🦅 Sagsai Eagle Festival 6-day Tour
📍 Western Mongolia | Altai Mountains | Sagsai Eagle festival | Eagle Hunter Family
🦅 Living Kazakh Traditions, Eagle Hunting & Mongolia’s Most Authentic Festival
📅 September 17–18, 2026
The Sagsai Eagle Festival is one of Mongolia’s most traditional and authentic eagle-hunting festivals, held annually in Sagsai village near Ulgii in western Mongolia. Unlike larger and more commercial festivals, Sagsai remains a community-based celebration, where real Kazakh eagle hunters gather to showcase skills passed down through generations.
During the festival, hunters dressed in elaborate traditional clothing compete in eagle-handling and hunting demonstrations, horse and camel races, archery, and nomadic games. Golden eagles are released from hilltops to test their speed, strength, and accuracy, while the bond between hunter and bird is judged with great respect.
Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Altai Mountains, the Sagsai Eagle Festival offers an intimate cultural experience, outstanding photography opportunities, and a rare chance to witness a living nomadic tradition that still plays a role in daily life. It is ideal for travelers seeking a genuine, less-crowded festival and meaningful interaction with Mongolia’s Kazakh community.
⭐ Highlights – Sagsai Eagle Festival Tour
- 🦅 Sagsai Eagle Festival – 2 Full Days: Experience the authentic Sagsai Eagle Festival, one of Mongolia’s most traditional and community-based eagle festivals, featuring real working Kazakh hunters.
- 🏡 Stay with a Real Eagle Hunter Family: Live with a Kazakh eagle hunter family in an Altai village and experience genuine nomadic hospitality and daily life.
- 🦅 Traditional Eagle Hunting Experience: Observe eagle training and, conditions permitting, witness traditional hunting practices passed down through generations.
- 🐎 Nomadic Games & Competitions: Enjoy horse races, camel races, archery, Tenge Ily, Kyz Kuar, and Kokpar during the festival.
- 👑 Visit a Champion Eagle Hunter Family: Meet award-winning hunters, learn advanced eagle-training techniques, and enjoy an exclusive photo session.
- 🍽 Authentic Kazakh Cuisine: Taste traditional dishes, including Besbarmak, shared with local families.
- 📸 Outstanding Photography Opportunities: Capture eagles in flight, hunters on horseback, colorful costumes, and intimate nomadic moments.
- 🏙 Ulgii Cultural Experience: Explore Ulgii, including Friendship Hill, museums, and local markets.
- 🌍 Less Crowded, More Authentic
- A quieter, more personal alternative to larger eagle festivals—ideal for culture lovers and photographers.
- 🕒 Easy & Well-Paced Itinerary: Short driving distances, light walking, and a relaxed schedule focused on culture and immersion.
Itinerary:
- 🍽 Meals: Lunch, Dinner
- 🏡 Overnight: Eagle hunter family homestay
- 🚗 Distance: ~120 km | ⏱ 2–3 hours
✈️ Arrive at Ulgii, the cultural heart of Mongolia’s Kazakh population. After meeting your experienced local guide and driver, enjoy lunch in town and a short briefing about Kazakh customs, etiquette, and eagle hunting traditions.
🚗 Depart Ulgii and travel through wide valleys and open steppe toward an Altai village. Along the way, see nomadic gers, grazing horses, sheep, and yaks, and distant snow-dusted mountains.
🏡 Upon arrival, be warmly welcomed by your host eagle hunter family. Meet the hunter, his horses, and his golden eagle. Learn about daily nomadic life, family structure, and the spiritual bond between hunter and bird.
🍽 In the evening, share a traditional Kazakh dinner — Besbarmak, the national dish made from boiled meat and handmade noodles, eaten communally.
🌌 Overnight with the family, experiencing the quiet rhythm of nomadic life.
- 🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- 🏡 Overnight: Eagle hunter family homestay
This full day is dedicated to living eagle hunting culture.
🦅 Morning activities:
- Learn how golden eagles are fed, hooded, and handled
- Explanation of how young eagles are trained over several years
- Observe eagle calling and recall techniques
🐎 Later, accompany the hunter on horseback into the surrounding countryside. Depending on conditions, observe traditional eagle hunting, usually targeting fox, corsac fox, or rabbit (wildlife and weather dependent).
📸 Enjoy extended photography time capturing:
- Eagles on horseback
- Hunter–eagle interaction
- Traditional clothing and equipment
🌄 Evening relaxation with the family, tea, storytelling, and cultural exchange.
- 🍽 Meals: Breakfast
- 🏨 Overnight: Local hotel or ger camp / yurt
After breakfast, drive toward Sagsai village, traveling alongside eagle hunters riding to the festival with their birds.
The first festival day emphasizes ceremony, heritage, and traditional aesthetics.
Festival Program – Day 1:
- Registration and credential verification of eagle hunters
- Official opening ceremony of the Sagsai Eagle Festival
- Competition for best Kazakh traditional costume
- Best eagle and horse harness competition
- Horse races
- Eagle adaptation and handling competition
- Tenge Ily – traditional coin-grabbing game on horseback
- Uriankhai archery competition
- Best Kazakh costume competition for couples
- Evening folk concert at a local theatre in Ulgii
📸 Ideal day for portraits, colorful costumes, and cultural photography.
- 🍽 Meals: Breakfast
- 🏨 Overnight: Local hotel or ger camp / yurt
The second day is the most thrilling and competitive, showcasing the strength and precision of both eagle and hunter.
Festival Program – Day 2:
- Shyrga Tartu – eagles released from hilltops to catch a fox/rabbit-skin lure
- Camel races across the steppe
- Kyz Kuar – traditional horseback chasing game between young men and women
- Kokpar (Kukhbar) – intense goat-skin tug-of-war on horseback
- Award ceremony honoring the best hunters and eagles
- Official closing ceremony
🎉 Celebrate with local families as champions are announced.
- 🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- 🏨 Overnight: Local hotel in Ulgii
Visit the home of a champion Sagsai eagle hunter, offering deeper insight into advanced training techniques and seasonal hunting traditions.
🦅 Activities include:
- Detailed explanation of eagle selection and training
- Photo session with champion hunter and eagle
- Opportunity to wear traditional Kazakh clothing (optional)
🍽 Lunch with the family, featuring Besbarmak and other home-cooked dishes.
🚗 In the late afternoon, return to Ulgii. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant and a comfortable hotel stay.
- 🍽 Meals: Breakfast
🚐 After breakfast, transfer to Ulgii Airport.
✈️ Flight back to Ulaanbaatar and end of the tour with unforgettable memories of Mongolia’s eagle hunting heritage.
ℹ️ Tour Notes – Sagsai Eagle festival tour
- 📅 Festival: Sagsai Eagle Festival
- 📌 2026 Dates: September 17–18
- 📍 Location: Sagsai village, near Ulgii, western Mongolia
- 📌 Early Booking Recommended: September is peak season in western Mongolia. Flights and accommodation in Ulgii are limited and often sell out early.
- ✈️ Flights & Access: Travel to Ulgii is by domestic flight from Ulaanbaatar. Schedules may change due to weather.
- 🏕 Accommodation Style: A mix of eagle hunter family homestays, local hotels, and ger camps. Facilities are simple, clean, and culturally authentic.
- 🌦 Weather: Late September is cool and mostly dry. Days are mild; mornings and evenings can be cold.
- 🚗 Road Conditions: Some travel is on unpaved or off-road tracks. Driving times are approximate.
- 🦅 Eagle Activities: Eagle training and hunting demonstrations depend on weather and wildlife conditions.
- 📸 Photography & Etiquette: Photography is excellent throughout the tour. Please always ask permission before photographing local people.
- 🧳 Luggage: Soft bags or duffel bags are recommended due to limited space and off-road travel.
🌍 Why Choose the Sagsai Eagle Festival?
- 🦅 Most Authentic Eagle Festival: Attend the Sagsai Eagle Festival, a smaller, community-based event where real working Kazakh eagle hunters compete—less commercial and deeply traditional.
- 🏡 Live with Eagle Hunters: Stay with a genuine Kazakh eagle hunter family and experience daily nomadic life, hospitality, and centuries-old traditions.
- 🦅 Real Eagle Hunting Experience: Learn how golden eagles are trained and, conditions permitting, observe traditional hunting practices in the Altai countryside.
- 🎉 Two Full Festival Days: Enjoy the complete festival program: eagle competitions, horse and camel races, archery, nomadic games, and award ceremonies.
- 📸 Excellent Photography: Close access to hunters, eagles, and cultural moments makes this tour ideal for photographers.
- 🕒 Easy & Well-Paced: Short driving distances, light walking, and a relaxed schedule—perfect for cultural travelers of all ages.
- 🌍 Less Crowded, More Personal: A quieter and more intimate alternative to larger eagle festivals, offering deeper local connection.
🎒 What to Bring
- 🧥 Warm layered clothing – Thermal base layers, fleece, insulated jacket
- 💨 Windproof / waterproof jacket – Weather can change quickly in the Altai
- 🧢 Warm hat & gloves – Cold mornings and evenings in late September
- 👟 Comfortable walking or hiking shoes – Uneven ground at festival sites
- 🧦 Warm socks – Wool or thermal recommended
- 👖 Comfortable outdoor clothing
- 🎒 Small daypack – For festival days and short excursions
- 📸 Camera & spare batteries – Cold temperatures drain batteries fast
- 🔋 Power bank & charging cables
- 🧴 Personal toiletries – Wet wipes and hand sanitizer are useful
- 💊 Personal medication & basic first-aid kit
- 📄 Travel documents – Passport, visa (if required), travel insurance copy
- 💵 Cash – Limited ATMs outside Ulgii
Optional: Sunglasses, thermos for hot drinks, scarf or neck warmer, small gifts for host families.
❓ FAQs – Sagsai Eagle Festival Tour
- 🦅 What is the Sagsai Eagle Festival?
- The Sagsai Eagle Festival is a traditional Kazakh festival where real eagle hunters compete in hunting skills, costumes, and nomadic games. It is smaller and more authentic than larger eagle festivals.
- 📅 When is the festival held?
- Usually in late September each year. Exact dates are confirmed closer to the event.
- 📍 Where does the tour take place?
- In western Mongolia, around Ulgii and Sagsai village, one of the main eagle-hunting centers.
- ✈️ How do I get to Ulgii?
- By domestic flight from Ulaanbaatar. Flights are limited during festival season.
- 🏡 What accommodation is used?
- A mix of eagle hunter family homestays, local hotels, and traditional ger camps. Facilities are simple, clean, and culturally authentic.
- 🥾 How difficult is the tour?
- Easy. The tour involves short drives, light walking, and optional horse riding. No trekking is required.
- 🦅 Is eagle hunting guaranteed?
- Festival competitions are guaranteed. Hunting demonstrations depend on weather and wildlife conditions.
- 🌦 What is the weather like?
- Cool and mostly dry. Daytime temperatures are mild, but mornings and evenings can be cold.
- 📸 Is this tour suitable for photography?
- Yes. It offers excellent opportunities for cultural portraits, action shots, and festival photography.
- 💰 When should I book?
- Early booking is strongly recommended due to limited flights and accommodation during festival time.