A geopark program near Lake Balaton and some parts of Bakony Mountains, called Bakony-Balaton Geopark, managed by the Balaton Uplands National Park Directorate, started a few years ago. The more than 3.200 km2 area of the geopark has an outstandingly rich geological heritage and numerous cultural, historical and ethnographical values. There are more and more local communities and organisations involved in geological nature conservation and in this special and new way of tourism, the sustainable geotourism, which is also a chance for improving the economy of the rural areas. The main goals of the geopark include protection and interpretation of the rich geological heritage as well as launching educational and sustainable geotourism programmes in cooperation with local communities. The centres of the geopark are the Hegyestű Geological Interpretive Site, the Tapolca Lake Cave and the Lavender House Visitor Centre in Tihany – the Eastern gate of the Bakony–Balaton Geopark. Special geotourism sites are the two caves, the Csodabogyos Cave and the Szentgali-kőlik Cave of the geopark where adventure cave tours are guided by experienced tour guides. Geotour-guide training courses have been organised for many years to facilitate geotourism activities in the region.
Contact:
Balaton-felvidéki National Park Directorate
Bakony–Balaton Geopark Group
Barnabás Korbély
Head of Group
Phone: +36 87 555 287
Web: http://http://www.geopark.hu/en/
E-mail: info@geopark.hu
