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Hungarian
bat-safari.
Summary
and recommendation: A 7 day "bat-hunting" safari
at the best breeding and wintering caves of Hungary.
Destination country: Hungary. Arrive and depart Budapest.
Schedule: Pending.
Duration: 7 days (extension available; see below!).
Price:
Ask! Single
supplement: TBA. Price includes:
accommodations and meals (lunch is typically picnic!), drinking
water, vehicle hire with fuel and driver guide, park entrance
fees and ranger guides. The
price exclude: bank transfer loss, international flight,
visa, tips, drinks, personal travel insurance and any other
activities of personal request e.g. laundry, toalet fees,
phone calls, etc.
Accommodation:
Three-star hotels with all rooms en suite.
Numbers:
Min. 3, max. 7 tour participants.
Transport:
4WDs or minivan, depend on group size.
Description:
"Hungary's bat fauna is one of the richest in Europe
with 26 species. On this trip we hope to find a definitive
20-22 at the finest breeding and wintering grounds in the
country. We will use specially designed traps with a local
ringing expert who has just published an educational book
about the bats of Central Europe. During this quiet and restful
trip the culture, history and other wildlife will also be
part of our focus."
Species:
Lesser Horseshoe Bat, Greater Horseshoe Bat, Bechstein's Bat,
Brandt's Bat, Natterer's Bat, Pond Bat, Daubenton's Bat, Geoffroy's
Bat, Whiskered Bat, Lesser Mouse-eared Bat, Greater Mouse-eared
Bat, Barbastele Bat, Grey Long-eared Bat, Brown Long-eared
Bat, Schreiber's Bat, Common Pipistrelle, Nathusius's Pipistrelle,
Serotine Bat, Parti-coloured Bat, Leisler's Bat, Noctule,
Greater Noctule.
Habitats:
Mecsek Mts.: Abaliget-cave; Villany Mts.: Szársomlyó mineholes;
Bakony Mts.: Alba Regia cave; Bukk Mts., Lake of Felsotarkany.
Cultural aspects: please ask
for further details!
Trip
outline: Day„0”.
Pre-extension.
Day 01:
Arrive Budapest. To Bakony Mountains,
Alba Regia cave. This cave was discovered
in 1975 and is the third deepest cave in the country. A well-reserched
and explored system, it is one of the most important breeding
and wintering caves in the Bakony Mountains. The cave holds
the record for the number of bats captured in one day.
Typical species (not a complete list): R. hipposideros,
M. daubentoni, M. nattereri, M. bechsteinii, M. brandtii,
M. mystacinus, M. myotis, P. auritus.
Day
02: During the day we will visit the Royal
centre of Szekesfehervar
and the Tihany Peninsula
with it's old Abbey. Later we continue to the Abaliget
Cave in Mecsek-hegység. This is the
longest cave in southern Hungary. Discovered during the 18th
century, a nice stream runs through it. The main branch is
approx. 1300 m. The first scientific description was published
in 1820, and it is now the most documented and well-explored
cave in Hungary. Some 300 different species are found in the
cave, including some endemics
(Paladilidium hungaricum, Lartetia gebhardtii, Nyphargus forelli
gebhardtii, Nyphargus molnarii). It is one of the most important
breeding and wintering grounds in the area with thousands
of bats arriving during August and September.
Alltogether 20 species of bat are recorded in
the cave: R. ferrumequinum, R. hipposideros, M. bechsteinii,
M. nattereri, M. dasycneme, M. daubentoni, M. emarginatus,
M. mystacinus, M. blythi, M. myotis, B. barbastellus, P. auritus,
P. austriacus, M. schreibersii, P. pipistrellus, P. nathusii,
E. serotinus, V. murinus, N. leisleri, N. noctula.
Day 03:
During the day we will visit Pecs
city, the atmospheric "capital"
of the Mediterranean southern zone. We will visit the inner
city, historic Turkish monuments and the Old Roman Tombs (World
Heritage Site). We continue our bat safari at the Abaliget
Cave system, an excellent and exceptionally
easy site for bat studies and bat photography.
Day
04: Mine tunnels of Szársomlyó
Special Reserve. Szársomlyól
is the southern-most hill in Hungary, famous for it's extremely
diverse flora (900 species) and insect fauna. The hill is
442 m high and full of long, narrow mine tunnels where people
used to mine Bauxite. Here we will net Mediterranean species
such as R. ferrumequinum, M. myotis, M. schreibersii. During
the day we will visit the memorial garden at Mohacs
(a famous Turkish-Hungarian battlefield of 1526), and enjoy
some wine tasting
in the private cellars of Villany (Tokaj, Badacsony and Villany
are the premier wine-regions of the country).
The most important bat species of the day: R.
ferrumequinum, M. myotis, M. blythi, M. emarginatus, M. schreibersii.
Day 05:
To Bukk Mountains via Kiskunsag
National Park. Kiskunsag is one of the most
charming parts of Hungary, a really ancient pocket of picturesque
landscape. Here we will visit the Bugac
pusta's traditional villages and animal farms.
We also visit the rolling sandy dunes with their Juniper forests,
and go birdwatching in search of the magnificant Great Bustards
- symbol of Hungarian nature conservation.
Day 06:
Bukk Mountains, Lake Felsõtárkány.
This is a small lake near the edge of a village which is surrounded
by the forests of the huge Bukk Mountains. The lake is frequently
visited by hunting and drinking bats, including the largest
European bat species, N. lasiopterus, which is not uncommon
here. During the day we will visit the beautiful medieval
centre and historic fortress in nearby Eger city.
Typical species: N. noctula, N. leisleri,
N. lasiopterus, E. serotinus, P. nathusii, P. pipistrellus,
M. daubentoni, M. dasycneme, M. bechsteinii.
Day
07:
To Budapest. We visit Holloko
Traditional Village - a World Heritage Site
and stop en-route at Godollo
Royal Palace, which used to be the residence
of the Habsburg monarch, Franz Joseph 1st and his wife, Queen
Elizabeth (Sisi). Depart.
Extensions:
-Budapest
sightseeing is possible plus Danube Bend and Szentendre.
1-3 days on request, before or after the main trip.
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