🦅 Altai Eagle Festival Tour – Authentic Kazakh Tradition (5 Days)
📍 Western Mongolia | Altai Mountains | Altai Eagle festival | Eagle Hunter Family
🦅 Altai Eagle Festival
📅 September 12–13, 2026
The Altai Eagle Festival will take place on September 12–13, 2026, in western Mongolia near Ulgii. This authentic regional festival celebrates the living heritage of Kazakh eagle hunting, where real hunters gather to demonstrate skills passed down through generations.
Over two vibrant days, visitors witness powerful golden eagles in action, traditional hunting competitions, and classic nomadic sports such as horse racing, camel racing, archery, and Kokpar. Colorful Kazakh costumes, skilled horsemen, and folk performances create an unforgettable atmosphere against the dramatic Altai Mountain backdrop. Less crowded and more intimate than larger festivals, the Altai Eagle Festival offers a rare chance to experience a genuine cultural tradition that remains an active part of everyday life in western Mongolia.
⭐ Highlights – Altai Eagle Festival Tour
- 🦅 Altai Eagle Festival – 2 Full Days
- Experience one of Mongolia’s most authentic regional eagle festivals, featuring real Kazakh eagle hunters, traditional competitions, and vibrant ceremonies.
- 🏙 Ulgii City Cultural Tour
- Explore the cultural heart of Mongolia’s Kazakh community, including Friendship Hill, local museum, and traditional markets.
- 🏔 Altai Village Experience
- Stay in a traditional ger camp or yurt and enjoy peaceful countryside life surrounded by mountain scenery.
- 🏡 Champion Eagle Hunter Family Visit
- Visit a festival champion family, learn about golden eagle training, nomadic lifestyle, and enjoy traditional Kazakh hospitality.
- 📸 Outstanding Photography Opportunities
- Capture eagles in flight, hunters on horseback, traditional costumes, cultural performances, and dramatic Altai landscapes.
- 🐎 Traditional Nomadic Sports & Games
- Watch thrilling events including horse racing, camel racing, archery, Kokpar, and Kyz Kuar.
- 🎭 Kazakh Folk Performances
- Enjoy evening cultural concerts featuring traditional music, dance, and storytelling.
- 🌍 Authentic Cultural Immersion
- Experience living Kazakh nomadic culture far from mass tourism.
Itinerary:
- 🍽 Meals: Lunch, Dinner
- 🏕 Overnight: Local Ger Camp / Yurt (Altai Village)
- 🚗 Driving Distance: ~120 km
- ⏱ Driving Time: ~2–3 hours
✈️ Upon arrival at Ulgii Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your local guide and driver. Ulgii is the cultural heart of Mongolia’s Kazakh community and the gateway to the Altai Mountains.
🏙 Begin your journey with a guided city tour. Visit Friendship Hill, a scenic viewpoint overlooking the entire city, offering your first introduction to the dramatic Altai landscape and surrounding steppe.
🏛 Continue to the local museum, where you will learn about Kazakh history, traditional clothing, musical instruments, eagle hunting equipment, and the nomadic heritage of western Mongolia.
🛍 In the afternoon, explore Ulgii’s local markets and souvenir shops, known for handmade felt products, silver jewelry, eagle hunting accessories, and Kazakh antiques.
🚙 Later, drive into the countryside toward a traditional Altai village, passing nomadic herders, grazing livestock, and wide open steppe landscapes.
🏕 Upon arrival, settle into a local ger camp or yurt. Enjoy dinner and relax while preparing for the upcoming Altai Eagle Festival. Evening under a vast star-filled Altai sky.
- 🍽 Meals: Breakfast
- 🏨 Overnight: Local Ger Camp
🚐 After breakfast, transfer to the festival grounds. Along the way, watch eagle hunters riding on horseback, dressed in full traditional Kazakh attire, carrying their majestic golden eagles.
🦅 Altai Eagle Festival – Day 1 Program
- Registration and credential verification of eagle hunters
- Opening ceremony of the Altai Eagle Festival
- Competition for the best Kazakh traditional costume
- Best eagle equipment and horse harness competition
- Horse racing events
- Eagle adaptation and obedience competition
- Tenge Ily – traditional coin-grabbing game while riding a horse
- Uriankhai archery competition
- Best Kazakh costume competition for couples
- Evening folk concert and cultural performances in Ulgii town
📸 The first festival day is ideal for colorful portraits, cultural scenes, and storytelling photography.
🏨 Return to your hotel for overnight rest.
- 🍽 Meals: Breakfast
- 🏨 Overnight: Local Ger Camp
🚐 After breakfast, return to the festival arena for the most action-packed day.
🦅 Altai Eagle Festival – Day 2 Program
- Shyrga Tartu – eagle hunting speed and accuracy competition, where eagles dive from mountain ridges to catch a lure
- Camel racing
- Kyz Kuar – traditional horseback chasing game between young men and women
- Continuation of traditional nomadic games
- Kokpar (Kukhbar) – intense horseback competition over a goat skin
- Award ceremony honoring the festival winners
- Official closing ceremony
📸 This day offers the best opportunities for dramatic action photography and close encounters with eagles and hunters.
🏨 Return to Ulgii and overnight at hotel.
- 🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- 🏨 Overnight: Hotel in Ulgii
🚗 Driving Time: ~2–4 hours (depending on champion family location)
🚗 Today, travel into the countryside to visit a champion eagle hunter family—winners or top competitors of the Altai Eagle Festival.
🏡 Spend the day learning about their daily nomadic life, horse culture, and how championship golden eagles are raised, trained, and cared for.
🦅 Observe eagle handling techniques and hear stories passed down through generations about hunting, survival, and cultural identity.
📸 Enjoy a private photo session with the eagle hunter, golden eagle, horses, and traditional Kazakh clothing in a natural, authentic setting.
🥘 Lunch with the family featuring Besbarmak, the most famous traditional Kazakh dish, prepared and shared in traditional style.
🚙 In the evening, return to Ulgii city. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight at hotel.
- 🍽 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 – Altai Eagle festival tour
📅 Early booking recommended – During the Altai Eagle Festival, flights and accommodation in Ulgii are limited and can sell out quickly.
✈️ Domestic flights – Flights between Ulaanbaatar and Ulgii are weather-dependent and schedules may change.
🏕 Accommodation style – Combination of hotel stays in Ulgii and local ger camp/yurt accommodation in Altai village. Facilities are basic but clean and culturally authentic.
🌦 Weather conditions – Festival season is cool, especially mornings and evenings. Wind is common; warm layered clothing is essential.
🚗 Travel conditions – Some driving on unpaved countryside roads. Travel times may vary due to weather and road conditions.
🦅 Festival schedule – Festival programs may change slightly depending on local organization and weather.
📸 Photography – Excellent opportunities throughout the tour. Please ask permission before photographing local people, especially during family visits.
🤝 Cultural respect – Guests are encouraged to follow local customs and the guide’s instructions when interacting with eagle hunters and nomadic families.
💰 Cash & services – Limited ATMs outside Ulgii. Bring sufficient cash for personal expenses and souvenirs.
🌍 Why Choose the Altai Eagle Festival?
- 🦅 Authentic Altai Eagle Festival – Experience a genuine regional eagle festival with real Kazakh hunters, not a staged show, at the Altai Eagle Festival.
- 🏡 Champion Eagle Hunter Family Visit – Meet and spend time with festival champions and learn how golden eagles are trained and cared for.
- 🏙 Cultural Insight in Ulgii – Explore the cultural heart of Mongolia’s Kazakh community, including museums, markets, and viewpoints.
- 📸 Excellent Photography – Eagles in flight, colorful costumes, nomadic games, and intimate cultural moments.
- ⏱ Short but Deep Experience – Perfect for travelers with limited time who want maximum cultural immersion.
- 🌍 Less Crowded & More Local – A quieter, more intimate festival atmosphere compared to larger events.
🎒 What to Bring
- 🧥 Warm layered clothing – Thermal layers, fleece, insulated jacket
- 💨 Windproof / waterproof jacket – Festival grounds are open and windy
- 🧢 Warm accessories – Hat, gloves, scarf / neck gaiter
- 👟 Comfortable footwear – Sturdy walking shoes or boots
- 🧦 Extra socks – Warm socks for cold mornings and evenings
- 🎒 Daypack – For daily excursions and festival visits
- 📸 Camera & accessories – Extra batteries, memory cards (cold drains batteries)
- 🔌 Electronics – Power bank, charging cables, travel adapter
- 🧴 Personal items – Toiletries, sunscreen, lip balm, wet wipes
- 💊 Medications – Personal medicine & basic first-aid kit
- 📄 Documents – Passport, visa (if required), travel insurance copy
- 💵 Cash – Limited ATMs outside Ulgii
❓ FAQs – Altai Eagle Festival Tour
- 🦅 What is the Altai Eagle Festival?
- A regional cultural festival where real Kazakh eagle hunters compete, showcasing traditional eagle hunting skills, costumes, and nomadic games.
- 📍 Where does the tour take place?
- In western Mongolia, based in Ulgii and nearby Altai countryside.
- 📅 When is the festival held?
- Usually in early October (exact dates vary each year).
- ✈️ How do we get to Ulgii?
- By domestic flight from Ulaanbaatar. Flights are limited during festival time.
- 🏕 What accommodation is included?
- A mix of hotel stays in Ulgii and local ger camp / yurt accommodation in the Altai village.
- 🌦 What is the weather like?
- Cool to cold, especially mornings and evenings. Wind is common; warm clothing is essential.
- 📸 Is this tour good for photography?
- Yes. Excellent opportunities for eagle action, portraits, traditional costumes, and cultural events.
- 🧭 Is the tour physically demanding?
- Easy to moderate. Mostly sightseeing and festival attendance with short walks.
- 🦅 Is eagle hunting guaranteed?
- Festival competitions are guaranteed; hunting demonstrations depend on weather and conditions.
- 💰 When should I book?
- As early as possible, as flights and hotels in Ulgii sell out quickly during festival season.