Golden Eagle Festival
Western Mongolia’s unique festival
Eagle Festival and Real Hunting with Eagles, Western Mongolia package Trip
The Most Western Mongolian Province, Bayan Olgii Province is specific with its well preserved Nature, snow capped mountains, alpine lakes, fresh and wild rivers and glaciers. In this province people from some ethnic minorities live having different traditions.
Based on historic resources, central Asian nomads trained and used wild eagles to hunt as far back as 2000 years ago. The tradition is still practiced among nomadic people in Kazakhstan, as well as the 100,000 or so ethnic nomadic Kazakhs who live in the mountainous region of northwestern Mongolia. Their Kazakh roots keep the tradition of hunting with Eagles an important cornerstone of their culture.
Bayan-Olgii province, at 1600 meters above sea level, is located in the Altai Mountains, the highest peaks in Mongolia and surrounded by the Tavan Bogd, Tsengelkhairkhan and Tsambagarav mountains with glaciers on their shadow side, and the melting snow supplying several rivers and lakes. This area is the home to the golden eagles, snow leopards, deer, mountain goats , wolves , foxes, marten and large numbers of birds. The Kazakhs who reside in this part of Mongolia are nomadic, moving around every four seasons with their livestock and hunting eagles. There are many interesting ancient legends and stories about the ways and methods of eagle falconers. Back in the day, skilled eagles were able to hunt not only smaller animals but also strong agile animals such as wolves and leopards. These eagles were the pride of their owner and tribe.
In 2000, the Mongolian Eagle Falconers’ Association (MEFA) (formerly the Eagle Hunters’ Association) was founded in the city of Olgii, which is located in Mongolia’s western province of Bayan-Olgii, and is the Mongolian heart of the thousands-year-old Kazakh tradition of hunting with Golden Eagles.
That same year, MEFA organized its first Golden Eagle Festival. Since then, each year the Golden Eagle Festival is held during the first weekend in October, and it has grown into one of the most popular, annual cultural events in Mongolia. It attracts hundreds of eagle falconers accompanied by their majestic eagles. They gather to fiercely compete and test their own and their eagles’ hunting skills, enthusiastically encouraged by the local people and tourists from all over the world.
Day – 1
Fly from UB to Olgii. Arrive in Olgii, welcomed by Bek and check in hotel in Olgii. See Kazakh traditional concert of a Kazakh band, and listen to throat singer overnight in hotel.
Day – 2
Start attending the eagle festival with the opening ceremony and after the festival attend the Festival Concert in the local theater, have dinner and overnight in hotel.
Day – 3
Attend the eagle festival on this day ending with its closing ceremony. Overnight in hotel in Olgii.
Day – 4
Start driving to Altay village where we will be hosting for the next couple of days. Now it is time to experience the REAL Hunting with eagles on your own along with other eagle hunters. Arrive in Altay at Mr Ardak’s place and have welcome nomadic five finger’s ceremony with locals and other members of the trip. Overnight in nomadic family house rooms and/or share yurts with other guests.
Day – 5
Start the Real Hunting Activities today. Everyone will be riding on horses and cars will accompany us in case someone will want to jump in the vehicles and follow the crew. Overnight in nomadic family house rooms and/or share yurts with other guests
Day – 6
You will be doing a REAL HUNTING WITH GOLDEN EAGLES along with other eagle hunters accompanying with you. In the afternoon, do short ride on one camel by turn. Overnight in nomadic family house rooms and/or share yurts with other guests.. Have good bye party.
Day – 7
Drive back to Olgii. Arrive in Olgii, Do some shopping etc. Overnight in Hotels.
Day – 8
Fly out of Olgii to UB. End of our Package
Fee per person for this package trip is
Mongolia package includes for the whole trip
Groups Size: 2-12
Important tip: Domestic tickets schedule which is considered as Summer flight schedules will be announced in Late March and domestic return tickets for October specifically during the festival will HAVE TO be booked as soon as the flight schedule is announced. So it is very important. Local aviation companies make domestic tickets at least 2 times more expensive during this time of festival. And Local hotels make their prices 3 times more expensive during this festival. So this trip is quite costly.
Weather: Weather in October will be -2, to -5 during the night and + 5 to + 10 during the day in Bayan Olgii. Warmer clothes are advised to be brought.
Meals: Our cook will prepare the meals mix of Western and Mongolian. We can also cater for vegetarians, vegans and gluten free upon request. There will be enough vegetables, fruits during our trips.