Mongolia’s Kazakh Eagle Festival
Jeep Tours to Western Mongolia
Our specialized off-road overland 4×4 jeep tours take you across Mongolia to experience the historical and geographical wonders of Mongolia, it’s nomadic families, so much more!
7 days / 6 nights
Groups (Per Person Price):
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Availability: Oct. 3-4
WESTERN MONGOLIA EAGLE FESTIVAL ITINERARY
On this adventure festival trip you will learn the basics about raising, training as well as how to communicate and how to feed an Eagle! Once you’ve mastered some basics, you will then learn the techniques of hooding before learning how to carry an Eagle on your hand while you are standing, walking, sitting and/or riding on a horse with the assistance from the local nomad. All of these skills are learned before YOU, in person with the nomadic family, will have a unique opportunity to participate in hunting activities with the Eagle and Kazakh nomads. Upon learning these skills, you will attend the Golden Eagle Festival with your nomadic family and witness the mastery of hundreds of professional Eagle Masters!
Day One – Arrival (D – Mongolia Eagle Festival Jeep Tour and overnight at a 3 Star Hotel): Upon your arrival, our guide will pick you up and transfer you to the hotel where you can relax after a long journey before starting the city tour around Ulaanbaatar. In the afternoon, you will start your city sightseeing that includes Ulaanbaatar’s main highlights: Gandan Monastery, the National Historical Museum, Sukhbaatar Square and the Mongolian Government House. It’s going to be a great day for stretching your legs before your evening’s welcoming dinner at a fine restaurant.
Day Two – Fly to the far Western Mongolia (B, L, D – Mongolia Eagle Festival Jeep Tour and Overnight at Camp): Today you will fly to the far western region called Bayan Olgii; this region of Mongolia is mainly inhabited by Kazakh Muslims which makes up the majority (93% of total inhabitants). A significant portion of the population speaks in Kazakh (mother tongue) followed by Mongolian language that is their second language. Bayan Olgii is located at a higher altitude and most of region is located in the Altai Mountain Ranges (about 2000+ meters). Bayan Olgii is not heavily Forested – dominate tree species are Siberian Larch that cover about 10 percent of the that territory. Kazakh’s culture is influenced by Islamic traditions which is clear by the Bayan Olgii Mosque and its Islamic center; there is also an Islamic school not far from the mosque. The annual Golden Eagle Festival is held on the first weekend of October to display the skills of hundreds of Eagles & their masters for a couple of days.
At the airport, our local team will pick you up to which we’ll visit the local museum, shops and Kazakh restaurant before heading to our overnight camp. It’s good to note that the local museum displays all exhibits about flora, fauna, mineral resources, history and traditional clothes etc. In the evening we’ll return to the camp to overnight and get recharged for the next days!
Day Three – Golden Eagle Festival (B, L, D – Mongolia Eagle Festival Jeep Tour and Overnight at Camp): Eat well and enjoy your breakfast at the camp before you spend the day experiencing hundreds of highly skilled Eagle and their masters. These masters typically come from different parts of Bayan Olgii Province to show-off their mastery during the annual Eagle Festival. The festival will begin with the master hunters displaying their traditional Kazakh clothing as well as their eagles’ equipment and ornaments. For the next 2 days you will observe an authentic event that consists not only the eagle master competitions but also other Kazakh traditional games.
Day Four – Golden Eagle Festival (B, L, D – Mongolia Eagle Festival Jeep Tour and Overnight at Kazakh Family’s Ger): The second day of the festival includes competitions and presentations that highlights the special relationship between the trainer and his bird of prey which is often considered a family member and lives inside with the family. You will be able to experience a number of Kazakh traditions, mingle with the hunters, watch them pampering their birds as well as cheer together with the incredible Altai Mountains as a backdrop. In the late afternoon, you will journey some 1000 kilometers with Mr. Shaimurat, a professional Eagle Master (winner of an Eagle Festival), to his family’s home. Upon arrival, the family will prepare and serve you a traditional Kazakh dinner and tea. During your stay (overnight stop), Mr. Shaimurat will educate you on the basics eagle mastery (the eagle’s equipment, learn how to communicate with the eagle, does and don’ts, how to feed the eagle, etc.).
Day Five – Learning and Applying Eagle Mastery Techniques (B, L, D – Mongolia Eagle Festival Jeep Tour and Overnight at Kazakh Family): After having breakfast at the host family, you will learn how to hold the eagle on your hand. Later you will learn how to hood/de-hood, after that you will learn how to carry the eagle on your hand while riding horse, etc. In the afternoon, you will have your lunch with your host family to which you will learn how to call the eagle to come and sit on your hand before Mr. Shaimurat explains how to hunt animals with an eagle – a 10 kilometer round trip to the hill top. After the horse ride trip you will help the host family with milking the cow, goat and sheep. Later on you will have your dinner with the host family and after dinner Mr. Shaimurat will share interesting stories of his past experiences hunting with eagles. Later on he will talk about the history of falconry and then in the late evening you will overnight in your Ger.
Day Six – Drive to Olgii Town (B, L, D – Mongolia Eagle Festival Jeep Tour and Overnight at 3 Star Hotel): After breakfast, you may have a chance to experience the daily routines of a Kazakh family such as collecting water from well or making milk tea. Later you will begin the 100 kilometer jeep journey back to Bayan Olgii airport, fly back to Ulaanbaatar, check into the hotel to which we’ll all gather to have our farewell dinner.
Day Seven – Ulaanbaatar (B): Breakfast at the hotel and then transfer to the airport for your departure.