General Tour Information
Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for Tours to Hungary. Its purpose is solely to give readers a sense of what might be involved if they take this tour. Although we do our best to make sure that what follows here is completely accurate, it should not be used as a replacement for the formal document which will be sent to all tour registrants, and whose contents supersedes any information contained here.
TRAVEL TO BUDAPEST: This tour is organized by our British company, Sunbird, and starts and ends in London. The cost of the group flights between London and Budapest is included in the tour cost. We strongly recommend that you join the tour in London, as it removes a range of possible problems that might occur if you attempt to meet the group in the tour country. If you choose, however, to make your own travel arrangements to Budapest, you would receive a corresponding discount in the tour cost. Please read the Important Travel Information for Participants on Sunbird Tours.
ENTERING HUNGARY: A valid passport is required for US citizens. A visa is not required for US citizens. Citizens of other countries should check with their local Hungarian embassy or consulate about entry requirements.
MAP AND COUNTRY INFORMATION: You can view maps of Hungary in the University of Texas series here. Click on the map’s lower right corner to adjust the size. You can review the U.S. Department of State background notes on Hungary here.
HEALTH: No vaccinations are required for visitors to Hungary. Tap water is generally safe to drink but bottled water is available. Mosquitoes can be a problem in some of the woods and fishponds that we visit, so plenty of insect repellent is advised. It may be impossible to obtain any special medication during the tour, so bring all you are likely to need.
Please note that any health information provided here is gleaned from websites devoted to traveler’s health. Consult your physician and the website of the Centers for Disease Control for the latest information about traveling in Hungary.
CLIMATE: It can be very warm in June, with temperatures reaching 30°C (86°F) or more, but the normal range is between 16°C and 27°C (60-80°F). Rain is possible, and thunderstorms can occur at any time.
PACE OF TOUR AND DAILY ROUTINE: This tour is gently paced with no strenuous walks. Some of the ground we’ll be covering may be away from paths and slightly uneven, but we will not be scrambling up hillsides. Breakfast is usually at 7:00 am. Lunches will be picnics, and evening meals will be in restaurants, usually starting between 7:00 and 8:00. On returning to the hotel after our birding activities, we’ll allow enough time for everyone to shower and change, then gather together for a checklist.
ACCOMMODATION: The hotels we use are comfortable, and every room will have its own private bathroom.
DRESS: Informal throughout the tour.
TRANSPORT: We will be traveling in a bus with a local driver.
SMOKING: Smoking is not allowed in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a non-smoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, we ask that you do so well away and downwind from the group. If any location where the group is gathered has a stricter policy, that stricter policy will prevail.
GENERAL INFORMATION & CONDITIONS OF WINGS TOURS: Please take a moment to read the WINGS General Information & Conditions. This section contains important information about how we conduct tours, e.g., what is included in the tour price, refund and cancellation policies, pace of the tours, and other information that will help you prepare for the tour.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A more complete General Information for Hungary: Birds and Butterflies Tours will be sent to each registrant on receipt of their booking. Final information with instructions for meeting the group, hotel addresses, etc., will be mailed about three weeks before trip departure. Other news will be communicated as necessary.
Updated: June 2008