🦅 Altai Eagle Festival 7 Days Tour, Authentic Kazakh Tradition
📍 Western Mongolia | Altai Mountains | Altai Eagle festival | Eagle Hunter Family
🦅 Authentic Eagle Hunting, Nomadic Life & Altai Cultural Immersion
📅 Altai Eagle Festival Dates: September 12–13, 2026
The Altai Eagle Festival Tour – 7 Days is a deeply immersive cultural journey into western Mongolia, centered around the legendary Altai Eagle Festival held near Ulgii. This tour combines two full days at the authentic Altai Eagle Festival with meaningful time spent living alongside a real Kazakh eagle hunter family in the Altai countryside.
Unlike short festival visits, this 7-day experience allows you to understand the full tradition of eagle hunting—from daily life, eagle training, and horseback hunting to cheering your host hunter during festival competitions. You will witness powerful golden eagles in flight, hunters in traditional Kazakh dress, dramatic nomadic games, and vibrant opening and closing ceremonies, all set against the wide-open landscapes of the Altai Mountains.
The journey is enriched with cultural encounters such as traditional Kazakh hospitality, home-cooked meals including Besbarmak, horse riding across the steppe, and a visit to a Uriankhai family to experience Altai throat singing. With a relaxed pace and outstanding photography opportunities, this tour is ideal for travelers seeking authentic culture, genuine human connections, and one of the world’s most unique living traditions—far from mass tourism.
⭐ Highlights – Altai Eagle Festival Tour
- 🦅 Altai Eagle Festival – 2 Full Days
- Attend the authentic Altai Eagle Festival, where real Kazakh eagle hunters compete using centuries-old traditions.
- 🏡 Stay with a Real Eagle Hunter Family
- Live with a Kazakh eagle hunter family in an Altai village and experience genuine nomadic life and hospitality.
- 🏹 Real Eagle Hunting Experience
- Witness a traditional eagle hunt on horseback (weather and wildlife permitting), following ancient hunting techniques.
- 🐎 Horse Riding with Eagle Hunters
- Ride alongside eagle hunters across the Altai steppe and hills, just as they have done for generations.
- 🎯 Support Your Host Hunter at the Festival
- Personally support and follow your host eagle hunter during festival competitions for a unique, meaningful connection.
- 🎭 Traditional Nomadic Games & Sports
- Enjoy horse racing, camel racing, archery, Kokpar, Kyz Kuar, and other traditional competitions.
- 🎶 Uriankhai Throat Singing Experience
- Visit a Uriankhai ethnic family and experience traditional Altai throat singing and music.
- 📸 Outstanding Photography Opportunities
- Capture eagles in flight, hunters on horseback, colorful costumes, nomadic life, and dramatic Altai landscapes.
- 🌍 Authentic & Less Crowded Festival
- A regional festival with a truly local atmosphere, offering deeper cultural immersion than larger events.
Itinerary:
- 🍽 Meals: Lunch, Dinner
- 🏡 Overnight: Eagle Hunter Family Homestay
- 🚗 Distance: ~120 km | ⏱ 2–3 hours
✈️ Upon arrival at Ulgii Airport, you are welcomed by your local guide and driver. Ulgii is the cultural center of Mongolia’s Kazakh community and the gateway to the Altai Mountains.
🍽 After lunch in town, begin a scenic drive into the Altai countryside. As you leave the city behind, the landscape opens into wide valleys, rolling hills, and distant snow-capped peaks.
🏡 Arrive at a traditional Kazakh eagle hunter family home in an Altai village. Meet the family, their horses, and their golden eagle — a proud symbol of strength and heritage.
🥘 In the evening, share a welcome dinner of Besbarmak, the most important Kazakh ceremonial dish, traditionally served to honored guests.
🌌 Overnight with the eagle hunter family, experiencing real nomadic life in a remote Altai setting.
- 🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- 🏡 Overnight: Eagle Hunter Family Homestay
🦅 Today is dedicated to understanding the ancient art of eagle hunting, a tradition passed down through generations.
You will learn:
- How golden eagles are captured, raised, and trained
- Daily routines of eagle care, feeding, and handling
- The spiritual and practical bond between hunter, horse, and eagle
📸 Spend extended time photographing the eagle, hunter, horses, and family life in natural settings.
🐎 Enjoy horse riding with the hunter, following them across open steppe and foothills.
🔥 Evening storytelling, tea, and cultural exchange with the family.
- 🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- 🏡 Overnight: Eagle Hunter Family Homestay
🐎 Today you witness a real eagle hunting experience, using traditional methods still practiced in the Altai region.
🦅 Observe how the eagle is released from horseback and trained to pursue prey such as fox, corsac fox, or rabbit (subject to weather, terrain, and wildlife conditions).
📸 This is one of the most dramatic and photogenic days of the tour, offering rare action shots of eagles in flight and hunters on horseback.
🌄 Afternoon relaxation and exploration around the village.
🔥 Evening rest with the family.
- 🍽 Meals: Breakfast
- 🏡 Overnight: Eagle Hunter Family Homestay
🚐 After breakfast, travel to the festival grounds. Along the way, watch dozens of eagle hunters riding on horseback, dressed in elaborate traditional Kazakh clothing, proudly carrying their 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 and horse harness competition
- Horse racing
- Eagle adaptation and obedience competition
- Tenge Ily – traditional coin-grabbing game on horseback
- Uriankhai archery competition
- Best Kazakh costume competition for couples
- Evening folk concert and cultural performances in Ulgii
🎯 You will actively support your host eagle hunter, following their participation and cheering them throughout the day.
- 🍽 Meals: Breakfast
- 🏡 Overnight: Eagle Hunter Family Homestay
🚐 Return to the festival arena for the most exciting competition day.
🦅 Altai Eagle Festival – Day 2 Program
- Shyrga Tartu – eagle speed and accuracy competition
- Camel race
- Kyz Kuar – traditional horseback chasing game
- Continuation of nomadic games
- Kokpar (Kukhbar) – horseback competition over a goat skin
- Award ceremony for festival winners
- Official closing ceremony
📸 This is the best day for dramatic action photography, powerful portraits, and emotional moments.
- 🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- 🏨 Overnight: Hotel in Ulgii
- 🚗 Distance: ~120 km | ⏱ 2–3 hours
🚗 After breakfast, drive back toward Ulgii city.
🏡 En route, visit a family from the Uriankhai ethnic group, one of the indigenous peoples of the Altai region.
🎵 Experience traditional throat singing (Khoomei), learn about Altai musical instruments, and understand the cultural differences between Kazakh and Uriankhai nomads.
🏙 Arrive in Ulgii, enjoy 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
- 📅 Festival dates – The Altai Eagle Festival takes place annually in September. Exact dates are confirmed in advance.
- 📌 Early booking recommended – Flights and accommodation in Ulgii are limited during festival time and often sell out months ahead.
- ✈️ Domestic flights – Flights between Ulaanbaatar and Ulgii are subject to weather conditions and schedule changes.
- 🏡 Accommodation style – A mix of eagle hunter family homestays and hotel accommodation in Ulgii. Village stays are simple, clean, and authentic, reflecting real nomadic life.
- 🌦 Weather – September weather is generally dry and cool. Mornings and evenings can be cold, and wind is common on open steppe and festival grounds.
- 🚗 Travel conditions – Some journeys are on unpaved rural roads. Driving times may vary depending on road and weather conditions.
- 🐎 Activity level – Easy to moderate. Includes horse riding, walking, and outdoor cultural activities. No technical trekking required.
- 🦅 Eagle hunting activities – Real eagle hunting demonstrations depend on weather, wildlife, and seasonal conditions and cannot be guaranteed.
- 📸 Photography – Excellent opportunities throughout the tour. Please ask permission before photographing local people, especially during family visits.
- 🤝 Cultural respect – Guests are encouraged to respect local customs, follow guide instructions, and dress modestly when visiting nomadic families.
- 💵 Cash & facilities – ATMs are limited outside Ulgii. Please bring sufficient cash for personal expenses and souvenirs.
🌍 Why Choose the Altai Eagle Festival?
- 🦅 Authentic Altai Eagle Festival
- Experience the Altai Eagle Festival, a genuine regional event with real Kazakh eagle hunters—no staged performances.
- 🏡 Live with an Eagle Hunter Family
- Stay with a real Kazakh eagle hunter family and experience true nomadic life, traditions, and hospitality.
- 🏹 Real Eagle Hunting Experience
- Witness traditional eagle hunting on horseback using methods passed down for generations (weather and wildlife permitting).
- 🐎 Ride with the Eagle Hunters
- Follow eagle hunters across the Altai steppe and hills on horseback for an authentic cultural experience.
- 🎯 Personal Festival Connection
- Support your host eagle hunter during the festival and follow their journey through the competitions.
- 🎶 Unique Altai Culture
- Experience Uriankhai throat singing and learn about the diverse nomadic cultures of the Altai region.
- 📸 Outstanding Photography Opportunities
- Eagles in flight, hunters on horseback, colorful costumes, and dramatic landscapes.
- 🌍 Less Crowded, More Authentic
- A smaller, regional festival offering deeper cultural immersion than larger, more commercial events.
- ✨ Short but Deeply Immersive
- A perfect balance of culture, adventure, and authenticity in just seven days.
🎒 What to Bring
- 🧥 Warm layered clothing – Thermal base layers, fleece, insulated jacket
- 💨 Windproof / waterproof jacket – Essential for open steppe and festival grounds
- 🧢 Cold-weather accessories – Warm hat, gloves, scarf or neck gaiter
- 👟 Footwear – Comfortable walking shoes or light hiking boots
- 🧦 Warm socks – Wool or thermal recommended
- 🐎 Comfortable pants – Suitable for horse riding and outdoor activities
- 🎒 Daypack – For daily excursions and festival visits
- 📸 Camera & accessories – Extra batteries and memory cards (cold drains batteries quickly)
- 🔌 Electronics – Power bank, charging cables, travel adapter
- 🧴 Personal items – Toiletries, sunscreen, lip balm, wet wipes
- 💊 Medications – Personal medicine and a small 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?
- The Altai Eagle Festival is a traditional regional festival where real Kazakh eagle hunters compete, demonstrating eagle hunting skills, traditional costumes, horses, and nomadic games.
- 📅 When does the festival take place?
- The festival is held annually in September. (Specific dates are confirmed in advance for each year.)
- 📍 Where does the tour take place?
- In western Mongolia, based around Ulgii and nearby Altai villages.
- ✈️ How do we get to Ulgii?
- By domestic flight from Ulaanbaatar. Flights are limited during festival season, so early booking is strongly recommended.
- 🏡 What accommodation is included?
- A combination of eagle hunter family homestay in the countryside and hotel accommodation in Ulgii. Village stays are simple, clean, and authentic.
- 🐎 Is eagle hunting guaranteed?
- Festival competitions are guaranteed. Real eagle hunting demonstrations depend on weather, wildlife movement, and local conditions.
- 🧭 How physically demanding is the tour?
- Easy to moderate. Activities include walking, horse riding, and outdoor cultural experiences. No technical trekking is required.
- 🌦 What is the weather like in September?
- Generally cool and dry. Days are mild, while mornings and evenings can be cold and windy.
- 📸 Is this tour suitable for photography?
- Yes. This tour offers excellent opportunities for wildlife, cultural, action, and portrait photography.
- 💰 When should I book?
- As early as possible. Flights and accommodation in Ulgii sell out quickly during the Altai Eagle Festival period.