The Golden Eagle Festival (or Bürkitshi Festival) is a celebration of the Kazakh Eagle Hunting. 

In the late 1990s, the tradition of hunting with eagles — was beginning to fade. In 1999, the community organised the first festival to safeguard this "living history." Today, it is an UNESCO recognized Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

This guide is for travellers looking to visit the festival. This guide is divided into 4 parts: 

1. When & Where is the Festival held?

2. What happens in the Golden Eagle Festival?

3. What can travellers do at the Golden Eagle Festival?

4. How to visit the festival?

👉Bek Travel has been hosting Golden Eagle festival travellers for decades. See our guest reviews. 

👉See our popular Golden Eagle Festival Tour. We host guests for the festival. After the festival the guests also go on real hunts with the Eagle Hunters. Talk to us to plan.

Part 1 - When & Where is the Festival held?

The festival takes place in Bayan-Ölgii, the westernmost province of Mongolia. The festival dates are usually in early October. The dates are announced early so that visitors can plan. 

Aim for the Main Festival in October. It is the largest, attracting over 120+ hunters. Visit the smaller September festivals in Sagsai for less crowds.

Plan to book your trip early. The flights sell out fast around festival dates. 

Part 2 - What happens in the Golden Eagle Festival?

The festival is a two-day event showcasing ancient skills, culture and high-stakes games

The Opening Parade

The festival starts with a massive parade. All the hunters ride their horses into the arena at once. They wear traditional coats made of wolf or marmot fur. They carry their eagles on their right arms. 

Judging Criteria - Judges look at the hunters' clothes and the beautiful silver decorations on their saddles.

The Lure Test (Chirgai)

This contest shows how the eagle hunts in the wild. A hunter gallops across the field on a horse. He drags a piece of fox fur on a long rope behind him. The eagle is released from the mountain. It must dive down and grab the fur with its sharp talons. 

Judging Criteria - Judges use a stopwatch to see how fast the bird strikes the target.

The Call (Bürkit)

This event tests the bond between the bird and the owner. The eagle is taken to the top of a high cliff. The hunter stays down in the valley. He calls out to the bird using a special whistle or shout. 

Judging Criteria - The eagle must fly down and land perfectly on the hunter’s arm while he is sitting on his horse.

Kokpar (Bushkashi):

This is a very popular and rough sport. Two men on horses try to grab a heavy goat skin. They pull and tug to get the skin away from the other person. It takes a lot of strength and shows how well the men can control their horses in a crowd.

Judging Criteria - who wins the tug of war of the goat skin. 

The Girl Chase (Kyz Kuu):

This is a fun and funny race. A man and a woman race their horses against each other. The man tries to lean over and kiss the woman while they are galloping. If he misses, the woman gets to chase him back across the field and hit him with her whip. The crowd always cheers and laughs during this event.

Picking Up Coins (Tiyn Teru):

In this game, a rider gallops at full speed. While the horse is running, the rider must lean all the way down to the ground. They try to pick up small coins or flags laying in the dirt. It shows how flexible and balanced the Kazakh riders are.

Judging criteria - Picking up the coins when galloping at full speed

Camel Racing

The Altai region is home to two-humped camels. During the festival, you can watch these large animals race. It is a loud event that is great for photos.

Traditional Archery

Hunters also show off their skills with a bow and arrow. They use wooden bows to shoot at targets on the ground from a distance. This is an ancient skill that people in Mongolia have used for thousands of years.

Closing and Awards Ceremony

The best hunters get medals. The winners of the events are felicitated. Getting an award at the festival is a high honor for the families.

The youngest hunters also get prizes. This encourages the next generation to keep the art alive. In 2025, a nine-year-old boy won the award! He is the seventh generation of his family to do so.

Night Celebration - music and feasting 

After the sun goes down, the competition ends for the day. Local musicians play a stringed instrument called the dombra. People gather in large felt tents called gers to eat traditional food like boiled mutton and fried dough. This is the best time for travelers to talk with the hunters and hear their stories.

PS: The "Red Rule" for Visitors. Avoid wearing bright red, orange, pink shades of clothing. These can confuse the eagles who are trained to recognize these colors. 

👉See our popular Golden Eagle Festival Tour. We host guests for the festival. After the festival the guests also go on real hunts with the Eagle Hunters. We can also extend your tour to explore more of West Mongolia. Talk to us to plan. 

Part 3 - What can travellers do at the Golden Eagle Festival?

1. Two amazing days at the festival watching the games, events and culture showcase

2. Meet the eagle hunters in person. Learn about their lifestyle.

3. Wear the traditional hunter outfits

4. Try your hand at traditional archery

5. Hold a hunting eagle in your arm, ride on horses

6. Listen to traditional music

7. Eat the local cuisine. Experience cultural feasts.

8. Extend your visit and go hunting with Eagle Hunters. Real hunting in the mountains.

9. Extend your visit to explore West Mongolia. See stunning untouched landscapes, go trekking and horse riding.

👉See our popular Golden Eagle Festival Tour. We host guests for the festival. After the festival the guest also go on real hunts with the Eagle Hunters. We can also extend your tour to explore more of West Mongolia. Talk to us to plan. 

Part 4 - How to visit the festival?

Travelers fly from the capital, Ulaanbaatar, to Ölgii. These flights are on smaller planes & sell out months in advance. So plan to book in advance!

Overland is NOT recommended unless you are on a long road trip. It can take 3-5 days to traverse the massive country on a 4WD. Public buses are possible but it will take you multiple stops and days to get here. 

👉See our popular Golden Eagle Festival Tour. We host guests for the festival. After the festival the guest also go on real hunts with the Eagle Hunters. We can also extend your tour to explore more of West Mongolia. Talk to us to plan.