Responsible tourism in Hungary
So what – are we telling you that you shouldn’t go? Not at all. Just tread thoughtfully. Even better, use a tour operator that knows Hungary’s best and worst bits. They’ll tweak your trip so that Hungarians, wildlife and the environment benefit from your trip – and you benefit from avoiding the characterless cacophony of mass tourism. Read on to find out how to be a responsible tourist in Hungary.
Our Hungary Holidays
Prague to Budapest cycling holiday
A wonderfully contrasting ride through the heart of Europe
Northern Hungary luxury villas
Eco-friendly luxury amidst scenic beauty.
Bird watching tours in Hungary
Visit Bukk N.P. with a birding specialist
Bird watching short break to Hungary
Visit Bukk National Park with a birding specialist
Danube cycling holiday, self guided
Discove the compelling history of the Danube
Vienna to Budapest cycle ride, self guided
Enjoy rides along the Danube from Austria to Hungary
South Eastern Europe motorcycle tours
Enjoy South Eastern Europe with friendly guides + good bikes
Eastern europe by train, the Iron Curtain tour
Whizz around Europe's lesser-visited cities by rail!
Eastern Europe tour by rail
Cities, scenery & coasts: Travel from Berlin to the Balkans!
Budapest to Bucharest tour
Explore Eastern Europe's Hungary and Romania
Balkan group tour
A 2 week adventure through Eastern Europe's hidden gems!
Highlights of Central Europe tour
Experience the incredible highlights of Central Europe
Eastern Europe small group tour
Explore the best of Eastern Europe's least visited regions
Highlights of Eastern Europe holiday
Discover Krakow, Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna and Prague
Budapest to Venice tour
Experience the best of Hungary, Italy and the Balkans
Balkan adventure holiday, 15 days
From Hungary through to Croatia
Vienna to Budapest tour
Travel five countries for memories to last a lifetime
People & culture
Overtourism
“I think the right tour guide can make the experience too. They can say to you, ‘Look, I know this is what Google promotes, but it’s actually overpriced and really touristy now, so it’s not worth it. This is where you should go instead.’ All the guides I’ve met have done it because they love it and they’re passionate about it. For a lot of our guides, it gives them a new passion for the city and it also gives them a new challenge to find different places. For example, we’re now seeing more gluten free and vegan travellers. And if you’re not vegan, you might have never looked up where to eat vegan in Budapest, even if you’ve lived there your whole life.”
What you can do:
History, politics & borders
What you can do:
Environment & wildlife
Low carbon travel
Vivien Urban, from our activity holiday specialists Exodus Travels, spoke about exploring her home country by bike and boot: “Cycling in Hungary is easy, especially along the Danube River, as this is a flat terrain. Cycling through villages is a great experience on the bike – you can see and experience more. The countryside is not so touristy and the people are welcoming. There are good bird watching opportunities in the national parks and Lake Balaton is stunning. There are some great hiking routes, especially in the north part of the country.”
What you can do:
Wildlife & national parks
Traditionally, Hungary has favoured small-scale, low intensity farms and vineyards. That’s largely down to the world wars, revolutions and Soviet collectivism that have resulted in agricultural practices far less industrialised than much of Europe. UNESCO even goes so far as to call the traditional seasonal grazing of livestock in Hortobagy National Park an ‘intangible heritage’. Farmers here have followed the natural rhythms of the land for almost 2,000 years, avoiding wringing dry the land that birds and wildlife rely on.But times they are a-changing. Hungary has one of Europe’s quickest growing agriculture sectors, with crop production growing by over 60 percent between 2010 and 2018. That’s great for pulling rural communities out of poverty, but a shock to the uniquely biodiverse woodlands and plains, plus the 400-plus species of birds that rely on that undisturbed land. Growth without environmental checks is a concern.
What you can do:
Horse shows & horse breeding
Hungary is horse country, its studs famously bred as strong cavalry steeds. Most holidays offer you the chance to go to the Babolna Horse and Stud Museum. You can read about the ethics of horse breeding and decide whether it’s for you. Animal welfare is very unlikely an issue; Hungary has incredibly strict equine welfare standards and a historically whole-hearted love for the animals.Puszta horsemanship shows are a different story. Horses are trained to sit and lie down: useful when in battle or avoiding highwaymen on the plains; not so great when they’re doing it for tourist tips. The claim that these moves preserve ancient Magyar cowboy traditions is a little flimsy. In reality, many of these flashy moves – including the acrobatic ‘Puszta Five’ – were invented in the 20th century, when the semi-nomadic way of life of the Puszta herdspeople was busy being romanticised by Austrian artist Ludwig Koch.
What you can do: