part of the country. Wild flowers adorn the meadows and you will likely see lots of the area’s wildlife. Rain showers are possible at every time of the day
Summer: The average temperature in summer is between 10 and 30 degrees Celsius. It can get hot during the day and the sunshine brings plenty of crops to the fields. Lush green meadows and beautiful arrays of locally-grown vegetables and fruit decorate the area. You will likely see some wildlife. Rain showers and some thunderstorms can occur. This season is for people who like the Mediterranean weather and adore the sun.
Autumn: Now the average temperature will be back to 5 to 15 degrees in the Puszta. The days will most likely, still bring pleasant daytime temperatures and sunshine. It now is time to harvest the fields of pumpkins, paprika and all the other crops. The forests turn into pools of red and gold, as the autumn colours take hold. You will still be able to see the local wildlife. Rain showers can occur.
Winter: From November on there will be no more riding, as the horses will have their well deserved winter-break. The average temperature is between 0 and 10 degrees Celsius. Around Christmas there is usually the first snow and clients will likely see a lot of the local wildlife.
Events throughout the year:
May till September:
Bugac Puszta Horse show:
Bugac is the largest separate area of the Kiskunsag National Park. A region with a wealth of outstanding natural beauty and environmental value, the Bugac area includes the highly protected Native Juniper Grove (Osborokas), sand dune forests and sand plains, marshes, bogs, boggy meadows, wet grasslands, sodic lakes and sodic plains. The sand-dune forests of junipers and poplars accommodate numerous rare species of plants and animals.
The entrance to the Bugac area of the Kiskunsag National Park is at ‘Karikas Csarda’ (Karikas Inn), where admission tickets and information leaflets are available. Near the entrance replicas of ancient shepherd’s buildings, made of reed and wood, are displayed. The plain (puszta) can be approached on foot or by horse-drawn carriage. The cone-shape building of the ‘Pasztormuzeum’ (Shepherds Museum) houses an exhibition of the typical flora and fauna of the region, and of the life of the shepherds in the plains around Kecskemet. Horse shows, which are offered daily in the high season, demonstrate the skillfulness of the range men of Bugac and some of the old shepherd’s traditions in the region. Ancient-origin farm animals grazing in the neighborhood revive the one-time atmosphere of the puszta.
June till August:
Mòrahalom Horse Theatre
The horse theatre present 5 performances every year. For detailed program and dates please ask at the reception of Homoki Lodge.
July till August:
Szeged Open Air Festival
This is the largest cultural festival in Hungary. The outdoor theatre in front of the Votive Church seats up to 6000 people. Main events include an opera, an operetta, a play, folk dancing, classical music, ballet and a rock opera.
August:
Kurultaj Festival.
Mid-August you can enjoy one of the most amazing annual events of Hungary. Every second summer, the outskirts of the village of Bugac resound to beating drums, whip cracks, traditional Turkic music and the rumble of galloping hooves as people and horses gather in the dusty steppe of central Hungary.
Many come clad as if ready for medieval battle, in leather and metal armour and wielding swords and shields, while others carry banners and strike resonant metal “singing” bowls that bear strange runic symbols.
They are here for Kurultaj, billed as “a tribal assembly of the Hun-Turkic nations, a celebration of the preservation of (their) ancient traditions”, which last weekend drew more than 250,000 people from as far apart as the Balkans, the Caucasus and central Asia.
Groups representing some 27 nations re-enacted battles and performed displays of everything from horsemanship, hand-to-hand combat and archery, to folk singing, dancing and shamanic fire and drumming rituals.
Tours to all events can be arranged.
Flights to Homoki Lodge:
Direct flights from London to Budapest are offered by Ryan Air, Easy Jet and British Airways. Airport transfers can be arranged.
Getting Around:
The easiest way to get around is to book an airport transfer and use the tours that Homoki offers. You can also take a rental car, but I suggest a transfer, as this is much easier.
The Riding:
You will be riding English style, leisure riding. Homoki has 16 horses all Hungarian warmblood. The horses at Homoki are fit, strong and healthy. Horses are kept in a herd nomad style, like this the horses have time to sort their hierarchy and are then working relaxed under the rider. The group size is up to 6 riders.
Tack:
Hungarian trail saddle, based on the Magyars ancestors. This is a traditional long distance saddle. The bridle has a snaffle bit. Waterbottles can be tight to the saddle and leather strings enable you to tighten your vest or coat.
Recommended Riding Cloths:
Jumpers, jodhpur boots or long riding boots, half or full chaps, long sleeve shirt, fleece jacket, gloves and rain protection. Adults over 18-years old do not need to wear a helmet, though highly recommended for your own safety.
Children:
Children at the age of 14 years old and over, if accompanied by their parents, are allowed to join the rides
Weight allowance for riders:
85kg/187lb and the maximum body height is 200cm/6.5lb.
Though as we know, an experienced rider, who may exceed the weight limit, may ride very light on the horse’s back. So, please do check with us first.
Travel Essentials:
Before you go:
Visas & Passports – Passports must be valid for at least 6 months. Visas are not necessary for UK passport holders. Other nationalities should check with the local embassy.
Insurance – We strongly recommend that you take out a policy to cover theft, loss, and medical issues. Please visit our page on travel insurance for further information. It is a good idea to photocopy and scan all relevant documents – passport, travel insurance policy, etc. – and leave one copy at home. Carry another copy with you, separate from the originals and digital versions on your smartphone.
Electricity – 220v. You will need UK-European Plug adaptors.
Currency – Euros are easy to get in the UK and it’s worth shopping around to avoid airport rates. If you are very organised you can get a pre-paid currency card, which you can use in a similar way to a debit card. We recommend Revolut and Monzo.
Clothing – The temperature varies enormously depending on the time of year. The evenings during spring and autumn tend to be a little cooler. The weather has the potential to be a little unpredictable even in mid-summer. Therefore it is worth taking an extra layer.
Driving Licence – All car rental companies accept UK photo drivers license. Although not all companies require a Driving License Code, we would recommend obtaining one before you collect your car. You can do this through the DVLA website (https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence) and you will need: your driving licence number, your National Insurance numbers, the postcode on your driving licence
While you are here:
Time difference – 1 hour ahead of UK time.
Telephone – Dial 0044 or +44 for a UK number.
The Hungarian international code is +36
Tipping – Normally you tip around 10% at restaurants. It is not necessary to tip taxis. We recommend the following amounts for local guides based on your experience: €10 per person for a half day tour and €15-€20 per person for a full day tour.
