Emese Tour
DATES
24 – 30 May 2026
6 – 12 September 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)!
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!
Anonymus, a historian in the court of Béla IV of Hungary, in his cronicle refers to Emese as the daughter ofchieftain Eunedubelianus, and the mother of Prince Álmos. The saga of Álmos and that of the Turul (peregrine falcon) , the totemistic bird of ancient Hungarians, are connected to her name. Part of the saga is Emese’s dream: the story is not only pagan and pre-Christian, but also of a distinctly ancient nature. According to the legend, the turul bird enticed her with a dream in which a river originated from the womb of Emese, which would grow and spread over a foreign land. According to dream speakers, this meant that she would give birth to a son who would lead his people out of their homeland, Etelköz and his descendants would become glorious kings. In his study, the historian György Szabados states that King Béla’s historian “probably used the word emesu as a personal name due to a misunderstanding. “Emes” in the old Hungarian language meant a half-awake, half-crazed state during vigil, when the boundaries between dream and reality are blurred.”
This new tour combines the elements of the Attila tour and the Danube-Tisza tour. You can ride longer distances than during the Attila tour (20-25 km), so if you want, you can prepare for the Danube Tisza tour, which is a longer, 200 km- long tour. The special feature of the Emese tour is the visit of the eastern Akhal Teke stud and the Eco-Park in Sándorfalva, at 1200 acre nature conservation area next to the Pusztaszer observation tower, and the Hungarian Grey cattles/Blonde Aquiten herd.
Daily Programme
Day 0: arrival at the location at the Yurt camp at the Akhal stud in Ópusztaszer
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.
Day 1: Visiting the Akhal teke Stud + forest tour:
7.00-8.30 am: Breakfast at the yurt camp.
9:00-10:00 am: Test horses in the morning, setting up suitable pairs of riders.
10:00 am-12:00 pm: Visiting the Akhal Stud on horseback. The Akhal Teke is the noblest and most famous horse breed of horse in Central Asia. It was a significant part of the horse stock of the nomadic peoples of the steppes, including the early Hungarians. These horses have been used in since ancient times. It is also mentioned in 1st century Chinese chronicles that in Central Asia, wonderful, “blood-sweating heavenly horses” were bred. It is a persistent, tough, very fast horse. Its exceptional performance was developed in harsh Asian conditions. A true Turkmen breed, a direct descendant of the former Turkish horse whose history goes back almost 3000 years. Their participation in the Ashgabat-Moscow long-distance riding race of 4,300 kilometres made them world famous. The Chinese launched entire campaigns to acquire these “heavenly” horses without success.
The Cseppentő family has always identified this breed as a working horse when breeding Akhal colts, and not as horses for horse shows. Carefully selected individuals remained in breeding, and it was not the quantity but the quality that they strived for. In addition to the purebred core, the horse stud of 75 individual horses includes high-blooded Akhals. In addition to tourism, they also perform successfully in competitions, especially in three-day military event.
12:00-1 pm: Lunch at the Yurt camp.
2-4 pm: a ride in a nearby cool, shady forest. We can enjoy the tranquility of nature on paths rich in birds and wildlife. Habitat of buzzards, ravens, roe deer, rabbits and deer.
Dinner is between 6-7 pm at the yurt camp, in the gathering place of the Akhal-Teke stud at Ópusztaszer.
Day 2: Visit to the Pusztaszeri Tower:
7.00-8.30 am: Breakfast at the yurt camp. Afterwards, warm-up and departure from 9:00 am, we will guide you to the Pusztaszer Nature Conservation Area, a lesser known nature conservation area. On the border of the Munkástelep belonging to Pusztaszer is a valuable saline area called Büdös-szék. Büdös-szék, officially known as Dongér Lake, is a seasonal saline lake located east of Pusztaszer on the border of the two flora regions of the area, the Tiszántúli and Duna-Tisza flora regions of the Alföld (Great Hungarian Plain) flora region of the Pannonian flora region. On the varied soils, sandy desert plants of the Kiskunság region are mixed with the species of the ermös-cenkeszes saline steppe in a special way. The border of the two landscapes is clearly recognizable. The real value of the Büdös-szék is its birdlife. The area is an important habitat for nesting, migrating, summering and wintering birds. During regular observations, the occurrence of 232 bird species has been proven, of which nearly 80 species are nesters. Among the nesting species, the Siki birds are the most important. In the framework of the program, we can see this special and protected animal world, free-grazing buffaloes, and a colorful bird population. We tour over some of the characteristic natural and cultural values of the nature conservation area and its surroundings on horseback.
12:00-1pm: Lunch, then we ride back to the camp.
From 2pm, riding home – exploring the world of the wilderness.
Dinner: between 6-7 pm. Accomodation: at the Yurt camp of the Akhal Teke stud in Ópusztaszer.
Day 3: Visit to the Eco Park at Sándorfalva
7.00-8.30 am: Breakfast at the yurt camp.
9:00 am Test riding: warm up exercises on horseback in the morning, then departure. We will head towards the eco-promenade in Sándorfalva, where we will have lunch. The Eco Park is a promenade in the reeds next to the sand quarry lake, from which you can pleasantly observe the local wildlife. In addition to the approximately one-kilometre-long wooden plank path above the water, three rest areas were also created, so even hammocks can be used along the path. At the end of the path, a viewing platform was built, from which the entire area can be seen.
12:00-1 pm: Lunch, then riding back to the camp between 2-4 pm.
Dinner is between 6-7 pm at the yurt camp, in the gathering place of the Akhal-Teke stud at Ópusztaszer.
Day 4: Visit to the Arrows of the 7 hungarian chieftains and in the afternoon to the Memorial Park
“According to Anonymous’ description, the conquering Hungarians reached the Körtvélytó (Curtueltou in original text) and, after spending 34 days at the Gyümölcsény forest, Árpád and his nobles held a meeting, where they established the country’s laws: they “fell in love” with the country’s affairs. To commemorat this assembly, the place was named Szer.” A blood contract is related to this event, according to Hungarian tradition, the first basic law (constitution) of the Hungarian nation was laid there.
7.00-8.30 am: Breakfast at the yurt camp.
9:00 am: warm up exercises on horseback in the morning, then departure. A day when the group of riders can hide from the strong sunlight and continues its journey on forest paths until it reaches one of the sights of Ópusztaszer, the monumental statues depicting the Arrows of the chieftains, the venue, where, according to legends, the arrows of the 7 Hungarian chieftains first hit the ground.
12:00-1pm: Lunch at the Yurt camp.
2-4 pm: the group will visit the National Historical Park and view the monumental panorama painting depicting the arrival of the Hungarians painted by Árpád Feszty.
Dinner is between 6-7 pm at the Yurt Camp, in the gathering place of the Akhal-Teke stud at Ópusztaszer.
Day 5: Riding to the hungarian grey cattle herd, then riding through the fairy tale like Süli Forest
7.00-8.30 am: Breakfast at the yurt camp.
9:00 am: warm up exercises on horseback in the morning, then departure. The cattle herd pasture is located in a wilderness of a roughly 1,200 ha nature conservation area, with a good view of its special and protected fauna, free-grazing water buffaloes, colourful bird population and a wild horizon of untouched wilderness. During the trip, the group will get to know the Hungarian grey herd, small calves, various other breeds and the bull. The landscape is the authentic face of the great steppes.
12:00-1 pm: Picnic Lunch.
2-4 pm: we ride through the Süli forest:100-150-year-old oaks line our way in the forest. There are old trees here from the time before the regulation of the Tisza River, which was 120 years ago. 10 years ago the forest, provided a venue for school programmes, walking tours and running competitions. These days it is rich in birds and wildlife, a habitat for owls, ravens and roe deer as well as, rabbits. Even meadow eagles nest in it temporarily.
Dinner is between 6-7 pm at the yurt camp, in the gathering place of the Akhal-Teke stud at Ópusztaszer.
Day 6: Departure
Breakfast is 7.00-8:30 am in the gathering place of the Akhal Teke stud . Departure at 9.00 am. (transfer)