Let’s imagine together: a seven-day party with non-stop music, without borders or limits, no internet connection, partying with nice people all around the world and your only concern is not to miss the dj’s you want listen to. Does it sound perfect? Welcome to Ozora Festival or as they say, paradise.
Before we go into details about the festival, I’d like to give you some background information about how long we’d waited for Ozora 2022. We bought our tickets in 2020 and we all know what happened that year. The festival that was planned to take place in 2020 was postponed twice and finally after a two-year break, Ozora came back.
If this festival thing is totally new for you and you find this article by chance let me explain what Ozora is first: Ozora is a psychedelic trance festival that celebrates its 21st year in 2022. It is one of the biggest festivals in Europe of its kind (the other is Boom Festival in Portugal). If you don’t normally listen to psychedelic trance music let me introduce you to one of my beloved playlists- I prepared this one especially for psy-trance beginners. And a reminder: if you have any plans to go to Ozora and you don’t listen to psychedelic trance, it is a good idea to get used to it because even if there are chill stages around, you will hear the rhythm of psychedelic trance during the whole week. Now, let me explain you all the details about the festival. Let’s go.
İçindekiler
When is Ozora Festival?
Ozora festival takes place in the first week of august every year.
How long is Ozora Festival?
Ozora is a seven-day long festival but they open the doors two days before and you can leave the festival area a day after the festival ends. Going to the festival on the first day is not a good idea because most people come and camp a day or two days before so if you go there on the first day, it will already be crowded and you may not find a good place to settle. Try to go there at least a day earlier.
How to go to Ozora Festival?
You have two options from Budapest Airport to Ozora Festival area:
- Shuttle service is available from the airport. Ozora shuttle leaves you at the entrance of the festival and it costs 40 euros. You need to walk in the area until you find a place to settle, and the area is huge so keep that in mind taking Ozora shuttle means walking a lot, under the sun, with your stuff.
- You can rent a car or a van. This option is obviously more comfortable but a reminder: if you rent your car earlier, it is cheaper. You can park your car anywhere in the camp area and you can leave some of your stuff in the car so it is really comfortable indeed.
Accomodation in Ozora Festival
Airbnb and hotels/hostels is not an option in the festival. You bring your tent and camp anywhere you like in the camping area. If you are looking for a more comfortable stay, renting a van is the best option. As I told you above somewhere, going to the festival a day (or two) earlier is the best option to camp at a suitable place. If you want to go to the festival with your children, there is a separate family camp in the festival area.
Keep these in mind while choosing your camp area:
- Stages: There are five different stages in the area. If you camp too close, that means you may not sleep at night but if you camp too far, you have to walk a lot everyday under the sun.
- Toilets and showers: Before you settle, check the closest toilets and showers. You don’t have to camp next to the showers (because you go there only once during the day) but if you camp too far away from the toilets, it may be difficult, just saying.
- Steep areas: If you settle on a steep area, you probably can’t sleep.
- Trees: If you camp in an area which has no trees, that means your tent will be very hot and you will wake up at sunrise because of the heat. It is better to find a place with a few trees. Also if you have some trees around, you can put your hammock and camp chairs under them and have some rest during the day.
Protip: Settle before sunset if possible. After sunset, it gets pretty dark quickly and everything gets more difficult. If you turn on the lights while settling, you may invite bugs into your tent and you don’t want that.
Protip 2: It can get really cold at night. Bring a blanket, sweatshirt, sleeping bag or something.
Food in Ozora Festival
When I plan to go to the festival, it was one of the first questions that came to my mind: what are we going to eat? Good news: festival food is really good. You have a lot of options including falafels, Indian food, Hungarian food, açai bowl, chia puding, greek salad, fruit salad etc. Chia puding with mango puree was my favorite for breakfast (you can find it in ‘Astral Food’- our personal favorite). The food in the festival is mostly plant-based but they also sell chicken and meat.
The food is really good but you need to remember that there will always be a line for almost everything. If you get really hungry and you don’t want to wait in the line, you can have some snacks in your bag, or since you have many options and almost all of them are delicious, you can buy from the places that have no line in front of them. Sometimes it happens.
In the festival area there is a mini-market and a fruit shop. If you have a place that you can cook in your van, you can buy some ingredients and cook for yourself or as I said you can carry some snacks with you during the day.
My morning routine was to get some fresh coffee and chia puding when I woke up but I also had some granola, nuts and plant milk with me in the car so when I didn’t want to go to the food area and wait, I prepared my own breakfast.
If you don’t feel like eating something or if you skip any meal, you should take some vitamins because you spend so much energy during the festival and sometimes you don’t even realize it. Eat proper food, take your vitamins, stay hydrated.
Is Ozora Festival expensive? How much you need to pay for a ticket?
There are different prices for different phases. Normally, they start to sell tickets in January or February but this year, they are going to sell some tickets in September, December, March, June and some tickets will be available at the gate. As you can imagine, the cheapest price is in September. You can check their instagram page for more details.
The food is not that cheap in the area, for example you pay 10 euros for co*cktails, 3 for beer, 4 for coffee, 10 for a full meal. Water is free, there are many water points in the area. If you go there on a budget, you can prepare your own breakfast, you can buy some ingredients and cook your food in the cooking groove, also there is a cheaper food option but the food is not that good. If you buy 3 meals during the day, you may set your budget accordingly (30-50 euros per day).
There are many shops around if you want to buy some clothes or something. Tops are 20-30 euros, bottoms are 30-35, bracelets are 3-15, blankets are 20-30. There are many things to buy if you are interested. Shops and food places are at the same place so you will see all of them while wandering around the area.
Ozora during the day
Since the festival takes place in the first week in August, it is really hot during the day, especially at noon. You get in the line for food under the bright sun, so be prepared: keep your sunscreen, your hat and your sunglasses with you. At the main stage there is a water system (I don’t know how to explain it you’ll see there) and don’t be surprised when you see a fire truck, watering all those dancing people. My favorite time at Ozora is the golden hours before sunset, it gets cooler and I obviously love sunset colors.
Ozora during the night
Ozora nights are not that easy to handle because at some point, it gets really cold. Wandering around at night is also quite difficult because apart from the stage and shop lights, everywhere is dark and at this exact point you need your headlamps (it is a must- do not go there without one) and take your sweatshirt as well. And you need to choose carefully: Are you going to party during the day or at night? When we talk about parties, we mostly think about the night but do not worry- you can find exactly what you look for during the day. Try them both and decide which one you like the most.
Toilets and shower in Ozora
There are many toilet cabins in the area and there is no line (this is probably the only thing without a line in the area). I can’t say that they are clean because we are talking about 30.000 people. Cleaning team works really well and they clean the toilets every hour (during the day) I guess but again, 30.000 people. They also put some toilet paper after cleaning but they just disappear in ten minutes. Here is an idea: put some napkins and disinfectant in your bag, you will need them.
Unlike the toilets, you will have to wait at least half an hour for the shower and it is cold. I mean, really cold. You wait under the sun before the shower and it may feel refreshing- but nope, still cold. Maybe you can put some water in a big bottle or something and keep it under the sun for a while and then you can use it in your shower- we never tried this method but it sounds good- maybe next time. Do not forget your shampoo, soap etc while going to the shower because there aren’t any.
Internet connection at Ozora Festival
There is no internet or phone connection in Ozora, end of the question. There are some electrical outlets in the food area but who needs one, anyway? There is a rumor about some internet connection in the corn fields but I never tried. I only used my phone to take photos and videos, I charged it twice with my powerbank and that’s it. It is like a detox week and you’ll enjoy it.
Stages
You have some information about Ozora Festival and now it is time to party.
Ozora Stage
This is my favorite stage which has the highest bpm, aka the main stage. You can see many people doing different things here like dancing, eating food, even sleeping. Ozora Stage opens on the first day with an opening ceremony. If you are looking for some high bpm and you want to dance, this is your place. The most famous psy-trance DJs like Astix, Ace Ventura, Freedom Fighters, 1200 Micrograms play here.
The Dome
The Dome comes second after the main stage (for me, obviously). It is perfect to chill during the day because the music is mostly downtempo here. Almost every morning I took my coffee and spent some time here, it was like a morning routine for me. Visually, I think this is the best stage. The floor is full of sand so you can dance barefoot.
Pumpui
Pumpui is the techno stage of the festival. Sometimes (rarely to be honest) they play psy-trance but most of the time it is like a nightclub. The music at Pumpui starts on the -2nd day of the festival and it literally never stops until the end.
Ambyss
Ambyss is a chill stage like the Dome but think of a ‘chiller’ version. You can sleep here, many people sleep here at night. Also you can do yoga if you bring your mat. It is smaller than the Dome and some parts of this stage are under the sun so I don’t think it is as comfortable as the Dome, but comfortable enough in its own way.
Dragon Nest
Dragon Nest is like a show stage, you can listen to live bands here. I didn’t spend time here so it is on my list for the next time.
What should I wear?
There is no limit of costumes or make up in the festival because you are in a place where everything is normal. The only problem is it is really really hot so it gets difficult to actually wear something. I’m a big fan of partywear but during the festival (especially at noon) I was only wearing a crop top and shorts. Also your clothes get wet because they literally water you, so don’t wear suede or something because the water ruins it. As I said there is no limit, but being comfortable is also very important.
I am also a big fan of party make up and I have tons of glitter, face gems, neon eyeliners (this goes on forever). My policy is: no make up during the day, anything you like during the night. Keep that in mind that it is impossible to put on any make up in the tent because of the heat. It was really windy one day and I tried to put on some make up in the tent- ended up leaving the tent sweaty and without any make up. If you have a car, turn on the air conditioner and put on your wildest make up.
Bring your sweatshirt, sleeping bag, blanket as I said in the beginning, it is really cold at night. Keep something with you when you go dancing at night, because when you stop dancing, you’ll feel cold.
Shoes are also the key factor of your comfort. They must be really comfortable because you will walk a lot, and also they will get dirty so choose accordingly. It is comfortable to walk around with slippers even barefoot but I feel most comfortable at night with shoes when I party hard. Take one pair of slippers and one pair of comfortable shoes.
What kind of activities that I can participate in Ozora Festival?
Most of the time you dance but this is not the only thing to do there. There is a workshop place and there are many different choices like mandala drawing, painting etc. You can also go to the healing area where you can meditate, have a massage, and do yoga. You can put your blanket anywhere and sleep during the day. You can also swim, there is a lake but the time is limited- you can only spend 20 minutes in the lake.
Is Ozora Festival safe?
Short answer, yes it is. People are very respectful to each other so do not worry about being anywhere at any time. Sometimes they talk about theft but I didn’t have such experience, neither did my friends.
When we talk about safety, this is important: you need to have a waist bag and this is a must. Put your valuables in it (money, passport, phone etc) and keep them with you. I left many things around (other than my waist bag) and nobody never touched them, I always found everything where I put them but it is a good idea to keep your stuff with you if they are valuable.
Also, there is a healthcare team and an ambulance in the area in case somebody needs anything.
Protip: Losing your stuff is more probable than someone’s stealing it. Sometimes it gets really chaotic especially in the dark, so try not to take anything from your bag unless it is really necessary. One night there was a girl and she was looking for her phone- terrified. I mean you may not understand how chaotic it gets unless you spend a night at Ozora.
How can I get prepared for the festival?
First, buy your ticket and prepare your stuff. Second (and very important) do sports, eat well and listen to music. I mean it. If you are planning to go to 2023 Ozora, start going to the gym tomorrow. You can only imagine how tiring it is to party for 7 days. It sounds fun (and it is of course) but it is like a marathon- you need to prepare your body and increase your physical stamina.
Camping stuff- everything you need
- tent
- camping mattress
- pillow
- quick dry towel
- bikini
- slippers
- earplugs and sleep mask (I never used them but I had them in my bag)
- head torch and extra batteries
- nylon bags
- sunscreen
- mosquito repellent (never used- surprisingly there were no mosquitos but anyways)
- powerbank
- first aid kit (plaster, cotton, vitamins, scissors etc)
The things you need to keep close at all times
There are some things that you need to carry with you and you’ll use them more than once.
- Personal stuff: passport, phone, money
- hygiene kit: napkins, wet wipes, disinfectant
- blanket: your blanket is your home- anywhere in the festival area
- water bottle: water is free so you can fill your bottle anytime if you carry one with you
- sweatshirt: I know I’m saying this for the third or fourth time but it is cold at night.
Extra advice
I think I’ve said it all but just to make sure:
- Stay hydrated- rule number one.
- Don’t starve yourself- even if you don’t want to eat, eat something.
- Keep your stuff with you.
- Have a blanket (you can buy one from the shops)
- It is almost impossible to sleep during the day because of the heat, plan your party accordingly.
- Discover the area, there are many things to do.
- Bring your sunscreen.
- Bring your sweatshirt.
- It is easy to lose your stuff- do not use them unless necessary.
- Keep your head torch with you.
My own festival experience
Until now, we talked about the rules and do’s& don’ts of the festival. Let me share some of my experience with you, and I want to emphasize the word experience because it is the best word that explains the whole thing. It is not only about partying and dancing, the whole festival is an experience whether good or bad. And no matter how much I share my experience, it is impossible to understand it unless you go there and experience it in your own reality.
I love dancing, partying and I am a highly energetic person. As you can imagine, I’ve been to many parties but 2022 Ozora was my first big festival ever. Not only my first festival ever, but also my first ever camping experience because I love the luxury of taking a hot shower and sleeping in a comfortable bed after a good long party – and I still love it.
The festival is nothing you have ever experienced before if it is your first time. No limits, no border, nothing. And you really have so much fun. But this doesn’t mean that the whole experience is 100% positive. There are definitely some hard moments. I got lost in the camping area in the first night and I was really terrified, so many tents everywhere, no lights, nothing that made any sense to find my way, 1 a.m at night, and I was alone looking for my tent. I spent 30-40 minutes looking for my tent and I have no idea how I managed to do it. As I said it was also my first ever camping experience so everything was really new to me- a lot of data to process- and I needed some time to get used to them.
One of the best line-ups was on 5th August Friday and the night before I felt a little sick but didn’t care and slept. When I woke up in the morning I realized that I still felt sick and I know myself- I don’t normally feel sick but if it happens, it lasts for a few days. I threw up a few times that day, it was 44 degrees, I somehow managed to feel better but I missed Astrix’s set. The next day I felt better and I danced until 4 a.m. Long story short, the whole experience may not be 100% positive and yes it is fun, but also it is normal to have some problems during the week.
During the festival, you are far away from your routines and habits. You open yourself to a new experience and this experience- whether good or bad- changes your mind, gives you a new vision and in the long term, you see its effects on the things you never think of. And that is the reason why those festivals are more than just partying and dancing. During the week, you experience what you look for. I had some issues in my mind about myself and in seven days, they kept coming to me in different ways- or I interpret them in my own terms. You realize that you create your own reality- what you want to see, what you look for, how you interpret things- it is your reality. 30.000 people means 30.000 different realities. Dancing and partying part of the festival is great, I was really energetic at the last night of the festival and I danced for hours and met great people. Listening to Michele Adamson at the Dome was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.
If you go to Ozora, you know what expects you more or less- you can never know the whole thing and that is the best part. Each festival gives you a chance to have a new experience because even if the festival is the same, you are not.
Before you go, here are some playlists to enjoy.
- psy-trance beginner list– best way to start.
- an intermediate playlist.
- a psy-chill playlist which I love very much.
Have a good trip!
