Altai 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 |
|---|
| Sagsai Eagle Festival |
| 8 Days / 7 Nights |
Trip Details
1/Wednesday 18th September—Arrival in Ulaanbaatar
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia. Transfer to your hotel. Free in the city. Tour briefing before dinner.
2/Thursday 19th September—Arrival in Bayan-Ölgii
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. Check-in at Eagle’s Nest Hotel.
3/Friday 20th September—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 life-style firsthand and close encounter with the Golden Eagles.
4/Saturday 21st September—Opening ceremony
The Altai Eagle festival starts this day, near the village of Tolbo which is organized in third weekend of September. It is a spectacle with eagles released from the hills, hunting for a fox skin in tow behind a horseman. 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.
5/Sunday 22nd September—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. Today there will be a camel race. In the evening, traditional concert of Kazak ethnic group performed and enjoy a farewell dinner.
6/Monday 23rd September—To Ulaanbaatar
Transfer to Ölgii airport and fly back to Ulaanbaatar 3½ hours.
7/Tuesday 24th September—Ulaanbaatar
A.m. Visit to Gandan Lamasery, center for the revival of Buddhism in Mongolia. Visit Sukhbaatar Square, where the Parliament Building is located as well as the statues of Sukhbaatar and Genghis Khan, Ögödei Khan and Khubilai Khan. Visit the National Museum of Mongolia.
8/Wednesday 25th September—Departure
Transfer to the airport for international flight out.
Itinerary Map
DATES 2024 ex Ulaanbaatar:
18 September – 25 September 2024.
PRICE 2023 ex Ulaanbaatar:
2 – 10 members: USD 3750 per person
Single supplement (7n): USD 1090
Group discount available from 6pax
Practicalities:
Transport:
This tour is supported by a jeep or minibus depending on the number of travelers.
Accommodation:
For early bookings there will be space at the only new small hotel sporting ten rooms with attached facilities. If the flight schedules are unfavourable, we will stay in a small two-star hotel in Hovd.
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:
Our cook will prepare the meals. We pride ourselves in having excellent cooks adept at both western and Mongolian cooking on our trips. There is no problem accommodating vegetarians on our trips.
Includes:
Guide. 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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Delightful stay in a great camp where you live in a "luxury" Ger, eat delicious food and experience life in the desert. Camel Riding was a highlight. The toilet was clean and there was also a washbasin. The Camp has its own Ger where you can take a shower in warm water. The hosts were pleasant and helpful. I would recommend a stay here highly.
