Golden eagle festival 2026 – western Mongolia

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Golden eagle festival 2026 tour

The Golden Eagle Festival, also known as the Eagle Hunters Festival, is an exciting celebration of the eagle hunting tradition practiced by the nomadic Kazakh tribe in the Altai Mountains of Mongolia. Held annually in October, this unique two-day festival showcases traditional games and the eagle contest, where eagle hunters from nearby villages and mountains compete to show off their birds’ prowess for the upcoming hunting season. To experience this festival, you’ll need to travel to Ulgii town in Western Mongolia, as eagle hunting is specific to the Kazakh nomad people who inhabit the far western corner of the country.
Every year, around one hundred eagle hunters participate in the festival, with some traveling for two days on horseback to reach the event. In addition to the eagle contest, the festival features other traditional games such as camel racing, archery, coin picking while riding a horse, and tug of war. This adds to the vibrant and festive atmosphere of the event. During your visit, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to take photographs and explore the various handicrafts and souvenirs sold by local vendors.
If you’re looking for a more immersive experience, our Golden Eagle Festival 2026 tour offers an incredible opportunity to stay with a genuine eagle hunter family. Besides, you’ll get to witness firsthand the magical activity of eagle hunting and gain insight into the lives of these mountain nomads. As a highlight of this tour, you’ll even have the chance to go hunting alongside the eagle hunter, taking in the breathtaking scenery of the countryside and visiting the majestic Altai Tavan Bogd mountains.

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Theme: Festival, Cultural
Destination: Western Mongolia
Duration: 9 days / 8 nights
Group size: 4-10
Join for: $1950
Booking: open (seats available)

Fixed departure

2nd-10th October

happy eagle hunter after his bird landed succesfully

itinerary 1 (9 day tour package)

Fly to Ulgii town where the golden eagle festival will take place. Upon arrival at airport, you will be welcomed by one of our representative and taken to your hotel. After some rest, you will have lunch at a restaurant. After the lunch, you will be taken on a short town exploration which includes museum and a lookout. The museum provides insight into the culture, history, flora and fauna of the region. Walk up to a hilltop lookout that provides a panoramic view of Ulgii.
#Accommodation: Hotel
#Meals: L+D

After breakfast, you will drive to Falconry Hill, where the festival will take place. It’s just a 15-minute drive away. The festival is not only popular among travelers but also attracts locals from Ulgii town. You’ll have the opportunity to mingle with the locals and witness this unique festival of eagle hunters who look like ancient time warriors. The festival kicks off with a grand parade, where eagle hunters gathered from nearby villages and mountains proudly display their impressive golden eagles.The main event of the festival is a thrilling contest amongst the eagle hunters to test the abilities of their specially trained eagles. The contest consists of two rounds, eliminating those who performed poorly. In addition, there will be various traditional games on display, such as archery, coin pick while galloping, and camel races. You’ll have the chance to enjoy all of these activities throughout the day at Falconry Hill. Dinner at a restaurant.
#Accommodation: Hotel
#Meals: B+L+D
#Driving time: 15min.

Drive to Falconry Hill for the second day of the festival to see the winners of the contest. If you have a plan to buy a souvenir, this is the place where you will find the colourfully embroidered Kazakh handcrafts. The second day is a bit more interesting than the first because today golden eagles try to catch a fox’s skin dragged by a hunter and the eagle which catches the skin in the shortest time gets the highest score. A traditional game (tug of war over a goat carcass while on horseback) will be displayed today. The dinner will be served at a restaurant in town. Overnight.
#Accommodation: Hotel
#Meals: B+L+D

Today we will drive into the mountains to meet a true eagle hunter and his family. The family lives in the mountains close to a village called Altai (110km). Surrounded by mountains that are full of foxes and hares, the area is a perfect place for hunting with a golden eagle. We will be staying at this humble, hospitable nomad family during our falconry trip tasting their hospitality. The family lives in a small wooden house in winter and a yurt in summer.
#Accommodation: wooden house
#Meals: B+L+D
#Driving time: 4 hour

In the mornings we will mount on our small Mongolian horses and go to nearby mountain tops to experience amazing ancient eagle hunting activity along with true eagle hunters. Hunting real animals will require days sometimes. Enjoy the view from the mountain tops while getting high in search of a red fox. Return for late lunch. Enjoy the evenings with the family, by sitting at their expansive dinner table along with local music (throat singing included).
#Accommodation: wooden house
#Meals: B+L+D
#Horse riding time: 2-3 hour in total

After an active eagle hunting experience in the mountains, the previous day, today is more relaxed and cultural immersion.
Start the day with mini a photo session. Photograph the eagle hunters who look like warriors from ancient time in their traditional attires, and film them to demonstrate the eagle training process, as the eagle master calls his bird to his hand and drags a fox or hare fur lure for the eagle to chase and catch. Opportunity to get dressed in eagle hunter outfit and hold the majestic golden eagle for a memory photo. Learn about eagle hunting culture.

After lunch, enjoy a gentle horseback riding on flat terrain, perfect for beginners and those who want ride comfortably. As you spend more time with the family, observe the daily life of mountain nomadic herders – their routines, traditions, and close relationship with the nature and livestock.
#Accommodation: wooden house
#Meals: B+L+D

Follow the eagle hunters to the nearby mountain tops one more time for eagle hunting.
#Accommodation: wooden house
#Meals: B+L+D
#Horse riding time: 2-3 hour in total

Drive back to Ulgii town. Check in your hotel. Hot shower and good rest. You will be taken on town exploration which includes town museum (might be interesting place to visit) and a hilltop overlook that offers panoramic view of the town. Dinner at a restaurant. Take a leisurely walk in the town center.
#Accommodation: Hotel
#Meals: B+L+D

You will be tranferred to the airport for your flight back to the capital.
#Meals: B
#Driving time: 15 min.

Tour Price Includes:

English speaking tour guide
Russian 4×4 van(s) + gasoline
All airport transfers in Ulgii (Khovd-Ulgii)
Tour cook
Meals (B+L+D) + snacks
Hotel stay ( 5 overnights)
Home stays ( 3 overnights )
Festival ticket
Camping and cooking equipment (tent, kitchen tent, table, chairs, mattress etc.)
Eagle hunters’ fee
Horses
Wrangler
Entry fee (national park)
Border area permit
Drinking water

Tour Price Excludes:

Everything in Ulaanbaatar
Domestic flight tickets (we can book your tickets for you upon request)
Travel insurance
Alcoholic drinks
Gratuities

This festival is one of the most popular events, drawing hundreds of tourists. As a result, flights can quickly sell out, even though there are additional flights to both Ulgii and Khovd towns for the festival. Hotels also tend to fill up months in advance. If you’re serious about attending this unique event, we highly recommend contacting us as soon as possible to get your flights booked and secure your place on the tour.

FLIGHT: Mongolia’s national carrier (MIAT) operated three weekly flights from Ulaanbaatar, the capital, to Ulgii (Western Mongolia) in 2025.
The flight days were Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, and the 2026 flights are expected to follow the same schedule on those days.

There is a nearby town called Khovd, about 220 km away, and MIAT operates three weekly flights there as well. However, the flight days are different: Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. It is possible—and perhaps a better option—to fly to Khovd if the flights to Ulgii are full or expensive. The 2nd of October is Friday and Friday is regular flight day to Khovd.

HOTEL STAY: During the Eagle festival (three overnights), tour guests will share a room with another same gender due to limited hotel availability in the area. After the festival, each guest will have their own private rooms.

FAMILY STAY: In October, our eagle hunter family will be staying in their winter camp in wooden house which has vacant rooms. Due to limited number of rooms, you might be sharing a room with one or two other travelers during your stay on eagle falconry part of the tour.

TIPPING: Tipping is not common in Mongolia; however, it is customary and appreciated in tourism industry, especially by tour crews, eagle hunter/host family. The minimum recommended tip is $30, with higher amounts depending on your generosity, tour length and crew effort)

WEATHER: in October, the weather gets considerably cold and the temperature can drop to -5 even to -10 during the day. Unusaual warm weather can be expereinced (5C to 0C) as well but you should prepare for the worst weather scenario.

-Meet real Kazakh eagle hunters
– Front-row access to the Golden Eagle Festival
-Stay with nomadic family
-Local traditional concert
-Ride sturdy Mongolian horses through Altai mountains
– Local guides, comfortable transport, and full-service support

Dates for golden eagle festival 2026

Featuring incredible displays of nomadic hunting skills and the majestic golden eagles, the Golden Eagle Festivals for 2026 take place in four different locations at different times and promises a unique and captivating experience for everyone who attends. Here listed only top three.

The golden eagle festival named Altai Nomads Game will kick off the season for 2026 on 12nd and 13th of September in Altai village, western Mongolia. This festival is always organized on top level so it is advised not to miss if you have the chance.

Following Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival will take place in Sagsai village on September 17th and 18th. This festival is a must-see festival as well. Sagsai village is the closest village to Ulgii town and located by the road to Altai Tavan Bogd national park so you can stop for it on your way back to Ulgii.

Lastly, the Golden Eagle Festival 2026 (the main and the biggest) will provide an enchanting finale to this series of events on 3rd and 4th October, 2026.

A review on our fantastic eagle festival tour

Note this

Your visit meaningfully supports eagle hunter families and we ensure they receive generous pay that honors their tradition

Australian client getting ready for eagle hunting

Why travel with us

We are locals based in Western Mongolia

Deep relationship with local eagle hunter families

Highly reviewed by past travelers

Photography-friendly itineraries

Safe reliable transportation

Support for local communities

Trust your trip to local experts

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Top 5 reasons to visit Mongolia for Eagle Hunters festival

Unique Cultural Experience and Exchange: The Golden Eagle Festival allows you to witness and immerse yourself in the rich and ancient tradition of Kazakh eagle hunting, a form of falconry that has been practiced for centuries in Mongolia. Besides, the festival provides an opportunity to interact with the local Kazakh people and learn about their culture, traditions, and way of life. You can engage in conversations, witness traditional performances, and gain a deeper understanding of their customs.
Majestic Golden Eagles and Photographic Opportunities: You will have the opportunity to see and photograph magnificent golden eagles up close, watch them in action during hunting competitions, and even have a chance to hold and interact with these beautiful birds. Either before or after the festival, on our tours you will visit the true eagle hunters to capture them in action. In short, you will have the chance to capture incredible moments.
Exciting Competitions: The festival features several thrilling competitions, including eagle hunting competitions, traditional horse racing, archery competitions, and traditional music and dance performances.
Photographic Opportunities: The festival, surrounded by the stunning Mongolian landscapes, offers endless opportunities for breathtaking photographs. Whether it’s capturing the eagle hunters in action or the vastness of the Mongolian steppe, you will have the chance to capture incredible moments.
Delicious Local foods: Traditional local dishes like buuz (steamed dumplings), bes parmak (boiled meat lumps and bones), and sirne. You can taste these traditional delicious dishes on our tours prepared by our tour chefs to give you authentic Mongolian flavors.