Bear Farm
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Duration: 1-2 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
165 reviews
Excellent
83
Very good
53
Average
15
Poor
7
Terrible
7
Gareth P
2 contributions
Apr 2023 • Family
We have visited several years ago ( with dogs) and although simple, we appreciated someone looking out for these animals.
This year, we paid and entered for 5 of us, and on taking 2 steps into the zoo, we were informed that our dogs were not allowed. This is apparently a new law, so no problem. We apologised and asked for our money back as we didn't want to leave the dogs. We were told that as we had entered the zoo, no refunds would be given. To be charged for this is absolute thievery.
What made us even more angry, was that they suggested we leave our dogs in the car while we visit the park. What animal welfare people would ever suggest that!!!!
In summary, I would say they prioritise the money of their paying visitors above all else.
This year, we paid and entered for 5 of us, and on taking 2 steps into the zoo, we were informed that our dogs were not allowed. This is apparently a new law, so no problem. We apologised and asked for our money back as we didn't want to leave the dogs. We were told that as we had entered the zoo, no refunds would be given. To be charged for this is absolute thievery.
What made us even more angry, was that they suggested we leave our dogs in the car while we visit the park. What animal welfare people would ever suggest that!!!!
In summary, I would say they prioritise the money of their paying visitors above all else.
Written April 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah C
13 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
Okay, I’m going to give a really honest review of this place from the perspective of an animal lover. Firstly, when you arrive, it does indeed seem to be a sanctuary. There’s around 22 bears on a large piece of land, who seem happy and well looked after. There’s als wolves in with them, who also seem happy. As you get further in to the ‘sanctuary’, you’ll realise that this is just a zoo. There’s multiple enclosures that are far too small for the animals they house, including wolves, rabbits, lynx, South American coati (like a raccoon), turtles and sheep/ goats. There’s around 20 wolves, which they allow to breed, which is problematic as it’s an endless cycle of wolves being bred in to captivity- i.e, a zoo.
There’s also lynx in a cage that’s far too small. Lynx are highly intelligent, active animals. They need lots of space, and trees to climb. The coati enclosure was also very sad- 3 out of the 5 animals in there were pacing back and forth, which most people know is a sign of stress and boredem. I have a video of this, which unfortunately can’t be posted to trip advisor. The sheep/ goats were kept in a smallish enclosure too, but that didn’t bother me as much and they’re very domesticated animals. The turtles enclosure wasn’t too small in my opinion, but the water they had was absolutely filthy, like it hadn’t been changed in weeks.
Lastly, what got me the most was the rabbit enclosure (see the image I’ve posted). As someone who has rabbits as pets, seeing so many rabbits (around 25 of them) in such a small hutch was very upsetting. There were lots of baby ones, meaning they’re obviously letting them breed, and with how many were in there vs how much space they had, I’d say they’re breeding them to feed them to the wolves (my tour guide said that’s why the wolves get fed, but couldn’t tell us where the rabbits came from?).
If I had have read a review like mine before I went, I wouldn’t have gone. Make your own call, but this place definitely isn’t ethical, and I’d really question how well looked after these animals are.
There’s also lynx in a cage that’s far too small. Lynx are highly intelligent, active animals. They need lots of space, and trees to climb. The coati enclosure was also very sad- 3 out of the 5 animals in there were pacing back and forth, which most people know is a sign of stress and boredem. I have a video of this, which unfortunately can’t be posted to trip advisor. The sheep/ goats were kept in a smallish enclosure too, but that didn’t bother me as much and they’re very domesticated animals. The turtles enclosure wasn’t too small in my opinion, but the water they had was absolutely filthy, like it hadn’t been changed in weeks.
Lastly, what got me the most was the rabbit enclosure (see the image I’ve posted). As someone who has rabbits as pets, seeing so many rabbits (around 25 of them) in such a small hutch was very upsetting. There were lots of baby ones, meaning they’re obviously letting them breed, and with how many were in there vs how much space they had, I’d say they’re breeding them to feed them to the wolves (my tour guide said that’s why the wolves get fed, but couldn’t tell us where the rabbits came from?).
If I had have read a review like mine before I went, I wouldn’t have gone. Make your own call, but this place definitely isn’t ethical, and I’d really question how well looked after these animals are.
Written June 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lukas
1 contribution
Jun 2019 • Friends
If you are an animal lover, stay away.
Firstly, the bears seem to have it okay, large space, similar to their habitat in the wild, not the case for the other animals unfortunately.
Along the bear cages, they have these make shift bee catchers made of plastic bottles, filled with water, to catch the bees that are attracted to the honey, hundreds of bees being drowned.
They have 15+ wolves (that they allow to breed, so those numbers will grow) in a very small caged area, they also have removed certain wolves (apparently they don’t all get along) & locked them in extremely small cages, adjacent to the other wolves, such a heart breaking sight, to see the, literal, lone wolf, a pack animal, watch their own kind run around with each other.
They have two Lynxes, a large wild cat, locked in a cage, that you could fit inside a medium house, no room to climb, or run, or jump.
5 or so wild Coati (raccoon type animal) locked in a cage, that just pace along the edge, a sign of stress/ boredom in animals.
They have over 20 unhealthy looking rabbits in a hutch, that was made for one rabbit. It seems like they’re breeding them to feed to the other animals.
Totally unethical, and I wish I had of known the conditions prior to going, because I would not have contributed money to this establishment.
Firstly, the bears seem to have it okay, large space, similar to their habitat in the wild, not the case for the other animals unfortunately.
Along the bear cages, they have these make shift bee catchers made of plastic bottles, filled with water, to catch the bees that are attracted to the honey, hundreds of bees being drowned.
They have 15+ wolves (that they allow to breed, so those numbers will grow) in a very small caged area, they also have removed certain wolves (apparently they don’t all get along) & locked them in extremely small cages, adjacent to the other wolves, such a heart breaking sight, to see the, literal, lone wolf, a pack animal, watch their own kind run around with each other.
They have two Lynxes, a large wild cat, locked in a cage, that you could fit inside a medium house, no room to climb, or run, or jump.
5 or so wild Coati (raccoon type animal) locked in a cage, that just pace along the edge, a sign of stress/ boredom in animals.
They have over 20 unhealthy looking rabbits in a hutch, that was made for one rabbit. It seems like they’re breeding them to feed to the other animals.
Totally unethical, and I wish I had of known the conditions prior to going, because I would not have contributed money to this establishment.
Written June 20, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
siobhupton
Dublin, Ireland24 contributions
Feb 2017 • Couples
Myself and my partner made the 45 minute train journey and then walked half an hour to the bear sanctuary. It was extremely disappointing. There appeared to be nobody working there, so we could not feed the Bears with a wooden spoon. The place looked extremely worn down and animals were not in good conditions - very muddy cages with a terrible smell. So disappointing. Would recommend everyone to stay well away!
Written February 24, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lisa D
Isle of Wight, UK85 contributions
Jun 2015 • Family
Certainly not many people know of this brown bear sanctuary around 40 minutes outside of Budapest, Hungary, not even many Hungarians know of this place, we actually introduced it to our guide! It is very difficult to get to this sanctuary, practically the only one of it's kind. These are mainly x performing bears or zoo/pet bears that are given a place to live out the rest of their lives. It costs "bearly" £2 to enter but it's the cost of getting to it that's the problem. There are a few other animals also, Wolves, deer etc but the great thing about it was that you grab a wooden spoon and buy honey from the shop and feed it to these beautiful bears, which come over to take it from you, for me that made it worth all the hassle. It's not a big place and you could probably not spend more than an hour or so but if it keeps these bears in as near natural environment as possible then I think it's worth it.
Written July 4, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EleanorAJ97
36 contributions
May 2019 • Couples
My duck and I had a very pleasant time seeing and feeding the beautiful bears. The staff were also extremely nice.
Written May 16, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jaša P
Ljubljana, Slovenia86 contributions
Aug 2018 • Family
The bear farm is something you can go see if you have enough time on your hands and if you’re staying in Budapest (or Hungary in general) for a while longer, but I definitely wouldn’t make it my priority for a shorter visit.
The bears seemed kind of sad and fed up with everything (which I definitely do not blame them for, and it’s not the main reason why I didn’t enjoy my stay as much as I thought I would - after all, they’re there to live their lives and not to entertain crowds, thank god), and the farm itself is way smaller than I imagined it would be. To top it all off, there were wasps absolutely everywhere (again - should be expected, considering the amount of people that wander around with long spoons filled with honey) and when half of the trip is spent making sure nobody around you got stung, it takes away from the experience. They set up makeshift traps for wasps but they only seem to work with the more stupid and less agressive ones!
Not a lot of information is in English, basically just the very essential information (e.g. “keep out”, “no feeding” etc.), which is a shame since it would be nice to know a little bit more about the background of the park.
Also, go early in the day if you opt for a visit; in the afternoon, bears have already had so much honey that they will absolutely not give a rat’s ... about your spoon and you’ll only risk getting stung by something.
The bears seemed kind of sad and fed up with everything (which I definitely do not blame them for, and it’s not the main reason why I didn’t enjoy my stay as much as I thought I would - after all, they’re there to live their lives and not to entertain crowds, thank god), and the farm itself is way smaller than I imagined it would be. To top it all off, there were wasps absolutely everywhere (again - should be expected, considering the amount of people that wander around with long spoons filled with honey) and when half of the trip is spent making sure nobody around you got stung, it takes away from the experience. They set up makeshift traps for wasps but they only seem to work with the more stupid and less agressive ones!
Not a lot of information is in English, basically just the very essential information (e.g. “keep out”, “no feeding” etc.), which is a shame since it would be nice to know a little bit more about the background of the park.
Also, go early in the day if you opt for a visit; in the afternoon, bears have already had so much honey that they will absolutely not give a rat’s ... about your spoon and you’ll only risk getting stung by something.
Written August 13, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sanyi_10
Cairns, Australia13 contributions
May 2016 • Friends
You can by honey and feed the bears which are pacified. It is great fun. You can see the wolves too. It is the best to go by car and train stop Ivacs is a good hundred meters from there and there is no proper pedestrian way.
Occasionally you may see other animals such as ostriches, turtles, racoon.
They have a restaurant. Food is pretty good if you can live with the fact that there are birds flying around you sometime and that is not very hygienic.
Occasionally you may see other animals such as ostriches, turtles, racoon.
They have a restaurant. Food is pretty good if you can live with the fact that there are birds flying around you sometime and that is not very hygienic.
Written August 23, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lBohemianl
Oxford, UK53 contributions
Jun 2014 • Couples
I've been visited this place for years and I do now when I can, it's changed a lot but it's already good for living for these animals. Spacious places for the bears and wolves, and you already can see storks, stags, coaties, raccoons and sometimes goats and ponies. 10 years ago there was only bears and wolves but for nowdays it's totally changed, it's a little zoo now, just better, not in the middle of a city but in the middle of nature. That's why it's hard to reach by walk, easier if you come by car or bicycle.
Written May 30, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susie M
Ashby de la Zouch, UK19 contributions
Nov 2019
Visited Hungary specifically to visit this place with a number 1 bear fan in tow. Did not disappoint. Bears are gorgeous. Beware the wasps (even in Nov so goodness knows what they’re like in summer!) but with honey all over the place they must be in wasp heaven! The other animals are lovely too, although the rabbit remains in the wolf pens are an interesting reminder of the food chain!! Train and walk to get there were simple enough. Great little quirky gem
Written November 16, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, what time did you go? Early ? I m afraid of walking alone in the woods. I travel alone and I am 60 y.o.
Written December 14, 2023
Hi!!! How long is a "short walk" I travel alone and I´m 60 y.o.. Thanks
Written December 14, 2023
Isabella P
Milan, Italy
Hello! How much is travel from centre of Budapest to bear park and entrance fee? Thank you
Written August 28, 2018
You can take the train, line S71 (or G71) from Nyugati railway station to Ivacs (buy a round-trip ticket at the vending machines in Nyugati) for 560 forints each way for each adult (so 1120 forints per person-round trip). From the stop at Ivacs, you usually have to walk to the bear farm, which is about 1.6 or 1.8 KM (about a mile). There are directing signs. Sometimes, there is an antique bus, or a sightseeing trolley which will sell you a ride from Ivacs, but that is the exception, not the rule.
You can rent a bicycle in Budapest and take it on the train, for a reduced fare (235 forints each way). S71 trains run every hour, and the G71 is an additional train, following the exact same route, which runs during busy times, during the week. Take any train that shows up at Ivacs (passing from your left to your right, as you face the tracks, while standing on the platform) for your return trip. They all go to Nyugati. If you forget to buy a round trip ticket at Nyugati, you can pay cash, and buy your return ticket from Ivacs to Nyugati, from the conductor (but this is only allowed from stations without ticket windows or vending machines-- be sure to buy a ticket at Nyugati for the original trip). The train trip takes about 45 minutes, and will originate from one of the tracks numbered 1 thru 9. All train info (with timetables), in English, can be found by searching for mavcsoport.hu/en
Written August 29, 2018
How long it take by taxi to bear farm from szentendre
Written July 28, 2018
It takes about half an hour to drive from Szentendre to the Bear Farm.
Written July 29, 2018
Ciao, vorrei sapere se in tutti i momenti dell'anno si può dare da mangiare agli orsi o se quando fa freddo stanno nelle tane e non si fanno vedere. Grazie!
Written December 28, 2017
Ciao! Ho visto la tua domanda- purtroppo sei rimasto senza risposta! Provo io a risponderti in base alla ns esperienza personale.
Durante l’ inverno gli orsi rimangono nelle tane, ma visto che quest’ anno non faceva troppo freddo ogni tanto si vedevano.
Ma: sapevi che qui ci sono anche dei lupi? Almeno 20-30! Loro non dormino :-) e sono visibili come in nessun altro zoo! Vale la pena a visitare in ogni stagione!!!! Ciao
Written April 2, 2018
Please, how to reach the Bear Park directly by bus/train from Budapest? Is there any bus when arriving at Veresegyhàz train station?
Thanks.
Written August 30, 2015
There is a train from Budapest Nyugati pályaudvar in a direction to Vác or Vácegres. You have to get off at Ivacs station (one station before Veresegyház) and from there you have to walk approximately 1,5 km. There are boards which show the direction to the bears. It's in the middle of nowhere so don't be afraid if you don't find civilisation on the way, you are walking on the good path :)
Written November 4, 2015
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