🦅 Sagsai Eagle Festival & Altai Tavan Bogd National Park Tour – 8 Days
📍 Western Mongolia | Altai Mountains | Sagsai Eagle festival | Eagle Hunter Family
🦅 High Altai Wilderness, Kazakh Eagle Hunters & Mongolia’s Most Authentic Eagle Festival
📅 September 17–18, 2026
This 8-day expedition offers a rare combination of pristine mountain wilderness and living nomadic culture in far western Mongolia. The journey takes you deep into Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, home to Mongolia’s highest peaks and ancient nomadic history, before immersing you in the vibrant traditions of the Sagsai Eagle Festival.
Unlike larger and more commercial festivals, Sagsai remains community-based and deeply traditional, where real Kazakh eagle hunters compete using skills still practiced in daily life. Combined with homestays, alpine lakes, glaciers, waterfalls, and ancient monuments, this tour delivers an authentic, once-in-a-lifetime Altai experience.
⭐ Highlights – Sagsai Eagle Festival Tour
- 🦅 Sagsai Eagle Festival – 2 Full Days: Experience the authentic Sagsai Eagle Festival, one of the most traditional and community-based eagle festivals in Mongolia.
- 🏔️ Altai Tavan Bogd National Park: Explore the dramatic landscapes of Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, home to Mongolia’s highest peaks and remote alpine valleys.
- ❄️ Potanin Glacier & Khuiten Peak Views: Enjoy breathtaking viewpoints of Potanin Glacier and Khuiten Peak, the highest mountain in Mongolia.
- 🌊 Khoton Lake & Ancient Petroglyphs: Visit crystal-clear alpine lakes and discover prehistoric rock carvings and Turkic stone monuments.
- 💧 Baga Turgen Waterfall Hike: Take a scenic hike to one of the Altai region’s most beautiful waterfalls.
- 🏡 Eagle Hunter Family Homestay: Stay with a real Kazakh eagle hunter family and experience authentic nomadic life and hospitality.
- 🦅 Traditional Eagle Hunting & Training: Learn how golden eagles are trained and, conditions permitting, observe real hunting techniques.
- 🐎 Nomadic Games & Cultural Competitions: Witness horse races, camel races, archery, Tenge Ily, Kyz Kuar, and Kokpar.
- 📸 Outstanding Photography Opportunities: Capture eagles in flight, hunters on horseback, colorful costumes, and dramatic Altai landscapes.
- 🕒 Easy & Well-Paced Itinerary: Balanced travel with short drives, light hiking, and ample time for cultural immersion.
Itinerary:
- 🍽️ Meals: Lunch, Dinner
- 🏕️ Accommodation: Ger camp / Yurt / Tent camping
- 🚗 Driving: ~200 km | ⏱️ ~5 hours
✈️ Upon arrival at Ulgii Airport, meet your local guide and driver.
🍴 Enjoy lunch in Ulgii before departing toward the remote Altai Tavan Bogd region.
🚙 Drive through vast steppe landscapes, nomadic herder camps, grazing horses and yaks, with the Altai Mountains slowly rising on the horizon.
🏕️ Arrive near the national park gate and settle into your ger camp or tent camp surrounded by untouched wilderness.
🌌 Dinner under the stars and overnight in the heart of the Altai.
- 🍽️ Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- 🏕️ Accommodation: Ger camp / Yurt / Tent camping
🚙 Morning off-road drive (15 km, ~2 hours one way) to a spectacular mountain viewpoint.
❄️ Witness Potanin Glacier and Khuiten Peak (4,374 m)—the highest mountain in Mongolia.
📸 Enjoy panoramic photography of glaciers, jagged peaks, and alpine valleys.
🥪 Picnic lunch with unforgettable views before returning to camp.
🕊️ Afternoon free for relaxation, short walks, or enjoying the silence of the High Altai.
- 🍽️ Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- 🏕️ Accommodation: Ger camp / Yurt / Tent camping
- 🚗 Driving: ~160 km | ⏱️ ~4 hours
🚙 Drive toward the turquoise waters of Khoton Lake, one of Mongolia’s most scenic alpine lakes.
🗿 En route, stop at ancient Turkic stone monuments and burial mounds, dating back over 2,000 years.
🪨 Explore petroglyphs carved into rocks around the lake—depicting animals, hunting scenes, and nomadic life.
🚶♂️ Leisurely walk along the lakeshore with reflections of snow-capped peaks.
- 🍽️ Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- 🏕️ Accommodation: Ger camp / Yurt / Tent camping
- 🚗 Short drive to the trailhead of Baga Turgen Waterfall.
🥾 Enjoy a 1.5-hour scenic hike through forest and rocky terrain to reach the waterfall.
📸 Time for nature photography and relaxation near the falls.
🍵 Afternoon return to camp for rest and peaceful exploration of the valley.
- 🍽️ Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- 🏡 Accommodation: Eagle hunter family homestay
- 🚗 Driving: ~160 km | ⏱️ ~5 hours
🚙 Leave the national park and drive toward Sagsai village, one of Mongolia’s most important Kazakh eagle-hunting centers.
🏡 Meet your eagle hunter host family, their horses, and golden eagle.
🦅 Learn about eagle training, care, and the hunter–eagle bond.
📸 Photo session in traditional Kazakh clothing.
🍽️ Dinner with the family and overnight, experiencing authentic nomadic hospitality.
- 🍽️ Meals: Breakfast
- 🏨 Accommodation: Local hotel or Ger camp / Yurt
🐎 Travel together with eagle hunters riding to the festival grounds.
🎊 Attend the opening day of the Sagsai Eagle Festival.
Festival Program – Day 1:
- 📝 Registration & credential check of eagle hunters
- 🎤 Opening ceremony
- 👘 Best Kazakh traditional costume competition
- 🦅 Best eagle & horse harness competition
- 🐎 Horse races
- 🦅 Eagle handling & adaptation competition
- 💰 Tenge Ily – coin grabbing on horseback
- 🏹 Uriankhai archery competition
- 👫 Best traditional costume for couples
- 🍽️ Meals: Breakfast
- 🏨 Accommodation: Local hotel or Ger camp / Yurt
🔥 The most exciting festival day with action-packed competitions.
Festival Program – Day 2:
- 🦅 Shyrga Tartu – eagles released from hilltops to catch a lure
- 🐪 Camel races
- 🐎 Kyz Kuar – traditional horseback chasing game
- 💪 Kokpar (Kukhbar) – goat-skin tug-of-war on horseback
- 🏅 Award ceremony for winning hunters
- 🎉 Official closing ceremony
Celebrate with local families as champions are announced. And Drive back to Ulgii city
- 🍽 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
- ✈️ Book Early: Flights and hotels in Ulgii are limited
- 🏕️ Accommodation: Mix of ger camps, tent camping, hotels, and eagle hunter homestays
- 🌦️ Weather: Cool and mostly dry; cold mornings & evenings
- 🚗 Roads: Some off-road travel; driving times may vary
- 🥾 Hiking: Easy to moderate (Baga Turgen Waterfall)
- 🦅 Eagle Activities: Weather & wildlife dependent
- 📸 Photography: Ask permission before photographing locals
- ⚠️ Flexibility: Festival schedules may change slightly
🌍 Why Choose the Sagsai Eagle Festival?
- 🦅 Most Authentic Eagle Festival: Attend the Sagsai Eagle Festival, a community-based event with real working Kazakh hunters—less crowded and deeply traditional.
- 🏔️ Altai Tavan Bogd Wilderness: Explore Mongolia’s highest peaks, glaciers, alpine lakes, and waterfalls in one journey.
- 🏡 Live with Eagle Hunters: Stay with a genuine Kazakh eagle hunter family and experience nomadic life first-hand.
- 🦅 Real Eagle Hunting Culture: Learn authentic training methods and, conditions permitting, observe traditional hunting practices.
- 🎉 Two Full Festival Days: See all major competitions: eagles in flight, horse & camel races, archery, and nomadic games.
- 📸 Outstanding Photography: Close access to hunters, eagles, and dramatic Altai landscapes—ideal for photographers.
- 🕒 Easy, Well-Paced Itinerary: Balanced days, light hiking, and short drives—comfortable for all fitness levels.
- 🌍 All-in-One Experience: Nature, culture, festival, and homestays combined into one seamless adventure.
🎒 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 September
- 👟 Comfortable hiking shoes – For trails, festival grounds, and uneven terrain
- 🧦 Warm socks – Wool or thermal recommended
- 👖 Comfortable outdoor clothing – Suitable for daily travel and cultural visits
- 🎒 Small daypack – For day trips and festival days
- 📸 Camera & spare batteries – Cold temperatures drain batteries fast
- 🔋 Power bank & charging cables
- 🧴 Personal toiletries – Wet wipes and hand sanitizer are useful in rural areas
- 💊 Personal medication & basic first-aid kit
- 📄 Travel documents – Passport, visa (if required), travel insurance copy
- 💵 Cash – Limited ATMs outside Ulgii
Optional: Sunglasses, scarf/neck warmer, thermos for hot drinks, 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 eagle-handling skills, hunting demonstrations, and nomadic games. It is smaller and more authentic than larger eagle festivals.
- 📅 When is the festival held?
- The festival usually takes place in early to mid-September each year. Exact dates are confirmed closer to the event.
- 📍 Where does the tour take place?
- In western Mongolia, covering Sagsai village, Ulgii, and Altai Tavan Bogd National Park.
- ✈️ How do I get to Ulgii?
- By domestic flight from Ulaanbaatar. Seats are limited during festival season, so early booking is recommended.
- 🏕️ What type of accommodation is used?
- A mix of ger camps, tent camping, local hotels, and eagle hunter family homestays. Facilities are simple but clean and culturally authentic.
- 🥾 Is the tour physically demanding?
- No. The tour pace is easy, with light hiking and optional horse riding.
- 🦅 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 pleasant; mornings and evenings can be cold.
- 📸 Is this tour good for photography?
- Yes. It offers excellent opportunities for action, portrait, and landscape photography.
- 💰 When should I book?
- As early as possible. Flights and accommodation in Ulgii are limited during festival time.