Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Central Europe has been undergoing a profound change. The best way to learn about it is to be there and talk with the foresters and land owners experiencing this transition from state onership to private forest ownership.

Discover Spectacular Vienna and the Vienna Woods, historic Budapest, the high Tatra Mountains, native forests, National parks, forest plantations, and research/educational institutions of Central Europe. Topics include silvaculture, management, environmental management and public policy of Austria's, Hungary's and Slovakia's forests.

This ten day tour is available between August and October. Itinerary may be modified to fit your special interests.

This is one of our very best forestry tours. Be sure to contact us for details and tuition.

Day 1st
Afternoon arrival at Vienna Airport,  Austria. Transfer to the center with short city tour in Vienna. Accommodation at the hotel in Vienna.

Day 2nd
After breakfast departure for a fullday professional visits.Drive to Klosterneuburg – the monastery of dominican monks. They own big forestry land in the Vienna Woods, also great vignards. Agricultural products. Meeting a forester, place for questions and discussion. Lunch en route. Accommodation at a hotel in Vienna

Day 3rd
After breakfast departure for the region of Semmering (south of Vienna), fullday visits to the forest.  Meeting a forester, place for questions and discussion. Lunch en route. Late afternoon return to Vienna and pick up of Slovakian bus. End of services in Austria. Transfer to Bratislava, Slovakia. Check-in *** star hunting hotel in a little wine town 10 km from Bratislava (Little Carpathian Wine Region), welcome dinner in Slovakia with traditional Slovak folk music.

Day 4th
After breakfast transfer to Bratislava downtown. Bratislava city tour –  about 2 hour walking tour around the historical center under the Bratislava castle with the visit of the PRIMACIAL Palais and the church of St. Martin – coronation church during the Habsburg monarchy, one of the most important churches in Europe. Lunch in the city. Afternoon boat trip to Devin castle.  Transfer back to hotel for early supper and Optional: Evening in the Slovak National Opera (SND) – opera or ballet performance according the actual programme. Slovak National Theatre is one of the best in the Middle Europe, singers like Peter Dvorský originating from the SND are well know and hosting in operas all around the world. Or free evening in Bratislava downtown. People Interested to go have to be taken by bus to downtown and after the performance back to the hotel. (Shuttle service). Overnight in hunting hotel.

Day 5th
Buffet breakfast. Visit the headquarters of the Slovak Ministry of Agriculture, foresty and water resources in Bratislava. Informative meeting (cca. 1 hour). Departure to Nitra.  Short city tour of Nitra and free time in the city OR optional visits: Nitra Cathedral or Diocesian Library with antique books and old documents. City Nitra is one of the oldest cities in Slovakia with rich history and it has the nickname "AGRICULTURAL CITY“ of Slovakia. There is the only Slovak University of Agriculture and Animal Research Institute. Lunch downtown Nitra. If the group interested in, after lunch possible visit to Slovak agricultural university. Than departure to Zvolen – „forestry city“ and the seat of the Technical University – College of Forestry. Transfer to Zvolen through the forests with deciduous trees and mixed forests. Check-in the ***hotel in Zvolen, dinner on their own, overnight.

Day 6th
Buffet breakfast. At the morning visiting Forests of the Slovak Republic, state enterprise, meeting an expert, general brief introduction of the company and Slovak forestry and wood processing industry, then walk in the forest, discussion on the place (cca 1-2 hours). Than transfer back to Zvolen and visit the Technical University in Zvolen, College of Forest Keeping or College of Wood Processing. Late lunch together in Zvolen. Transfer to Banská Štiavnica – ancient mining town, included in the  UNESCO´s List of cultural and natural heritage – walking down town. There was established the first Academy of Forestry in Central Europe in 18th century, nowadays there are several educational and research facilities on forestry: Secondary technical school of forestry, Secondary apprentice school of forestry, College of environmental protection of Zvolen´s Technical University and  Research Institute of Forestry. Then move to Sebechleby, wine tasting in a typical wine cellar. Dinner together. Late evening arrival back to Zvolen for overnight.

Day 7th
Buffet breakfast. Transfer to  Fiľakovo via Lučenec. Visit of the furniture producing plant having contract and delivering to IKEA. Than back to Lučenec for lunch together in very nice restaurant. After the lunch visit of the farm AgroRátka s.r.o. – private agicultural company, 600 heads HF cow, complete reconstruction of barns and feeding system. Company has also sheep and pig breeding. If interest,  also possible visit to TOP Slovak Pig Farm (pedigree farm – selling top genetic saws). After the visit drive to Lučenec, check – in to *** star hotel. Dinner on their own.

Day 8th
After breakfast travel via Hungary boarder in Salgótarján. Visit The Bükk National Park. The Bükk National Park, established in 1997, preserves the natural flora, fauna and the cultural values of the Bükk Mountains. The 43,200 hectare area has a forest cover of 97 %.

Visit Szilvásvárad. Walking upstream along the Szalajka brook the open-air Museum of Forestry can be visited. Meeting with the representative of the National Horse Stud of  Szilvásvárad, getting acquainted with the Lipizzan horses. Visit the trout-pools of Szilvásvárad. Lunch in Szilvásvárad. In the afternoon drive to Eger. Guided tour to the historical castle of Eger, representing the struggle of the nation against the Turkish invasion. The Castle Museum named in honor of captain István Dobó who commanded the defense and the Weapon Museum in the castle area will also be visited. Short stops at the Basilica and the Teachers' Training College (one of the country’s most beautiful libraries with decorative carvings and a beautiful ceiling fresco).

In the evening dinner in the most famous restaurant of Eger, to taste the famous Eger wines (Bull’s blood and Egri Leányka) with the pearls of forests: dishes made of wild animals hunted in the forests of the area. Accommodation in Eger

Day 9th
Breakfast in the hotel. Departure for Gödöllő. Gödöllő and its surroundings as a historical hunting area. Visit at the Research Institute for Forestry in Gödöllő. Introduction to the past and present of Hungarian forests, future prospects, research prospects, international co-operation. Short walk in the Arboretum of the Institute, where rare tree and plant species can be found. Visit the Grassalkovich Castle in Gödöllő. It used to be the royal summer residence and is one of the outstanding examples of rural Baroque architecture in Hungary. The forests around Gödöllő is a historical hunting area. Lunch in Gödöllő. Visit the Pilisi Parkerdő Company in Valkó. This company manges the forest of the Pilis mountain and also the forest areas near Gödöllő.

In the afternoon drive to Budapest. Sightseeing tour in Budapest. Participants will be shown a good selection of sights of this metropolis on the river Danube with a sweeping history that goes back more than 2000 years. Heroes' Square, with its classical buildings and statues of Hungary's rulers will be seen first, then the City Park, Castle Vajdahunyad and the Zoo will be visited. The tour will then proceed to St. Stephen's Basilica, the capital's largest Roman Catholic cathedral, then to the impressive neo-gothic House of Parliament, similar in appearance to that in London. Leaving the Pest side and crossing one of the majestic bridges spanning the Danube, guests will be taken to Buda, which is the older, more historic and more scenic part of the capital. The main attraction here is the Castle Hill, with its breathtaking view over the city and its many historic and cultural monuments, such as the 13th century Matthias Church, the Royal Castle or the Fishermen's Bastion.  The tour ends on the top of Gellért Hill and the Citadel, from where the best panoramic view of the city can be enjoyed. In the evening dinner with folklore show. To the dinner representatives of Hungarian Forestry Association will be invited. The association was founded in 1866 and has 4200 members (forest engineers, foresters). Accommodation in Budapest

Day 10th
Breakfast in the hotel. Departure for Sopron. En route short stop at the Fertő-Hanság National Park, which was established in 1991. The area of Lake Fertő and Hanság with its marshes, moors and bogs is known as brilliant island of nature by the western gate of Hungary. The attractive landscape with valuable wildlife includes the Szárhalmi Forest.

In Sopron visit the University of Forest and Wood Sciences in Sopron, meeting with leading professors and scientists. Introduction to the activity of the university, the system of educating forest sciences in Hungary, including post-graduate trainings. Forests, timbering and wood industry in Hungary. Ecological respects.  Walk in the Sopron forests, where oak, hornbeam and beech can be found. Lunch during the program in Sopron. In the late afternoon departure for Austria, dinner on their own and overnight in Vienna

Day 11th
Breakfast in the hotel, check-out from the hotel and transfer to the Vienna airport, departure flight home

Services include:
3x accomm. *** hotels, dbl,  in Austria, 5x *** hotels, dbl, in Slovakia,  2x *** hotels, dbl, in Hungary
3x breakfast & 2x lunch in Austria,  5x breakfast & 4x lunch & 3x dinner in Slovakia, 2x FB in Hungary
English-speaking guide/interpreter
Modern motorcoach airport-to-airport
Professional and tourist visits as listed
Information kit
No FOC