Golden Eagle Festival in Western Mongolia

Oct 02. Arrival in Ulaanbaatar. Arrival in Ulaanbaatar, transfer to hotel. Visit the Museum of Mongolian National History and the Sukhbaatar Square. Traditional Folk Concert in the evening. Dinner and hotel overnight. D

Oct 03 - 04. Ulaanbaatar – Olgii, western Mongolia. We take the flight to Olgii, the center of Bayan-Olgii province. Visit the city museum and the mosque. Transfer to an Eagle hunter's and see their lifestyle. Take part in the eagle training for the festival and hunting with the local Eagle hunters. Overnight at the Kazak ger. B+L+D

Oct 05-06. The Golden Eagle Festival. On these 2 days we will witness the fantastic Eagle festival. Competitions begin with each Kazakh displaying his hunting outfit and accessories. The most elaborate and beautiful adornments receive the highest marks. Later, the Golden Eagles are evaluated for their speed and agility. Interesting kazak traditional games such as Kokbar, Kazak archery etc will also takes place. Meals and overnight at the tourist ger camp. B+L+D

Oct 07-08. Olgii - Ulaanbaatar, Hustai national park. After breakfast we take the flight back to Ulaanbaatar. Arrive and transfer to Hustai national park and view the gorgeous Takhi wild horses and other wildlife. return to Ulaanbaatar on Day 7 and visit the Gandan Monastery, Bogd Khaan's Palace Museum and the Buddha Park. Farewell dinner. Hotel overnight. B+L+D

Oct 09. Transfer to the airport after breakfast.

Historically, nomadic Kazakhs of Western Mongolia depended on Golden Eagles for hunting. The Berkut Association is a community-based association consisting of local Kazakhs who are committed to preserving their traditional heritage and conserving the Golden Eagle. All proceeds from the festival's ticket sales will go to the Berkut Association, which will use these funds to further the goals of the organization including arranging the eagle festival each year. The Golden eagle festival will be held on 05 – 06 Oct 2013.
One of the last true wilderness areas of Asia, the stunning beauty of the magnificent Altai Mountains will be the backdrop for this extraordinary Eagle Festival. A highlight of any trip to this region is interacting with local Kazakhs and learning about their unique culture. Approximately ninety percent of the population of Bayan-Ulgii is Kazakh and though their pastoral-nomadic lifestyle is similar to that of Mongolians, these Kazakh-speaking nomads are predominantly Moslem. Passed down from their Turkic ancestors, many Kazakhs are still hunting with trained Golden Eagles whose vision is eight times more acute than humans. Female eagles are preferred since they are believed to be more aggressive and weigh as much as fifteen pounds (nearly one-third more than the males). Kazakh women are renowned for their skills in embroidery and appliqué-hand-crafted felt carpets line the floor of their gers and delicately embroidered tapestries adorn the walls in a dazzling mosaic of colors.

Notes: Accommodations will include ger decorated with Kazakh wall hangings, with sharing facilities. Food will be simple and meat-based.

More info about Mongolian festivals and events: Mongolian festivals are fantastic and truly a lifetime experience. Last years, some good Mongolian tourism events are taking place as well as Mongolia festivals like Mongolia Naadam Festival Holiday, Camel Festival, Ice Festival, Nomads' Day Festival and some more. The Eagle Day Festival is definitely one of the best events and was approved from the Mongolian Ministry of Road, Transport and Tourism. We welcome you to come and take part in Mongolia festival and Mongolia events with us!