Nature tourism in Northern Hungary

The Bükk Hills, situated in Northeastern Hungary, are the highest of all dolomite-limestone hills in the country. The central part, the Bükk Plateau, averages 800 m (2400 feet) on average above see level. Steep slopes, magnificent cliffs, ravines and narrow canyons make this park unique and unforgettable. Most of the hills is covered with deciduous forests, particularly oaks, hornbeam and beech. On the southern slopes there are extensive meadows with scrub vegetation, while on the northern face, mostly beech dominates the forests.
The deep forests with low disturbance provide home for many raptors, such as Booted eagle, Lesser spotted eagle, Honey buzzard, and Short-toed eagle as well as to the extremely rare Hazel grouse. At higher elevations Red-breasted and Collared flycatchers nest with many other birds such as Mistle thrush, Ring ouzel, White-backed and Black woodpecker.
The highest part of the hills, the plateau is characterized with gently rolling surface with sudden circular depressions called "töbör" (a typical karst phenomenon) where junipers and colorful meadows dominate the landscape. This is the realm of Ravens and many large raptors, and also a small but extremely rare little creature, the Mountain argus (Aricia artaxerxes). These meadows host many rare plants, including fire lilies, Moldavian monk's hoods, and Little dragonheads. The magnificent cliffs at the southern edge of the plateau offer breathtaking views to the south, and are the place where vagrant Wallcreepers have occassionally been seen.
The park is extremely rich in rare or attractive plants and flowers; most of them are relics of a past colder climate, or remnants of the original flora of the surrounding plains. The cool, northerly valleys host the Yellow wood violet, Cimicifuga and the Glorious garlic, all being characteristic of the high mountains of the north. Where some volcanic rocks appear on the surface making the soil acidic, Cowberry, Billberry, wintergreens occur.
In the valleys, several permanent and some intermittent streams provide fresh water for wildlife. Szalajka-patak is one of them, which is also the best place to see the rare Dipper. The park's few and strictly protected Eagle owls and Rock thrushes nest in the old and abandoned rock quarries. The dry rocky slopes just above the still operating quarry at Bélapátfalva are strictly protected for the occurrence of the endemic Ferula, and Hungarian calamint.
The southern open slopes and the nearby agricultural fields with several Souslik colonies are the hunting grounds for Sakers and Imperial eagles that regularly nest among the hills. These drier meadows on the slopes are particularly colorful in spring and early summer. A vast number of wildflowers bloom at this time including Pasqueflowers, Yellow pheasant's eye, geraniums, orchids such as the Bug, Burnt, Elder-flowered, Violet bird's nest and Pyramidal orchid, and many others. This is heaven not only for plant hunters but for "bug" watchers as well because of the huge number of insect species, especially butterflies, beetles and grasshoppers, among which the unique large Saga pedo is a rare but memorable sight. One of the best places to experience this richness is on the trails of the Nagyeged Hill, just north of Eger, where such rarities can be viewed as the Early spider orchid, Grassleaved iris, Adenophora and many others.
Of the larger animals Elk, Wildboar and the introduced Mountain sheep are abound, and the once extinct Grey wolf and shy Lynx have also returned in small numbers to their former hunting grounds.


Best time of the year: all year round
Closest large towns: Eger, Miskolc

Zemplén Hills form esentially an inner part of the great arch of the Carpathian Mountains. Volcanic in origin, its narrow valleys and steep hillsides covered with dense forests offer unforgettable sigths for the visitor. Although located in the remotest northeastern corner of the country, these hills bear many signs of human presence. The most notable of these are several castle and fortress ruins, of which the most spectacular is the Castle of Füzér, sitting atop of an isolated volcanic cone. The flora and fauna resembles to that of the Carpathians in many respects. On the Füzér Hill for example, there are several plant species that do not occur anywhere else in the country. Zemplén Hills are also the only place where Golden eagles nest in the country, or Ural owls can be seen. Other raptors, such as the Imperial eagle, Honey buzzard, Lesser spotted eagle also occur here. The old abandoned quarries are the refuges for Sakers, Eagle owls, and the threatened Rock thrush. Along the rapid streams rare ferns (struccharaszt) and colorful wildflowers (Purple toothwort, Elecampane) are abound. This is the habitat of the Alpine salamandra and the Dipper. Due to their increasing populations in the Carpathians, Grey wolf, whose howling can regularly be heard around Telkibánya, and Lynx have recently returned to the forests of the Zemplén Hills. Of the larger mammals Elk, Wildboar, the introduced Mountain sheep are common, and occassionally a stray Brown bear or at least its tracks can also be seen.


Best time of the year: March-June, September-November
Closest larger towns: Szerencs, Sárospatak

For serious birders the professional quarterly journal of the Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Protection Society, Túzok (formerly: Madártani Tájékoztató) is highly recommended.