Álmos tour
(5 days, but 2 half-day of riding)
Dates:
May 3-9 2026
July 19-25 2026
HORSES AND SADDLES:
On our riding tours, you can explore the landscapes we pass through riding the ‘horse of the conquest,’ the legendary Akhal-Teke. This is the breed intertwined with our history and famous for its unique comfort.
Not only are the horses special, but the saddles are too: custom-made Hungarian-style saddles, updated to meet today’s riding technique demands and suited to the horses. They are exceptionally safe and comfortable, and have proven very effective during tours over the past few years.
For those interested in the Akhal Teke breed or our saddles, this tour, or even a shortened version of it, provides a good opportunity to try them out and get acquainted with them.
For the horse riding tour, it is absolutely necessary that the rider can maintain stability in the lighter gaits and positions (posting trot, light canter, continuous posting)! Daily distances during the tour range between 15-20 km.
The horseback tour is a star tour; we return to the Yurt Camp every day from where we started from.
By agreement, it is possible to join for a few days as well!
A week in the spirit of the conquest – this is the Álmos Leader tour, where Hungarian history meets nature. On horseback, we ride through forests and fields just like the Hungarian conquerors did, evoking the journey of Leader Álmos and his people to the homeland of the Hungarians.
The center of our journey is Ópusztaszer, the ancient memorial site of the Hungarian Conquest. Here is the Ópusztaszer National Historical Heritage Park, where not only the memory of the blood oath and the division of the land, kept according to tradition, comes alive, but also the symbolic figures of the Hungarian past. We will see the monumental statue of leader Árpád and learn about the legends associated with him. The exhibitions and displays of the Heritage Park help ensure that the conquest of the homeland is not just a historical period, but can also be experienced as a personal, vivid event.
During our journey, we will also visit Szeged, which is uniquely connected to the great new beginnings in Hungarian history. The Szeged Cathedral – a symbol of the city’s rebirth after the great flood of 1879 – symbolically links the era of the Hungarian conquest to the reconstruction of modern Hungary. Just as Árpád and the seven chieftains established a new homeland for the Hungarians, the Cathedral also heralded the beginning of a new era for Szeged: the power of faith, perseverance, and community cooperation – thus the stories of Szeged and Ópusztaszer become intertwined in spirit, complementing each other as a shared experience.
The evenings are spent in a special atmosphere, as we rest in original yurts of Kazakh and Mongolian origin, among felt walls made of real horsehair. The light of the fire, the simplicity of the nomadic lifestyle, and the closeness to nature provide not only physical rest but also spiritual rejuvenation.
A journey back in time – Following Álmos, to the cradle of the Hungarian spirit.
Daily program
Sunday: Arrival
Arrival by 5:00 pm at the Ópusztaszer Akhal-Teke Stud Farm (transfer)
Afterwards, there will be an introduction session, a welcome dinner from 5:30 pm, followed by an overview of the week’s programs between 6 and 7 pm. Then, guests will check in and settle into the yurt accommodations. Guests can stay in authentic Kazakh and Mongolian yurts. A yurt is not a tent. It is one of the ancient forms of human-made dwellings or shelters. From Eastern Mongolia to the southern Russian steppes, and temporarily even to the Carpathian Basin, it spread over the largest area among the ancient types of accommodation.
Monday: Trial riding and visiting the Akhal Teke stud, getting to know the foals
7.00-8.30 am: Breakfast at the yurt camp
8.30 am: Gathering at the riding arena. Putting on riding gear and getting to know the horses. Mounting the horses. Breakfast at the yurt accommodation.
9.00 am: Trial riding in the riding hall, testing horses and matching with the right partners, skill assessment. In the morning, a short trail ride: Alongside the forests, we also encounter spacious meadows, which are perfect for long gallops.
12.00-13:00 pm: Lunch at the yurt camp.
In the afternoon, from 2 pm, there is a stud visit with the Steppe Train: The group can take an adventurous tour on a horse-drawn wagon towed by a tractor (similar to a train carriage) through the steppe to see the Akhal-Teke breed stud at Ópusztaszer and the farm. We will visit the stallions, working horses, and even the foals. The Akhal-Teke horse breed we will see was a companion of our ancestors during their arrival in the Carpathian Basin, so if you like, you can see the horses of the Hungarian conquest.
Dinner: between 6 and 7 pm. Accommodation: at the yurt camp of the Ópusztaszer Akhal Stud.
Tuesday: Arrow of the Week + Exploring the Memorial Park
According to Anonymus’ description, the conquering Hungarians reached Körtvélytó (Curtueltou), and at the forest called Gyümölcsény, they spent 34 days during which Árpád and his nobles held a meeting, where they established the laws of the country: they “settled” the affairs of the country. In memory of this meeting, the place was named Szer. This is also connected, according to Hungarian tradition, with the blood oath, the Hungarians’ first foundational agreement.
7.00-8.30 am: Breakfast.
8.30 am: Meeting at the riding arena. Putting on riding gear and getting to know the horses. Mounting the horse.
9.00 am: Warm-up in the riding hall, then departure. A day when our team hides from the strong sunlight and continues on forest paths until we reach one of the attractions of Ópusztaszer, the monumental memorial representing the Arrow of the Seven Chieftains. The legend of the Arrow of the Seven Chieftains is an important tale in Hungarian historiography, according to which the seven chieftains – Árpád, Előd, Ond, Kond, Tas, Huba, and Töhötöm – poured their blood into a vessel to form an alliance (the blood oath) before the conquest, to fight together in the future.
12.00 -1 pm: Lunch at the yurt camp.
2-4 pm In the afternoon, our group will visit the National Historical Park and view the monumental panorama painting by Árpád Feszty, depicting the arrival of the Hungarians. The Memorial Park offers many attractions for visitors, and besides the Feszty panorama, it is also worth taking a walk around the open-air museum area.
Dinner: between 6 and 7 pm. Accommodation: at the yurt camp of the Ópusztaszer Akhal Stud.
Wednesday: Riding to the grey herd + Crossing the Fairy Tale Süli Forest
7.00-8.30 am: Breakfast.
8.30 am: Meeting at the riding arena. Putting on riding gear and getting to know the horses. Mounting the horse.
9.00 am: Departure. The cattle pastry is located on a roughly 1,200-hectare landscape-protected plain, offering a great view of its unique and protected wildlife, the free-roaming buffalo, colorful bird population, and the untouched horizon of the plain. Along the way, we get up close to the Hungarian Grey Cattle, including small calves and the bull. This is the authentic face of the great steppes.
12.00-1 pm Lunch, then a short break.
2-4 pm: Afternoon ride through the Süli forest: Our path is lined with 100-150 year old oaks. There are even trees here from before the regulation of the Tisza River, which was about 120 years ago. Ten years ago, it still hosted school programs, hiking trips, and running races. Nowadays it is rich in bird and wildlife. It is home to hawks, ravens, deer, and hares. Occasionally, even marsh harriers breed here.
Dinner: between 6 and 7 pm. Accommodation: at the yurt camp of the Ópusztaszer Akhal Stud.
Thursday: Forest hike + Visit to the Szeged Cathedral
7.00-8.30 am: Breakfast.
8.30 am: Meeting at the riding arena. Putting on riding gear and getting to know the horses. Mounting the horse.
9.00 am-12.00 pm: Set off on a shady, cool, wooded forest hike. On paths rich in birdlife and wildlife, we can enjoy the tranquility of nature.
12.00-1 pm: Lunch, then a short break.
2-4 pm: In the afternoon, we will visit Szeged, the “City of Sunshine.” Its wide boulevards, Art Nouveau palaces, and spacious squares exude a unique atmosphere. The central highlight of our sightseeing tour is the Szeged Cathedral, one of Hungary’s most impressive churches. The enormous twin-towered Votive Church dominates Dóm Square with its imposing presence. Inside the Cathedral, visitors are captivated by the richness of the mosaics and frescoes, complemented by the Romanesque Dömötör Tower, which also offers an interesting sight.
Dinner: between 6 and 7 pm. Accommodation: at the yurt camp of the Ópusztaszer Akhal Stud.
Friday: Riding to the kurgans on the plain
7.00-8.30 am: Breakfast.
8.30 am: Meeting at the riding arena. Putting on riding gear and getting to know the horses. Mounting the horse.
9.00 am-12.00 pm: Departure to the Kurgans. These kurgans (mounds) stretch from the Carpathian Basin to Mongolia. Beneath these mounds, the peoples of the steppe buried their dead for more than 2,000 years. A parallel can be drawn with the pyramids, and even if they are not as monumental, they were widespread across vast areas of Eurasia for a long time. In our world today, this landscape—the elements of the steppe world—is becoming increasingly rare. On the Great Plain, more than 1,600 have been examined, which is only a fraction of all the mounds.
12.00-1 pm: The picnic lunch is taking place at the kurgan.
2-4 pm: Exploring the kurgans, riding on the Great Plain. Alongside the forests, we also encounter vast meadows, perfect for long gallops. During our journey, the pastoral culture of the Great Plain comes to life.
After riding back home, dinner: between 6 and 7 pm. Accommodation: at the yurt camp of the Ópusztaszer Akhal Stud.
Saturday: Departure
Breakfast from 7:00 to 8:30 am at the yurt camp. Afterwards, farewell and departure. (transfer)