Hungaro Explorer
Great afternoon hike day!
My friend and I did a ridge hike with Nandor and we both agreed that Nandor is the best hiking tour guide on Oahu! On our hike, he identified the names of every plants and trees, summarized the history of the mountain, showed my friend and I where to place our feet on muddy surfaces, and took great photos of us with his DSLR cameras (which was sent to us after the hike via dropbox). He also took great care of my friend and I as he values safety. His website looks very professional, and he is very flexible and accommodating! Nandor did almost all of the hikes on Oahu so definitely reach out to him if you're into custom hikes. If you want a guide that will teach you about the mountains and hiking in general, take amazing photos of you during your hike, engage in fun conversations throughout the hike, and cares about your safety, then definitely book a hiking tour with Nandor!
John P.
An amazing, friendly and knowledgeable guide that made the whole experience really memorable. He was very prompt in his replies and accommodating to our needs during the summit hike. His photography skills are awesome. Very professional - would definitely seek him again when we come back to Honolulu! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Maggie Tso
My daughter (23 y/o) and I recently did a 3-4 hour waterfall tour with Nandor. As a guide he’s probably one of the best we’ve ever had. He’s extremely friendly, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and capable. He is very much safety oriented. It is important to have good hiking boots / shoes for these hikes and thankfully he was very clear about this before we came to Hawaii. We will definitely have him again and again the next time we return !!!!
Roger D.
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Oahu is an amazing island with a terrain and environment unlike anything in the contiguous 48 states. There are many easy to reach destinations but it is the hard to reach spots that make hiking on the island special. No matter how experienced of a mainland hiker or climber one is, exploring the Oahu wilds will not only test your abilities but will also throw unforeseen road blocks in your path.
If you want to explore Oahu’s hidden waterfalls, untrammeled backcountry or challenging ridges leading to the island’s high peaks I recommend that you contact Nandor Szotak. Nandor is a highly competent guide who knows the island’s many eccentricities, like complicated access issues, dangerous and exhilarating ridges and schizophrenic weather patterns, which most often confront and deter mainlanders in their quest to explore remote areas. Taking a trip with him will get you away from the crowds and give you a unique experience that you will never forget. Nandor is engaging, knowledgeable and, perhaps, the most unpretentiousness climbing guide you will ever meet. Simply put, he is outstanding.
Tom Lopez -Â Author of Idaho: A Climbing Guide
I came to Oahu solo, keen to do some mountainous/ridge hikes with an experienced hiker and found Hungaro Explorer via Google. The website looked professional and I liked how Nandor offers custom hikes - as that’s what I chose to utilise.Â
Nandor was always prompt with his electronic replies, was accomodating to my hike requests, was able to pick me up from Waikiki, and was able to cater to my skill level. I chose to do 2 hikes with him and after my first hike, he assessed my capabilities as being greater than I expected, so I found myself completing an advanced climb that I would have been too scared to try alone.Â
Nandor is knowledgeable and friendly. He will tell you about the plants and attractions you see in your hikes and recommend the best vantage points for photographs - including taking and sending you some professional photos for free. He can recommend other hikes for you to try alone too. He’s a climber as well,so if you’re a climber, like me, you’ll have some great conversations about that topic. And as a bonus to make you feel ultra safe, he volunteers in search and rescue and you can tell from conversations that he really knows his stuff. I highly recommend him and will certainly contact him again for more hikes the next time I am in Oahu.Â
Mahalo Nandor!
R. Jones
What an amazing experience!
My wife an I had an incredible day with Nandor. We chose the "three waterfalls hike" and were no disappointed. Walking through the beautiful valley then up the waterfalls and along the crater ridge was truly a unique experience. It has been our 3rd trip to Hawaii and has been hands down the best activity we have done on the island.
Next visit Nandor you will have to take us out again, looking forward to seeing the other hikes you mentioned!
Big Thank you for a great day!
Charlotte & Matt K.
We had a fantastic and amazing experience with Hungaro Explorer. We explored a part of Oahu, near from Honolulu and we discovered different aspects of nature on our trail by the beautiful three waterfalls. Nandor our guide prepared our expedition really well. Don't miss the opportunity of discovering more than the touristic places of Oahu.
I highly recommend Hungaro Explorer!
Natalie P.
My recent visit to Hawaii was an unforgettable experience due solely to my guided adventure up the Ko'olau Mountains with Hungaro Explorer. Nandor was a great bloke and extremely knowledgeable. He organised everything I needed to make it to the top and have great time. I will certainly book another Oahu adventure with him on my next visit. 10/10!
Shaun P.
Nandor is an exceptional guide and his tour services will offer you something different than the mainstream tours. I searched for weeks to find someone who would take me around O’ahu as I was there on a work trip with very limited time. Nandor came and picked me up a couple of mornings to go out hiking to some beautiful spots - away from all the crowds. He was so patient, will tailor your experience to suit you and is an all round, genuinely nice guy! I will definitely be contacting Nandor when I return! Thanks so much!
Jenny M.
Our family of four, with two teenage boys, loves hiking in our home in the Pacific Northwest, but we had a once-in-a-lifetime experience on our three waterfall hike with Hungaro Explorer. Nandor is uniquely talented for the work he has chosen, and he led our group with knowledge, confidence, grace, and humor. The hike was quite difficult, but we felt fully supported, and completely satisfied by the end of the day. The experience was further heightened when we received the beautiful photos and video within a couple of days after our hike. I'm a frugal person, but I would have paid twice as much for our adventure!
Talitha E.
We had a fantastic day in Oahu with Nandor (Hungaro Explorer). It was amazing to see, how much hidden ways and sightseeing points he knows. We were hiking in places, where we were completely alone, in the mountains, and also in secret beaches. We are not professional hikers, so it was a positive suprise, that we found ways, which fits perfectly to our needs. We had our lunch at a local food truck, which I would never choose (it doesn't looked like a good place), but it was delicious and very authentic.
We can recommend Nandor to everyone, who is looking for places in Oahu, which are not so well known, but therefore really beautiful.
Adam K.
Our hike with Nandor was amazing, would highly recommend him. He's kind, knowledgeable, and fun. Our kids (7 and 10) rated the day an 11 on a scale of 1-10. Worth every penny!
Jennifer B.
Top of the Ko'oalu Summit has been on our bucket list for a long time. There is no way we could have done it without Nandor. He took care of all the details so we could enjoy the incredible beauty this hike has to offer. From transport, supplying equipment, carrying gear to finding the trails & shooting an amazing video of our adventure. The whole experience was a highlight from start to finish.
If you want to hike in Hawaii - Nandor is your guy!
Carol De Vos
"Â My name is Fruzsina Veress and I have been the leader of the Hiking Club of the Hungarian Society of Massachusetts for the last 13 years.Â
Nandor Szotak came to join the club back in August 2009. It was immediately clear that he knew a lot more about mountaineering than I did, and quickly became the co-leader. His expert advice was very important at every turn: the decision about when to go, where to go, what to take, and what to do in emergencies. He has a great sense of orientation, and he knows a lot about hiking gear for various weather and terrain conditions.
Nandor's exceptional reliability and stamina were soon tested: on a most treacherous terrain, many hours from civilization, I broke my left ankle and was unable to go on. Nandor literally carried me on his back until the rescue team arrived with the litter. This experience is described here:Â
http://www.gacs-veress.com/turaklub/boka.pdf
Nandor was a wonderful co-leader: he could race ahead to catch up with a fast hiker who wouldn't wait for the rest of the party, or take it easy when called upon to stay with the slow party. While just like the rest of us, he wants to reach the peak, he can be relied upon to turn back when it becomes clear that the hike can't be finished before dark or when there is a threat of bad weather. He is always cheerful and pleasant, encouraging the hikers and sharing his rich experience of previous hikes. He is good company!
A most important treat in a guide, Nandor is an exquisite photographer! If he is leading you on a hike, you can be assured of ending up with a wonderful picture of yourself in front of a high peak or waterfall. If you prefer taking those most wonderful pictures yourself, you can rely on both his technical and aesthetic advice
Due to his sense of responsibility, his deep knowledge of mountaineering and photography and his attractive personality: you just can't go wrong choosing him as your guide."
Fruzsina Veress
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I spent one week in the beautiful O’ahu. One day I wanted to do something different, and I signed up for a hike with Nandor aka Hungaro Explorer. I had a beautiful adventure, I have seen some amazing landscapes from the jungle to green mountains with great views. Nandor was taking care of everything, told me a lot about Hawaii, local plants and trees. Was an amazing experience!
On top of that I got beautiful pictures and a video about my hiking adventure. If you ever want to do something different while you are on O’ahu, Hungaro Explorer is your best bet!
Hajnalka Karika
Nandor is an exceptional guide and his tour services will offer you something different than the mainstream tours. I searched for weeks to find someone who would take me around O’ahu as I was there on a work trip with very limited time. Nandor came and picked me up a couple of mornings to go out hiking to some beautiful spots - away from all the crowds. He was so patient, will tailor your experience to suit you and is an all round, genuinely nice guy! I will definitely be contacting Nandor when I return! Thanks so much!"