Observation point near Lake Saint Anne

The hike to the observation point near Lake Saint Anne starts from the forest clearing directly next to the road leading from Sepsibükszád towards Lake Saint Anne, approximately three hours before sunset.

The meeting place can be approached from three directions:

1. From the direction of Lake Saint Anne
Approximately 10 km from the lake, heading towards Sepsibükszád, there is a clearing on the right side of the road within the forest.

2. From Sepsibükszád
About 4.8 km from the sign marking the end of the village (it seems much farther), heading in the direction of Lake Saint Anne through the forest, there is a clearing on the left side of the road with a 2×2 meter white sign featuring a green map.

3. From the direction of the Grand Hotel Bálványos
Approximately 4.9 km from the hotel, heading towards Sepsibükszád through the forest, there is a clearing on the right side of the road. Be careful! At the fork in the road 1.8 km from the hotel, do not turn right towards Lake Saint Anne; keep left towards Sepsibükszád. The clearing is 3.2 km from this intersection.

The tour guides are well-versed in bear behavior and are equipped with bear repellent spray. If necessary, we can also provide an armed escort.

For the weather, clothing suitable for an easy few hundred meters forest walk is recommended, preferably a dark top to enhance the efficiency of the night vision equipment. It is wise to be prepared for a possible shower with an umbrella or raincoat. To increase the likelihood of success, the use of intense perfumes should be avoided.

From the enclosed, covered hideout, which is specifically designed for this purpose, you can comfortably observe the bears through large glass windows, even in rainy weather, in their natural habitat.

It is forbidden to bring food into the hideout, but bringing a liquid is recommended.

It may happen that one needs to sit quietly for more than two hours. Not every child enjoys this. Therefore, we do not recommend the participation of children under the age of 7.

At the start of the tour, please switch your phones to airplane mode, mute them, set the screen brightness to the minimum, and turn off the flash. The ringing of the phone, the light from the display, and the flash of the camera can scare the animals away from the hideout.

You can take photographs and film from our hides. The photos and videos made here can be freely used. The use of flash is prohibited. Many people do not know and perhaps have not noticed, but besides the flash, other lights often flash on cameras, such as the autofocus assist light, or the red-eye effect filter, which also scares the animals.

These features can be turned off from the camera's menu. Please check and turn off these functions before starting the tour. Even a small flash can scare the bears away from the hide, spoiling the enjoyment for both yourself and others.

The quieter it is in the hideout, the more animals we can see. You should keep a distance of 30 cm from the window, otherwise your phone or face, etc., can be seen. If the bear arrives and you do not see it yet, do not stand up! The noise from your movement will scare the bear away. Our hides are designed so that everyone will see the bear, just maybe a few seconds later.

We have several hides, so the person of the guide may vary from case to case and from location to location.

Please apply only if you are willing to comply with the above-mentioned conditions, so that by cooperating with other visitors, everyone can go home with a lifelong experience.

In our blog posts, you can find contact information for guests who are willing to share their experiences with you, even in person if you wish.

We kindly ask you to share the pictures you have taken in our hides on social media, and tell your friends about your experiences as well.

On our website, there is a guestbook, and we would be delighted if you shared your experiences with us and others. We also highly value criticism. We would like to correct any mistakes we may have made in order to provide better service day by day.

Help us to enhance the reputation of this wonderful creature in the Szeklerland and not only have it be in the news when it is taking food from garbage bins or attacking domestic animals.