Golden Eagle Festival
Introduction
The Kazakhs is an ethnic minority in Mongolia, but the majority in Bayan-Ölgii province. Most of the ancient Kazakh traditions survives here, outside the actually territory of Kazakhstan. These hardy Turkic speaking people are sunni muslim nomads and they hunt foxes and other small mammals with domestic Golden Eagles. Only the females, as they are heavier than male eagles. The eagle festivals marks the start of the eagle hunting season, which is throughout the winter in the surrounding Altai Mountains. Hunting with eagles seems to be ancient, dating back some 6000 years. The traditions have been revived over the past two decades following the democratization in Mongolia. Now there are such festivals in March, September and October in various communities.
| Trip Details |
|---|
| Golden Eagle Festival |
| 8 Days / 7 Nights |
Trip Details
Wednesday 02nd October—Arrival in Ulaanbaatar
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia. Transfer to Bayangol Hotel. Free in the city. Tour briefing before dinner.
Thursday 03rd October—Arrival in Bayan-Ölgii
Transfer Likely, in the early morning we will transfer to the airport and fly 3½ hours to Ölgii or Hovd. Both towns are small towns, being capitals in their respective provinces. Both towns have a local interesting museum on its natural history. Hovd was a town already during Manchurian times, prior to 1910 and it has several ethnic minorities with a majority of Mongols. Hovd has both mosques and Buddhist temples. Ölgii is younger and with a majority of Kazakh people. Tuvans and Uriankhai peoples also live here. If we land in Hovd, there will be a nice drive of four hours with the Altai Mountains on both sides of the road, being the Hökh Serkhiin Nuruu and Tsambagarav Uul National Parks. We will use the time for sightseeing.
Friday 04th October—Excursion
Today, one day prior to the Eagle Festival, we’ll visit the nearby Eagle Hunter nomad family to see how they’re preparing for their festival and competitions. You can experience the nomadic lifestyle firsthand and close encounter with the Golden Eagles.
Saturday 05th October—Opening ceremony
The Golden Eagle festival starts this day, which is organized in first weekend of October. It is a spectacle with eagles released from the hills, hunting for model artificial foxes. Horse games such as the Central Asian game bouzkhasi, which is on horseback tug-of-war with a goat carcass. Quite wild at times. You will explore the eagle hunters’ traditional custom and culture. Most certainly Aisholpan will be there, the now famous young “Eagle Huntress”. A friend of Nomadic Journeys.
Sunday 06th October—Eagle festival
Explore another full day at the festival. Some shows of eagles are played. Eagles fly to the own trainers’ hand and catch the moving objects or prey while flying. In the evening, traditional concert of Kazakh ethnic group is performed and have farewell dinner.
Monday 07th October—To Ulaanbaatar
After breakfast, transfer to the Ölgii airport and fly back to Ulaanbaatar.
Tuesday 08th October—Ulaanbaatar
After breakfast, visit to Gandan Lamasery, Sukhbaatar Square and National Museum of Mongolia.
Wednesday 09th October—Departure
Transfer to the airport for international flight out
Itinerary Map
DATES 2024 ex Ulaanbaatar:
2 October – 9 October 2024.
PRICE 2024 ex Ulaanbaatar:
2 – 10 members: USD 3750 per person
Single supplement (7n): USD 1090
Group discount available from 6 pax
Practicalities:
Transport:
This tour is supported by a jeep or minibus depending on the number of travelers.
Accommodation:
In Ölgii we will lodge at a comfortable temporary ger camp. If the flight schedules are unfavourable, we will stay in a small two-star hotel in Hovd or Ölgii.
Operations:
Domestic flight days and times are confirmed latest in April. It means you may fly to any of Ölgii, Hovd or Ulaangom airports.
Staff:
An English-speaking Mongolian guide will accompany you at all times. Other language guides such as Russian, French, German, Italian, Korean etc. available at additional cost, upon request.
Meals:
The meals will be provided in the ger camp, or as picnic lunches.
Includes:
All meals outside the Ulaanbaatar. Breakfast every day in Ulaanbaatar. Domestic flight. All transfers.
Excludes:
Beverages, lunch and dinner in Ulaanbaatar. Air or train tickets in and out of Mongolia.
What our guests say
We appreciate your feedback about our tours and services.
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Great place to stay and experience mongolian way of living, no tv, wifi, phone. Just nature and great company of the staff and livestocks of mongolia. The toilet is a hole in the ground covered by a shed. It is clean, but can be smelly to those used to city life. Not hot water supply, inform the staff that you like to hot water half an hour earlier so that they can boil it over camel dung 🙂
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Simply the best camp we visited!
This was the best camp we stayed at, the attention to detail from mirrors in the gers to being able to get a hot drink anytime, made it exceptional. The staff could not do enough for you, from lighting the fires in the ger, to loading up the bucket in the shower ger. The food was good breakfast was very good. It's situation means that it cannot be seen from the main track. The gers were the best decorated & most comfortable of our stay in Mongolia.
