His geographical explorations, as well as his ethnological research, were supported by his father-in-law, the king of Bié.
The king's relations, as well as his donation of 300 slaves, enabled Magyar to go on six exploring journeys in Angola.
Unlike other European travellers, he did not only explore one area, but also described the life of the people living there.
In 1848 the Hungarian ascended the Congo River to the Yellala Falls, before spending five years exploring the region to the south.
Magyar may have been a good sailor but the study of his maps demonstrates that his knowledge of geography was fairly poor.