GOLDEN EAGLE FESTIVAL

Golden Eagle Festival is an annual traditional festival held in Bayan-Ulgii Province, which is located in the Altai Mountains of Western Mongolia. Each year Kazakh hunters from near and far attend the festival with their Golden Eagles, known as Berkut, to enter them into competitions testing speed, agility, and accuracy. Ceremonies, dance performances, a parade in the provincial capital’s city square, and a Kazakh play in honor of the hunters and their eagles. The Golden Eagle Festival is one of the many unique experiences in Mongolia.

Day 1. Ulaanbaatar. SEP30

Day 2. Terelj National Park. OCT01.

Day 3. Ulaanbaatar. OCT02

Day 4. Bayan-Ulgii. OCT03

Day 5. Bayan Ulgii- Hunter’s hill. OCT04.

Day 6. Bayan Ulgii – Hunter’s hill OCT05.

Day 7. Ulaanbaatar – Khustai National park OCT06.  

Day 8. Ulaanbaatar OCT07. Ulaanbaatar 

Day 9. Ulaanbaatar OCT08.

Day 1. Ulaanbaatar. SEP30 Arrival in Ulaanbaatar, transfer to hotel and start city tour in Ulaanbaatar, the nation’s capital, visit Chinggis square, Zaisan Hill; Museum of National History, famous for its exhibition for Stone and Bronze Age, Turkic and Mongol Empire, rise of Buddhism and communist regime, Gandan Monastery a centre of Mongolian Buddhism. Overnight and relax in the hotel.

Day 2. Terelj National Park. OCT01. Late morning, drive 70km to Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. The park is well known for its spectacular rock formations and a scenic alpine landscape including Turtle Rock and the Old Man Reading a Book. We will visit a local nomad family to learn about their traditional lifestyle. Spend the night in a traditional Mongolian ger.

Day 3. Ulaanbaatar. OCT02 We will drive back to Ulaanbaatar via Tsonjin Boldog. This is the place where Chinggis Khaan found a golden whip which brought him fortune. We will visit 40m high equestrian statue of Chinggis Khaan covered by stainless steel and surrounded by 36 columns. The visitors can walk through the mane of the horse to see the panoramic view of the surrounding area. Arrive in Ulaanbaatar and overnight at hotel

Day 4. Bayan-Ulgii. OCT03 We will take morning flight to Ulgii, transfer to hotel. Take a tour around the city including local museum and local market. After dinner, we will have a briefing about the Golden Eagle Festival. Overnight at the ger camp.

Day 5. Bayan Ulgii- Hunter’s hill. OCT04. The first day of the festival: Eagle hunters compete with their beautiful traditional clothes, horse, horse decorations, their eagles and the eagle decorations while parading from the Olgii central square to the competition arena. Later in the afternoon the eagles compete with their speed, agility and hunting skills. Overnight at the ger camp.

Day 6. Bayan Ulgii – Hunter’s hill OCT05. Today is a second day of the colourful festival. Today’s task for the eagles is catching the prey within the shortest time and they’re given scores. Kazakh traditional games like Kokbar etc are played among the spectators. The best eagles with their best trainers are awarded in the evening. After the lunch, we will visit eagle hunter’s family where you will have a chance to get into the kazakh culture and eagle hunting traditions. Overnight at the ger camp.

Day 7. Ulaanbaatar – Khustai National park OCT06.  After breakfast we will fly back to Ulaanbaatar for three hours and arrive in Ulaanbaatar, drive to Khustai National Park. The park lies in the southern range of Khentii mountain and it is the place you can see wild horse called Takhi known as Przewalski horse. The wild horses survive in nature by themselves as a result of successful reintroducing projects after 40 years of extinction. Currently, the number of Takhi has already reached more than 240. Overnight at the ger camp.

Day 8. Ulaanbaatar OCT07. Ulaanbaatar In the morning, we drive back to Ulaanbaatar and then transfer to hotel. We will visit the Bogd Khaan’s Palace Museum. Afternoon is free for your personal sightseeing and shopping. Farewell dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 9. Ulaanbaatar OCT08. Breakfast at the hotel. Our Golden Eagle Festival experience in Mongolia ends here by transferring to the airport.