Vineyards, oak woods, and the unruffled lake 

 
North of Hungary’s only large expanse of water, Lake Balaton, away from the tourist bustle of the shore, lies a quiet range of hills, the Balaton Uplands. The landscape around is a strange one, with wooded hills rolling down to fertile lowlands punctuated by extinct picture-book volcanoes. In these hills the traveller finds Hungarian history and culture in microcosm. 

Our walk takes you from historic Veszprém through the woods above the lake to Tihany, a lake peninsula crowned by a monastery. On then, via a little luxury at a stylish pension in Koveskal, and finally Keszthely, back at the lakeside, with its fine chateau and bustling streets.

7 night Options:

Full walk:  6 days' walking, spend one night in each hotel including Sümeg. 

Kesthely Option: (recommended): 5 days' walking (miss Sümeg) plus final day in Keszthely (2 nights).

Köveskál Option:  5 days' walking (miss Sümeg) plus rest day in middle at Köveskál (2 nights) (supplement). 

OR why not choose 6- or 5-night options and spend some time in Budapest?

Hours per Day:  6 - 8 hours

A walk designed with the day-long ambler in mind. Recommended walk 5 days plus rest day, 6 day walk also available. Taxi/bus shortening options available most days.

Difficulty:  easy-medium

Most paths are signed on the ground, but some navigation needed in woodland. A few short steep stretches, but mainly easy gradients. Average cumulative uphill stretches (CUSs) 335m per day.

GPS referenced

Total 7 nights in shared room, all breakfasts, luggage transfers, 5 picnics and one vineyard lunch with wine, and taxi from first hotel to start of walk.

Savings and supplements

Single Room Supplement £90

Lone Traveller Additional Supplement £40
3rd person and over £90 off per person

3+ bedded rooms - call us for savings

Shorter breaks

6 nights (miss night 7) £500; SRS £78; LTAS £40; 3rd person+ £77 off pp

5 nights (miss nights 1 & 7) £455; SRS £65; LTAS £29; 3rd person+ £65 off pp

Fly to Balaton (Ba) or Budapest (Bu)

(All flights are subject to change at short notice - please check carefully before you book your holiday)

From:

Belfast Aer Lingus (Bu);

Bristol Ryanair (Bu);

Cork Malev Hungarian airlines (Bu);

Dublin Ryanair (Bu), Aer Lingus (Bu), Malev Hungarian airlines (Bu);

East Midlands Airport Ryanair (Bu);

Gatwick Easyjet (Bu);

Glasgow Ryanair (Bu);

Heathrow BA (Bu), Malev Hungarian airlines (Bu);

Liverpool Ryanair (Bu);

Luton BA (Bu), Easyjet (Bu), Malev Hungarian airlines (Bu), Wizzair (Bu);

Manchester Jet2 (Bu);

Stansted Air Berlin (Bu), Ryanair (Ba) 

Typical rail journey:

London: 17:40 Eurostar to Paris (N), walk 10 mins to Paris (E) for 21.47 sleeper to Munich, 09:28 to Budapest, arrive 16:32.  17:12 to Veszprém arrive 18:47. ~ 24 hrs

Keszthely: 15:07 to Celldömölk, 17:00 to Györ,  then sleeper to Zürich, 07.02 TGV to Paris (E), walk to Paris Nord, 13:01 Eurostar to London arrive 14:57. ~23 hrs

The first hotel is in Veszprém and the last in Keszthely. Best airport is Balaton-Sármellék, but Budapest-Ferihegy also possible.

Balaton-Sármellék:

Land by: 16:00 (no time limit if using taxi)

Outward: Bus (change Hévíz) 2 hrs (c. €10 pp)

OPTION: Pre booked shared taxi from Balaton-Sármellék airport to first hotel 1.5 hrs 

Return:  Keszthely to Balaton-Sármellék airport by airport bus approx. 40 mins (c. €4)

OPTION: Pre booked shared taxi from Keszthely hotel to Balaton-Sármellék airport c. 20 mins 

Return Flight earliest: 10:00 am

Budapest-Ferihegy:

Land By: 16:00

Outward:  Bus/train/taxi to Veszprém 4 hrs (c. €10)
 
OPTION: Pre booked shared taxi from Budapest-Ferihegy airport to first hotel 1.5 hrs 

Return: Keszthely to Budapest-Ferihegy by train c. 4 hrs (c. €15)

OPTION: Pre booked shared taxi from Keszthely hotel to Budapest or Budapest-Ferihegy airport 2.5 hrs

For pre-bookable taxi prices, see "Price includes"

Return Flight earliest:  15:00 (no time limit if using taxi)

Nearest Railway Stations:
Start:  Veszprém
Finish: Keszthely