Hungary - Puszta Trail

Please Note: The opinions expressed in these reviews are the author's and do not necessarily reflect the views of Unicorn Trails Ltd. These reviews are "directly from the horses mouth" and unedited. Unicorn Trails may make additional comments for clarification clearly identified in red.

Review received from AR of Northampton on 13/06/2019

Additional stay in Budapest:
Budapest is a beautiful city and well worth a visit in its own right. Highlights include: a night time cruise on the Danube; a spa experience at the magnificent historical Gellert Baths; the Chain Bridge across the Danube, Buda Castle, St Stephen's Basilica, Parliament Buildings and Heroe's Square to name but a few. The city centre is compact and most sights are easily accessible on foot.

Reading List
We're avid readers here at Unicorn Trails and have selected several books connected to this ride. If you're interested in reading more about the area before you travel, or want to get into the cultural background, here are some suggestions that may inspire you. Click on the links for more information.

There are no shortage of books on Hungary and it’s political past such as Hungary, A Brief History – Istran Lazar, however on a lighter note:

Between the Woods and the Water – Patrick Leigh Fermor,

Stealing from a Deep Place – Brian Hall

Vagabond – Jeremy James.

Please note: All itineraries are given for your guidance only and it may be altered on the ground and in accordance with the prevailing conditions by the organising team.

The horses are a mix of Hungarian half-blood, Kisbéri, Arabian half-blood and Thoroughbred mostly a fair size (15:2-17hh) with a few 14-15hh. They are all experienced trail horses and are kept in very good condition (rest period from November to March), warmblooded and forward going. The tack used on this ride is English and the riding style is English. The light sandy soil makes the region perfect for riding under any weather conditions and offers a varied landscape just perfect to ride through. Riding timing: usually about 2 hrs in the morning (starting at 9-10 am) followed by a picnic break and then 2-3hrs in the afternoon. Arrival at our overnight accommodation usually at 4-5 pm. The going is mainly sandy and ideal for long canters.

Riders should be experienced, be comfortable spending up to five hours a day in the saddle and have a secure seat at walk, trot and canter. A lot of ground is covered and there are some opportunities for faster riding. There is assistance with mounting and dismounting if required and no steep terrain or drop offs are encountered en-route.

The weight limit for this ride is 198 lb/90 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.

This is above average for Eastern Europe and all nights have twin or double bedrooms with private bathroom. At the farm base there is a 'swimming pond' rather than a swimming pool, which is ideal for a refreshing dip. At the accommodation during the trail there is a swimming pool available every night. All hotels have an on-site restaurant. The food is varied and filling.

Vegetarian or other dietary requirements can be accommodated with advanced notice. Please contact Unicorn Trails with requests.

Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct documentation in place for your trip. If Visa’s are required the requirements can change from year to year depending on diplomatic relations. Please request information from the appropriate Consulate in your home country. Unicorn Trails will assist with any questions you have or supply any necessary supporting documents as required by the consulate on request.

General information:

Visa are not required for U.K. or other European nationals. In the UK the British Foreign Office gives travel advice on travel insurance, passport and visas, health and vaccinations, legal issues and emergency issues. They can be reached on 0207 008 0232/0233 or at www.fco.gov.uk.

The British Embassy in Budapest is at Harmincad Utca 6, Budapest 1051. Tel: +(36) (1) 266 2888. Email: info@britemb.hu.

The Hungarian Embassy in the U.K is at 35 Eaton Place, London SW1X 8BY. Telephone: (020) 7201 3440. Email: office@huemblon.org.uk.

The best times to ride in Hungary are May, June, September and October. July and August can be hot and winter time a little chilly. The terrain is always good for riding as the sand absorbs water immediately, and the temperatures in November are also nice during the day (8-15 degrees). If it is very cold you can choose the beautiful thermal bath instead of riding which is 18 km away from the accommodation.

For up to date information on specific health concerns please contact the Medical Advisors For Travellers Abroad. Their website can be found at www.masta.org

Sunscreen is advisable in the summer months as there is little shade on the plains.

Voltage is the same as in the UK and most appliances such as battery chargers for videos, hair dryers etc. can be plugged in with appropriate adapters. These are available for purchase at most airports and travel shops.

Mobile phones can be used for almost the whole trail. There is electricity for recharging at each overnight accommodation. Internet access is possible using wireless mobile devices and at some of the overnight stops there are PCs for guests to use. Please bring appropriate adaptors.

Due to the variable nature of the climate it is best to be prepared for all events.
Riding pants - jeans or breeches
Lightweight Rainwear (recommended for March/April and Sept/Oct)
Riding boots, paddock boots or long boots
Lipbalm with sunscreen
Half chaps (optional)
Riding gloves
Sunblock
Riding hat with brim
Sunglasses
Hard hat (recommended)
T-shirts and shorts
Mobile phone
Sandals or flip flops
Camera with strap/pouch
Long sleeved shirts
Binoculars (recommended)
Heavy sweater or sweatshirt
Warm Jacket
Informal wear for evenings
Bumbag for camera and sunscreen
Water bottle that can be attached to the saddle
Swimsuit

Towels are included at the accommodation

A trail ride and a based programme is available on set date departures comprising 8 days / 7 nights / 6 riding days, please see the website for more details.

2019: 24 (Full), 31 (Full) Aug; 7 (Full), 14 (Full), 21 (Full), 28 (Full) Sept; 5, 12, 19 Oct.
2020: 28 Mar; 18 Apr; 9, 16, 23 May; 6, 13, 20 Jun; 11, 18 Jul; 1, 29 Aug; 5, 12, 26 Sept; 3, 17, 24 Oct.

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There are no shortage of books on Hungary and it’s political past such as Hungary, A brief History – Istvan Lazar, however on a lighter note ‘Between The Woods and Water’ – Patrick Leigh Fermor, ‘Stealing From a Deep Place’ – Brian Hall and straight from the horse’s mouth ‘Vagabond’ – Jeremy James. For an excellent selection of equestrian travel and adventure books visit www.horsetravelbooks.com (part of the Long Rider’s Guild)

Hiking and Bird watching on nature trail.

The Kiskunsag National Park is an area of specialised flora and fauna. The juniper woodlands and extended meadows are typical of the region but thre are many types of forests (birch, acacia, poplar etc). The abundant vegetation is a haven for numerous roe deer, hares, pheasants, wild hogs, storks, great bustards and the indigenous Hungarian Grey cattle. Oxen and sheep also live extensively in the meadows.

Hungary is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It is mostly flat, with low mountains in the north and north-east and to the north-west of Lake Balaton (Western Hungary). Hungary has some limited natural resources as well as fertile soils and arable land.

Hungary is a democratic republic. It joined the European Union on 1 May 2004. It played an important role in the fall of Communism in 1989 by opening its borders allowing East Germans to enter Western Europe.

Hungary is a heart-stealer; it will lure you back again and again to sample its rich wines, lounge in its thermal spas, gaze at its birdlife and make one more attempt to master its hermetic language. It has all the luxury of western Europe with a Magyar twist.

Its graceful capital Budapest has a lively arts, cafe and music scene, and is host to a range of cultural and sporting festivals. In the countryside you'll find majestic plains, resort-lined lakes, Baroque towns, horse markets and rustic villages.

Hungary is on GMT plus one hour and they use the metric weights and measures system, so kilometres and kilograms instead of miles and pounds. There is approximately 1.6 kilometres in a mile and 2.2 pounds in a kilogram. The international dialling code for Hungary is +36.