Golden Eagle Festival 2012

Event date: 6-7 October
Venue: Bayan-Ulgii province Mongolia

Photo by Explore Great Altai Tours and Expeditions

This annual festival, which celebrates the Golden Eagle as well as the hunters' traditional culture, is arranged by the local Kazakh community and members of the Berkut Association, a community-based conservation organization.

Historically, nomadic Kazakhs have depended on the Golden Eagles for hunting, and the Berkut Association was founded by Nomadic Expeditions CEO Jalsa Urubshurow to preserve this proud tradition and protect the berkut.

Experience the thrill of riding alongside Kazakh nomads as they hunt with trained Golden Eagles. Specially timed for the winter hunting season, this journey leads to Mongolia’s far western province, Bayan-Ulgii, where Kazakh hunters track small rabbits and foxes in the snow with the help of their magnificent eagles. Following the hunt on horseback through the mountains of Western Mongolia, witness firsthand a unique tradition that has survived for centuries in this remote corner of Asia. Spend the night in a finely decorated Kazakh Ger, visit a local mosque, and enjoy the hospitality of the Kazakh families who call this extraordinary corner of the world their home.

This expedition into the rugged Altai Mountains also includes opportunities to ride on horseback alongside the hunters, as well as visits to a local mosque, town market, provincial museum, and archaeological site.