Bird photo Hungary

14-20 May 2025

Bird photo Hungary

14-20 May 2025

Price: 24,500 SEK per person in double room (excluding flights)
Single room supplement: 2,000 SEK

Roller / Hoopoe / Red-footed Falcon / Bee-eaters / Kingfishers / Black-winged Stilt

Bird photo in Hungary

Hungary has become known as a hotspot for bird photography, not least thanks to photo hide pioneer Bence Maté, who has created several innovative hides. We have chosen another partner in Hungary, possibly with less exclusive hides, but the birds are the same and the photo opportunities are excellent. We stay at the same lodge all week and have close access to the hides. During our days in Hungary, we will strive to capture as many great bird photos as the weather and our memory cards allow.

Have a look at one of our trip reports!

Species and hides

Here you can photograph birds up close, such as Rollers, Bee-eaters, Red-footed Falcons, Hoopoes, and many waterfowls (Herons, Waders, Ducks, Grebes), Little Owl, Middle-spotted Woodpecker, European Turtle Dove, Nightingale, and more. In the hides, we sit two to three people per session and flexibly switch between hides and photographers to ensure everyone is satisfied. Each individual hide is designed to optimize the opportunity for bird photography, placed in the right environment considering both species, surroundings, background, and light.

Tower hides: There are two separate tower hides where you can photograph in three different directions through window glass. The target species here include Roller, Red-footed Falcon, Kestrel, sometimes Lesser Grey Shrike, Hoopoe, Bee-eater, Eurasian golden oriole, Green Woodpecker, as bonus species (accommodates 2-3 people). The Falcons and Rollers nest in nest boxes, the Rollers also in low, natural trunks (4-5 different locations, from fixed and movable hides with one-way windows) at a distance of about 7-9 m. There are different set-ups for morning and evening light.

Bee-eaters are active from mid-May (2-3 spots available for photographing from both fixed and movable hides. Two of them are located in open fields, where the birds nest on horizontal ground (about 10-20 pairs) and in a sand and gravel pit (about 10-15 pairs) together with a colony of Sand Martins.

There are hides in front of water pools – hereafter referred to as drinking pools – which attract birds in the relatively dry climate: including finches (Hawfinch, Greenfinch, Siskin, Chaffinch, Goldfinch), Woodpeckers (Great-spotted Woodpecker, Middle-spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, sometimes Lesser-spotted Woodpecker). Drinking pools are located in 4 different habitats (dense and open forest environment, older fruit orchard, open grasslands with bushes (”puszta”)). This allows for a fairly large selection of species to come forward: even European Turtle Dove, Red-backed Shrike, and Nightingale. During dry periods, more species come, but it is usually only in the summer.

For whom?

This is a dedicated photo trip where you spend a lot of time with a relatively small number of species to get the best possible pictures. There are early mornings and also evening sessions, though not in darkness. In other words, a trip for the devoted bird photographer.

Freedom of choice

Depending on the interest within the group, those who wish can also exchange a morning or evening session for birdwatching. Kiskunság National Park offers a fantastic range of environments to visit, and there are good chances of spotting species such as the Imperial Eagle, Saker Falcon, Collared Pratincole, Montagu’s Harrier, Stone-Curlew, Mediterranean Gull and Great Bustard. Of course, individuals can always choose whether they want to skip a morning or evening session to simply relax or enjoy the surroundings of the lodge.

Season and time

We travel in the first half of May when the migratory birds have just arrived, and the breeding season is in full swing. Rollers, Bee-eaters, and Red-footed Falcons are all insect-eaters that typically arrive in late April to early May. Hoopoes and Little Owls are further along in their breeding activities by then. The spring is consistently warm and sunny, but chilly mornings and cooler weather can occur.

Environments

Kiskunság National Park harbors a variety of environments, from steppe and savannah to wetlands and deciduous forest. The Tisza River, which is the country’s second-largest river, along with the Tisza Valley plains, forms a vital part of the country’s ecology. Alkaline lakes and vast sandy plains, small groves, reed beds, and wetlands make the area a paradise for both migrating and breeding birds. Thanks to the diversity of habitats, there is a wide range of bird species found here.

Food and accommodation

We will be staying at the rural and cozy Oriole Lodge on the edge of the beautiful river plain, just a stone’s throw away from the 10-15 photo hides where we will spend the best hours of the day. The lodge is equipped with meals and Wi-Fi, and in the evenings, we will dine together at a restaurant within walking distance from the lodge.

Traveling and route

We will fly (or take the train) to Budapest, where we will meet our guide and host, István Bártol. We will be located around Tiszaalpár on the outskirts of Kiskunság National Park in central Hungary. Tiszaalpár is a one and a half hour drive from the airport (119 km), and depending on the time of day we arrive, we will have the opportunity to familiarize ourselves with the area, the birds, and the photo hides.

The days are divided into two sessions: for the morning session, we will be driven to the hides about half an hour before sunrise (around 5:30 am) and stay inside until the light and temperature are pleasant (around 9:30 am). After that, we will have time for reviewing images, lunch, and a midday rest. For the evening session, we will leave the lodge in the afternoon (around 3:30 pm) and stay until evening (around 7:30-8:00 pm). This schedule gives us ample opportunities and plenty of time to alternate between photography and rest.

Local guide

This trip is one of the few trips we offer without a Swedish leader. Our local guide has been working with us for several years and is very accustomed to Swedish groups. He will meet us at the airport in Budapest and will be our host and guide throughout our stay in Hungary. István is known as a highly dedicated and skilled guide, host, and photo hide inventor.

Practical information

When: May 14-20, 2025

Price: 24,500 SEK per person in double room (excluding flights)
Single room supplement: 2,000 SEK

Note! We reserve the right to adjust the price if local conditions or currency fluctuations justify it. Minor adjustments to the start and end times of the trip may also sometimes be necessary.

Number of participants
Minimum number of participants: 6
Maximum number of participants: 8

What’s included: Full board in double rooms at Orioles Lodge (A rustic, simpler accommodation close to birds and hides), local guide throughout the trip, access to all hides according to the schedule made on-site.

Not included: Flight ticket Sweden-Budapest (estimated price 3,500 SEK), alcohol, souvenirs, and other personal expenses, tips for the local guide/driver (we usually collect around 100 SEK per person for each at the end of the trip if we are satisfied).

Registration fee: Once you have registered, we will send you an invoice for 5,000 SEK as a registration fee. This guarantees your place on the trip.