Béda-Karapancsa

Béda-Karapancsa is a wetland reserve featuring lakes, marshes, and reed beds along the lower Danube in Hungary. The area includes several backwater channels that are regularly shaped by river floods, creating a diverse floodplain environment.

The reserve was originally established as an independent protected area and integrated into Danube-Drava National Park in 1996. This consolidation provided stronger legal protection and more comprehensive management of the wetland.

The wetland serves as a gathering place for birdwatchers and fishing communities who have relied on these waters for generations. Local fishers continue traditional practices that shape daily life in the region and connect people to the river's rhythms.

The area is best explored by canoe on the outer Béda channel to observe water birds and experience the floodplain landscape. Visit during migration seasons when bird diversity is at its peak.

The reserve hosts Hungary's largest black hawthorn population alongside subtropical plant species found nowhere else in the country. This botanical rarity makes it an unusual ecological hotspot.

Location: Baranya County

Location: Bács-Kiskun County

Part of: Danube-Drava National Park

GPS coordinates: 45.93964,18.75196

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:15