Welcome to our website!
The Viator Association for Hiking and Culture is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in Budapest, Hungary.
It was founded in 2016 by 12 individuals with a purpose of providing various opportunities to experience and enjoy being on the way, such as
- organizing and promoting hiking & pilgrimage events;
- developing & maintaining trails and trail networks, esp. their waymarks and signage;
- enriching trails with added-value content (cultural-historical, sacral & spiritual features);
- educating trail marking and pilgrimage leaders;
- creating spaces for sharing information, exchange knowledge about related topics.
We have currently about 30 members.
Our mission is to bring people onto the way, and facilitate a more profound experience of being on the way, including encounters with nature, culture, opening op to spirituality and self-knlowledge.
Our trail-related professional portfolio is based on the waymarking (trailblazing) and trail system development competences having been practiced by our members for more than a decade, and we participate in active tourism development projects on various levels. We also provide general information and hiking tips in the greater area of Budapest and Hungary.
Those of our events and projects which relate to spirituality, our background is rooted in the Catholic Christian faith and tradition, with a special emphasis on mystics, contemplation and self-reflection, supported by ancient and modern Christian traditions. We develop innovative ways of encountering with nature, culture, history, self and divine. We are, however, basically a non-religious organization widely open for members and guests of any background, and trying to foster interfaith and intercultural dialogue.
You are most welcome to hike one of the hiking or pilgrimage routes we marked or developed, such as the trails around the historical town of Esztergom, Hungary, or the Pálos trails related to the pauline monks in the Pilis – Danube bend area, or the Gerecse tour in the area ot Tata and Neszmély wine region, to the west from Budapest.
From time to time we also organize talks and meetups online & offline, and day-hikes in the broad area of Budapest.
We have experience and expertise on trail marking, trail assesment, and network design improvements for visitor management. Most of our activities focus on the Greater Budapest area but we are also active nationally and internationally.
Amongst others, we are partnering with the following organizations:
- World Trails Network
- Pietre Vive / Living Stones Communities
- Jerusalem Way international peace team.
- Magyar Természetjáró Szövetség (Hungarian Hiking Federation)
- Budapesti Természetbarát Sportszövetség (Budapest Hiking Sport Federation)
- Komárom-Esztergom Megyei Természetjáró Szövetség (Komárom-Esztergom County Hiking Federation)
- Magyarországi Szerzeteselöljárók Konferenciájának Irodája (office of the conference of Hungarian religious orders)
- Magyar Pálos Rend (Hungarian Pauline Order)
- Jézus Társasága Magyarországi Rendtartománya (Hungarian Jesuits)
- Don Bosco Szaléziak – Gerecse Natúrpark Látogatóközpont (Don Bosco Salesians & Gerecse Natúrpark Visitor Centre)
- Neszmélyi Borút Egyesület (Neszmély Wine Route Association)
- Via Sacra Utazási Iroda (tour operator and travel agency)
- ZarándokPont (pilgrimage point volunteer-based info point)
For more information (such as hiking and pilgrimage tips) or partnership opportunities, contact us at viatoregyesulet@gmail.com
Donations or membership fees are welcome to our bank account: IBAN HU37117131772119816600000000.