Nature and outdoor activities

Both the grounds of the guest house and the surroundings of the nature protection area create ideal circunstances to practice a wide variety of outdoor activities.

 
Zselic
Magyarlukafa is situated at the south end of the Zselic, a hilly area of 1,200 km² (highest point at 358 m) of high ecological value.
The village borders the Natura 2000 site which is blending into the National Park Duna-Dráva 3.5 km to the north.
 
Hiking:
The guest house can be the starting point for hikes in varying landscapes: woods, natural grassland, fields, valley, hilltop, pond, marsh...
Thanks to the natural richness of the region there will always be interesting things to see (cf. the section Wildlife). The quiet, observant hiker has an almost 100 % chance to observe wild animals such as red deer, roe deer and fox... We regularly see wildcat too.
We'll keep you posted on our Facebook page.
Until now the region has escaped the attention of mass tourism and it's unlikely you'll encounter other hikers on your walks. As a result there are very few marked trails. We'll be happy to take you on guided walks, but we've also created a lot of hikes which can be made using the free Google Earth app.

Attention, in September access to the Zselic can be restricted to the hours between 9 am and 3 pm because of the hunting season. In the months of February and March often no access is allowed for the same reason.
One piece of advice to finish this chapter: comfortable rubber hunting boots (such as Aigle, Le Chameau, Muck) will assure a pleasant walking experience for all kind of terrain and weather conditions.
 
Cycling:
The undulating landscape around Magyarlukafa will appeal to people who like to ride a bike and have a good level of fitness. You are welcome to use for free the two (very basic) mountain bikes we keep at the disposal of the guests.
The village of Szenna and its open-air museum can be an interesting destination for a day trip (cf. the section Places of interest: Szenna). It can be reached straight across the forest on a 25 km route that offers nice views of the landscape of the Zselic. The first stretch is a broad dirt road through the forest (which can be very muddy after heavy rainfall) which leads to a small paved road with very little traffic.

Do keep in mind there are no mountain bike trails around Magyarlukafa and very few roads have bicycle lanes.
 
Photography:
The rich diversity of small and larger animals (cf. the section Wildlife) is an invitation to beginning (butterflies are rewarding objects) and experienced nature photographers alike.
 

Guest house Magyarlukafa
There is at least one beautiful nature activity which doesn't even require walking in the natural surroundings.
 
Stargazing:
Because there's little light pollution in the Zselic, it was the first area in Europe to be recognized as a dark-sky preserve. At the time of the month when the moon isn't to bright the nighttime skies are absolutely impressive. At the top of the garden you'll be able to admire the entire Milky Way.
If you have a more than average interest in stars and planets you ought to visit the Zselici Csillagpark observatory. It can be found in the middle of the forest and offers programs for the visitors.
 
The guest house is situated on a large terrain (6,100 m²) and is equipped for a number of game and sport activities.
Badminton:
Racquets and shuttlecocks are available to the guests.
Table tennis:
A high quality table tennis table is available in an annexe.
Table football:
There is a high quality football table under a lean-to next to the barn.
Kubb:
A kubbset is available to the guests.
The kubb game is rapidly growing in popularity. It's not a problem if you don't know how to play the game. We can provide you with the rules on simple request.