Our trip was with a small group from the UK staying at the ideally located Kondor Tanya Lodge where Gabor and Andrea made us so welcome. The lodge is surrounded by the Kiskungság National Park, so most of the birding was done less than an hour’s drive away and there was plenty to see within walking distance in the adjacent woods and un-spoilt farmlands. We visited a wide range of habitats from wetlands and fishponds, forests and meadows, to the wide open plains of the Puszta. During the week we saw 138 species of birds, including Saker Falcon, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Great Bustard, breeding colonies of Red-footed Falcons and European Bee-eaters, Golden Orioles, Moustached, Barred and other warblers, and 5 woodpecker species. Although this was primarily a birdwatching trip, it had a more to offer as we saw so much other wildlife, since Gabor and David (our UK leader) were great all-round naturalists. We saw 32 species of butterflies, 26 dragonflies and damselflies, and managed to identify 21 species of the moths caught in the moth trap one night. Highlights were the stunning Lesser Purple Emperor mud-puddling, and the elegant Dark Spreadwing.

Our visit was excellent. We were picked up at Budapest airport and dropped off at the end of the tour. Transport for the tour was 4x4 which had plenty of space and was comfortable. Each day we went out to a different location and had a full day's birding with packed lunch provided. The birds (and butterflies) always came thick and fast and were species we would be very unlikely to see in the UK unless twitching a single bird, so the numbers of Beeeaters, Rollers, Red-footed Falcons, Orioles etc, etc was amazing. Every day started with a substantial breakfast and end with a tasty evening meal. We probably didn't spend enough time in the grounds because we were out birding elsewhere!

Our tour group consisted of 6 clients and two leaders. We flew into Budapest airport from East Midlands and met up with everybody at the airport. Kondor EcoLodge is situated in the middle of an amazing NP. Lots of birds in the grounds and within 1 mile radius. Amazing views of nightjars just 500 metres from the lodge. In July we had numerous species of dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies. We never travelled very far but had great views of Great Bustard, Saker Falcon, Eastern Imperial Eagle, various woodpeckers, long eared Owl, Savi’s warbler and Icterine warbler. The food was based on traditional Hungarian recipes but healthy and nutritious. 

After a short trip by myself in 2015 I eagerly returned to Kondor Ecolodge with a small group of like-minded friends in May 2016. The lodge being very central in the Kiskunsag NP is an amazing base for birding with so much to be seen and photographed up-close nearby. Gabor and Andrea are fantastic hosts, so welcoming and friendly, they really make you feel at home in their traditional Hungarian lodge, a very comfortable and peaceful place to return to each day. The bedrooms stay nice and cool even when the outside temperature soars up towards 30 and the food and drink offerings (including some lovely Hungarian wines) are very good too. Gabor and Andrea are both fluent in English and highly knowledgeable of the local area and all the top birding sites. List of notable birds seen included: Bee-eater (hundreds in nesting colony) , Roller (dozens), Turtle dove, Golden Oriole, Great Bustard, Red-footed falcon (dozens in nesting colony), Great reed warbler, White stork, Black stork, Penduline tit (on the nest), Nightingale (captured singing in the scope for 10 minutes or so), Lesser grey shrike, Red backed shrike, Black WP, Lesser-spotted WP, Wood warbler, Thorny pipit, Little owl, Long-eared owl (posed nicely for us low down in a tree at the back of a village bakery!), Night heron, Squacco heron, Purple heron, Corn bunting, Nightjar (circling over the gardens at dusk) and White tailed eagle. Cannot recommend this tour enough!

I thoroughly recommend this tour. Our hosts, Gabor and Andrea, as well as being extremely knowledgeable made us feel completely at home with them. Every day Gabor would strive to find particular birds on our wish list as well as some pleasant surprises such as the roost of long-eared owls in the trees of a town square and the white-tailed eagle soaring just over our heads! There are some wonderful wild flower meadows alive with various butterflies and other insects. As well as learning a lot about Hungary we were kept entertained with Gabor and Andrea's anecdotes and well fed with some lovely traditional home made food. Now for some of the birds that we saw: Black Redstart; Lesser Grey Shrike; Red Backed Shrike; Pratincole; Golden Oriole; Black Woodpecker; European Roller; Great Bustard; European Bee Eater; Turtle Dove; Tree Sparrow; Great Reed Warbler; Long Eared Owl; Little Owl; Montague Harrier; Honey Buzzard; Hobby; Marsh Harrier; Red Footed Falcon; Saker Falcon and White Tailed Eagle...and others! We also saw many butterflies including the Queen of Spain Fritillary and Cardinal and were lucky enough to see a Steppe Polecat.

In July 2015 we visited Hungary for 2 weeks and after a wonderful week in Budapest we spent 1 week at Kondor Ecolodge. This was a perfect way to experience the nature and wildlife of Kiskunsag NP. Kondor is a beautiful peaceful oasis where we felt perfectly at home. Andrea and Gabor are great hosts. The lodge was a comfortable base to explore the surrounding areas and we really enjoyed the excellent Hungarian food.

Our main focus was birding. Kondor had a special treat with Nightjars visiting their pond each evening as dusk. I enjoyed the photography opportunities Gabor provided with his mobile hide, which made it possible to photograph a bee-eater colony. We spent several days exploring the different areas of Kiskunsag with Gabor and this proved that even in the middle of Summer birding in Hungary can be very productive. In total we observed 125 species including many highlights:

Imperial Eagles flying over us at close range, a hunting Saker Falcon, a colony of Red-footed Falcons feeding their young, European Nightjars, great views of Little Bittern and Great Bittern, Pygmy Cormorants, Ferrugineous Ducks, Lesser Grey Shrikes and abundant Bee-eaters and Rollers. The landscapes were stunning and varied and next to birds there were plenty of mammals, butterflies and dragonflies to enjoy. We can highly recommend Kondor Ecolodge to all birdwatchers and nature lovers visiting Hungary. 

I've led many photographic tours and workshops including numerous birding tours with Gabor and Andi in Belarus, Poland and this one in Hungary. This photographic tour gets you close to the birds! Using purpose built hides to put you in the best possible position as a photographer. Hard to photograph species like Bee-eater, Roller, Lesser Grey Shrike and Hawfinch are combined with time spent at a Red-footed Falcon colony, and a boat trip out onto the marshes and lakes, thronged with gulls and terns, Purple Herons and White-tailed Eagles galore. All this followed by an extended period in the Bukk hills where Ural Owls and Rock Buntings await us. After a hot day in the field what better way to spend the evening than home cooked meals and a warm, friendly and welcoming atmosphere at the lodge. Highly recommended! Stu www.stuartelsom.co.uk

I stayed at Kondor Ecolodge in June 2019, spending some days photographing from the garden hides and other days touring the area photographing other species. Andrea and Gabor are excellent hosts and made sure I got the best out of my stay. At the lodge I photographed frogs, dragonflies, a water snake, a sparrowhawk and plenty of other birds, including a hoopoe and chick. Within walking distance of the lodge I photographed ground squirrels and butterflies. On day trips I photographed little owls, bee eaters, rollers and red footed falcons. I got some great photos but found my 300mm lens a bit short for some of the species- recommend 400mm plus ideally teleconverter. Highly recommend.

A brilliant week, starting at Kondor Lodge in Kiskunsagi, a lovely location rich in birdlife, with excellent food provided by Andi. Highlights included Saker Falcon, Great Bustard and Eastern Imperial Eagle. We visited the Apaj fishponds where an abundance of waders, wildfowl and raptors were found. Gabor and Andi were both excellent and knowledgeable guides, sharing their cultural and historical knowledge alongside their love of birds. They are good company, very friendly and with a great sense of humour. The Bulk hills were stunningly beautiful, with fiery beeches glowing in the autumn sun. Here we found Hawfinches and Grey-headed and Black woodpeckers as well as the amazing Ural Owl. Again, the accommodation and food were excellent. The whole trip was well organised with excellent accommodation and a good variety of birds and wildlife seen. We look forward to travelling with them again in the future.

A full trip quality accommodation and food to compliment the terrific guides and organisation.

I was ask by my local Birdwatching Society in England if it was possible to plan a trip to Hungary in the autumn, having travelled with Gabor and Andi in Hungary several times before they were my first choice of contact, Making contact with them was easy and soon they offered our group the Autumn trip in October to witness the Crane Spectacular migration and much more. This trip was an 8 day bespoke trip for our group visiting The Kondor Lodge-Kiskunsag, Hortobagy and the Bukk Hills National Park. Their organisation including transport from Airport to Airport was seamless. The accommodation at all the locations were perfect including Kondor Lodge. This purpose built lodge set in open woodland is just amazing for wildlife observation. You were able to wander around using the hides and trails enabling you to watch birds at close quarters. The facilities at this rural settings were excellent with amazing home cooked food and service that was complemented by Gabor and Andi's attention to detail. The other locations were hand picked for authentic Hungarian food and hospitality and the locations great for our birdwatching needs. The entire group felt that the deep love of the countryside and the depth of knowledge of birds and all the wildlife shown by our guides was excellent. The Birdwatching was amazing with so many highlights during our weeks trip. To witness the cranes and other wildlife flighting into there roost at dusk was one of the most exciting birding events anyone could wish to see.

I had a really enjoyable trip to Hungary staying at the Ecotours Kondor Ecolodge. Gabor and Andi were very friendly hosts. Andi was an excellent cook and Gabor a guide with a fun sense of humour and in-depth knowledge of the places we visited. At Kiskunsagi National Park, we saw not only White-tailed Eagle but also the magnificent Eastern Imperial Eagle. We had good views of Great Bustard and visited a daytime roost of Long-eared Owls. In the Bukk Hills, we had a stunning view of a Ural Owl which flew over our heads and landed on a tree nearby. Woodpeckers were were abundant and on one grassy area near the hotel we had three different species on view, namely, Grey-headed Woodpecker, European Green and Great Spotted. On the trip we also saw Middle-Spotted and Syrian Woodpeckers. In total for the trip I saw 109 species in one week. An excellent trip led by Gabor and Andi.

We had a wonderful birding holiday with Andi and Gabor in Hungary. With the highlights being Saker Falcon, Eastern Imperial Eagles, great Bustard, Roller, golden Oreiol, Hawfinch, 8 different species of Woodpeckers, the lust just goes in. Excellent hosts, Gabor's knowledge of Bird calls was incredible. It was so lovely to hear if Hungarian culture from Andi. Excellent food, we loved Kondor lodge, well organised throughout. A five-star holiday without a doubt.