Danube wandering between Süttő and Esztergom

The launch site near the Saint Leopold Church in Süttő is excellently accessible thanks to the underpass beneath the railway, through which you can roll right down to the shore by car. Here you will find a shaded, pebbled flat shore and concrete slipway, both free to use. Opposite us, on the left bank of the Danube, lie Slovakia and the Süttői Island, also belonging to our neighbors. After setting off, following the river’s right bend, we leave Süttő and arrive after about 3 kilometers of paddling at Lábatlan, more precisely the Piszke settlement belonging to it, where a nicely maintained, orderly dock awaits. Covered with grass, trees, shaded park, open-air stage, side rooms, and buffet await the tourists, and opposite on the Slovak side of the Danube lies the village of Karva. After a few hundred meters’ walk past the Piszke railway station, crossing Vasút street, you reach the grocery store at the corner of Rákóczi street (main road 10).

Continuing, after 300 meters of paddling, our route passes next to the harbor of Lábatlan. The water-floating, installed pier building of the harbor should be passed at a wide arc and with due caution. Subsequently, between 1738 and 1736.5 rkm, we paddle past the town’s shoreline richly sprinkled with industrial facilities. Fortunately, the former cement and reinforced concrete factory and the less scenic asbestos cement plant are quickly behind us. A cargo port is the last industrial facility, which we also safely bypass at a distance.

On the right bank, we soon spot Sánc Hill guarding the border of Nyergesújfalu. From the grassy hilltop rising above the Danube, there is a nice view of the river and the surrounding landscape. After paddling 2 km alongside the town, we reach the Nyergesi Island, which also belongs to Slovakia. Between the island and the Slovak shore, a spur closes the way in the Danube’s left branch from boats. We do not choose this branch either but stay on the right side to reach Nyergesújfalu’s atmospheric, pebbled shoreline at rkm 1733. Comfortable, sunny shorelines, where it is worth stopping and resting. A staircase leads up to Frankel Leó street from here, and going right there, you reach the restaurant by the railway tracks and the meeting point of the road. About 300 m from the shore, if you have not prepared sandwiches, you can eat and drink here.

Continuing along the right bank of the Danube for about 5 km, we arrive at the Táti island group. Before reaching the Kis-Duna dam, we keep a safe distance avoiding barges moored 350 meters before the dam. On the right, in a bay of the Danube at rkm 1728, the dam separates the river from the Táti side branch. At low and medium water levels, we have to portage the boats over the dam. The landing site on the right side of the dam is comfortable, flat, and pebbly; however, the boarding site on the side facing the side branch is a little narrower, steeper, and rockier. Thus, water loading requires some attention and caution. At high water levels, we can paddle through the side channel together with the overflow water over the dam.

The Táti island group, as its name shows, consists of several islands: the Táti, Körtvélyes, and Nyáros islands. The Táti Danube Islands Nature Reserve was established in May 2020, becoming Hungary’s youngest nature reserve. The approximately 300-hectare area includes nationally significant maple groves and swamp meadows, hosting numerous bird species, dragonflies, and mammals. We paddle about 6.5 km on calm, almost still water, during which we can observe the surrounding flora and birdlife.

If you keep all day for the tour and wish, you can also paddle one or two kilometers into the narrow and wild Körtvélyes side channel opening to the left at the lower tip of Körtvélyes Island. Circling the Csitri Island, you can discover denser and quieter wilderness – these optional detours are not marked on the track. Returning to the Táti side branch, after passing a private private boat dock, we paddle about 700 meters more and arrive again at the main branch of the Danube. Here, standing in the Danube water, the old coal loading crane guards the mining memory of old times. In former times, the line of tubs arriving from Dorog unloaded their cargo here at the waiting barges at the foot of the crane. Now it is just a rusty industrial skeleton but an excellent photography subject and a special experience to paddle in its shadow. After the coal loading crane, on the right side, there is a ferry slipway, which should be avoided from a distance with great caution considering the continuous ferry traffic.

From here, the impressive block of buildings of the Esztergom Basilica is clearly visible, marking also the last 3 km section of our route. Passing by Prímás Island, avoiding the harbor and moored boats safely, we reach the Mária Valéria bridge. Paddling under the bridge, after about 60 meters we reach the end of our tour at the Esztergom bridgehead. Comfortable disembarkation site: flat, pebbled shore next to the concrete slipway. Easily accessible by car.