Live with an Eagle Hunter Family During this Eagle Festival Tour 2024
Attend the annual Golden Eagle Festival, live with an Eagle Hunter family, and explore the beauty of the Altai Mountains during this small group tour September 28 – October 9, 2024.
Highlights of this Eagle Hunter immersive and nomadic experience include:
- Living with an Eagle Hunter family.
- Learning eagle hunting skills and experiencing the everyday life of nomads.
- Attending the annual Golden Eagle Festival in western Mongolia.
- Eat and learn how to cook traditional Kazakh food. We will travel with a private chef, plus enjoy special meals cooked by our host family.
- Explore the majestic beauty of the Altai Mountains on foot or horseback.
Table of Contents
When I say this is one of the coolest, most authentic experiences you can have in Mongolia, I truly mean it.
Living with an Eagle Hunter and his family is something most other people in the world will never have the chance to do. To see this culture and these incredible creatures who have been living in harmony for thousands of years up close, and to be a part of changes something in you.
Join me as we travel to western Mongolia to witness this culture on the brink of extinction.
Learn how to live a nomadic lifestyle while appreciating some of the most beautiful and untouched landscapes in the world.
This 12-day trip starts and ends in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital city. Roundtrip domestic tickets are included in this experience, along with everything on the ground during the trip dates.
The dates for this trip are September 28 – October 9, 2024.
I really hope you can join me in Mongolia and experience this once in a lifetime journey!
What's Included
- All airport transfers (Ulaanbaatar and Olgii).
- Accommodation in a 4-star hotel in Ulaanbaatar and yurt (ger) and local family stays in Olgii.
- Local Mongolian/Kazakh guide and interpreter in Olgii, along with Breanna as your secondary guide and facilitator.
- All accommodation during the trip dates including a hotel in Ulaanbaatar (Best Western or similar) and in Sainshand.
- All activities listed on the itinerary, including entrance fees, museum ticket fees, local guide fees, etc.
- Most meals* (breakfast, lunch, dinner) as outlined on the trip itinerary.
*Please let me know of any dietary restrictions before booking.
What's Not Included
- International airfare.
- Excess baggage fees on the domestic flight to/from western Mongolia. There is a 15 kg limit on checked bags and 5 kg limit on handbags. Overages are subject to additional fees.
- Visa costs and fees.
- Travel Insurance that covers medical evacuation and cost of participation (required).
- Personal expenses such as laundry, alcoholic beverages, telephone calls, optional activities, and meals which are not included in the trip itinerary.
- Tips and additional gratuities.
Visit my tour cancellation policy page if you have any additional questions.
Book Now
The price to book this Eagle Festival and Altai Mountains Immersive Trip is $4,000 USD per person.
Join me and attend the annual Golden Eagle Festival in western Mongolia. Live with an Eagle Hunter and his family, witness a hunt up close, and get to know this unique culture by living it yourself during this small group tour.
This once in a lifetime experience happens September 28 – October 9, 2024.
To book your spot, please complete the Google form linked below. Once received, I will reach out with everything you’ll need to complete your booking.
About Breanna, Your Tour Host
After living in Mongolia for the last six years I’m super excited to finally be offering a trip to western Mongolia and the famous Eagle Hunters. When I first had this experience, it changed my life, and I’m sure it will have the same effect on you.
I’ve carefully selected a local partner in western Mongolia that I think is able to bring the most authentic, immersive, and safe experience possible. Through our on-the-ground team in western Mongolia you’ll learn about this unique culture right from the people living and breathing it.
My role on this trip is to simply make sure everything goes smoothly. That being said, please keep in mind this is Mongolia, and sometimes we have to roll with the punches! I will do my best to keep you informed of any changes to the itinerary and anything else in a timely manner and just know that I always have a backup plan for everything!
Safety is also my top priority and I always welcome and encourage solo travelers to join my expeditions.
Our group of 10 people will get to know each other during this experience and create a bond for life. Many of my groups still stay in touch with each other, even years later!
I look forward to welcoming you to Mongolia and showing you this special part of the world I call home.
Is this trip right for me?
There are a few important things to know about this trip.
- Accommodations will be shared, and that will sometimes mean we all sleep together in the same yurt. This is typical in Mongolia and is part of the experience. No single supplements are available once we leave Ulaanbaatar.
- The temperature in October in western Mongolia can get very, very cold. I’m talking below freezing cold. I will do my best to keep you as warm and comfortable as possible, but please keep in mind that we will be spending a lot of time outside. If you need help deciding what to pack, shop some of my favorite winter clothing and gear.
- 3. We will be spending a lot of time driving off-road. It’s not easy to get to these remote corners of Mongolia, but the journey is always worth it. I promise! Please let me know in advance if you get car sick. If you do, I recommend purchasing these motion sickness glasses.
The Itinerary for this Small Group Tour
If you plan to join this trip you need to arrive in Ulaanbaatar on or before September 28, 2024. The only thing on the schedule for this day is a Welcome Dinner at night (7 pm).
Many travelers choose to arrive in Ulaanbaatar at least 1 – 2 days early to adjust to Mongolian time and shop for warm clothes. If you’d like to arrive a few days early, I’m happy to help you make arrangements at the hotel, take you around the city, and help you make the most of this time in Ulaanbaatar.
Below you’ll find a day-by-day breakdown of this Eagle Festival itinerary, and what it includes.
Meals included in this tour are indicated as Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), and Dinner (D).
September 28 – Day 1: Arrive in Ulaanbaatar
You will need to be in Ulaanbaatar on or before September 28 to join this itinerary.
During the day you are free to explore Ulaanbaatar, get settled into Mongolian time, exchange cash, and visit museums. We’ll have a Welcome Dinner in the evening.
Meals: D
September 29 – Day 2: Flight to Ulgii & Altai Tavan Bogd National Park
We’ll take an early morning flight from Ulaanbaatar to Bayan-Olgii where our local crew will pick us up at the airport. The flight is about 2.5 hours.
After eating a local breakfast we’ll drive to Altai Tavan Bogd National Park. Weaving through picturesque valleys and along the Tsaagan Gol River, you won’t believe how pretty this part of the world is.
On the way, you will see balbal and deer stones dating back to the Turkic Era. We will reach the Oygor Valley after 6–7 hours of driving. A community of Kazakh families live in the area and we will overnight in a traditional Kazakh yurt (ger) next to one of the local nomadic families.
*Please note the flight schedule has not been released yet so this exact itinerary may change slightly. I will handle all the on-ground logistics, so you don’t need to worry!
Meals: B/L/D
September 30 – Day 3: Trekking Tavan Bogd Massif
Tavan bogd means “The Holy Five,” and this is where we’ll find the five highest peaks in Mongolia. All the peaks are snowcapped, and our first stop will be the Presidential Ovoo ritual site. From there we will hike to the Potanin glacier, the longest glacier in Mongolia.
After our trekking excursion, we will have lunch back at our Kazakh nomad host family’s home, overnighting in the same place as the night before.
Meals: B/L/D
October 1– Day 4: Drive Deeper into the Altai Mountains to Khoton and Khurgan Lake
After breakfast we will load our luggage and start our drive to Khoton and Khurgan Lakes. Please note that western Mongolian road conditions are mostly dirt track.
However, the reward for today’s drive is that we are deep in a part of Altai Tavan Bogd National Park where many Kazakh nomad families spend their summer. Locals like it here because the lakes are crystal clear with fantastic views of the Altai Mountains. Here is where we’ll get an ever better understanding of the nuances of the nomadic lifestyle.
Weather permitting, we’ll camp near the lake. But, if it’s too cold we will stay at a local ger camp.
Meals: B/L/D
October 2 – Day 5: Trekking Baga Turgen Waterfall
Baga Turgen Waterfall is near the lakes. After crossing a rustic wooden bridge, we come to the military barracks of the Chinese border passport control. From near here we will hike 3 km to the Turgen mountain range, eventually reaching a gorgeous waterfall. You’ll also have the option to ride a horse.
The glacier waterfall falls from a 36 m cliff and is divided into two waterfalls. The bigger waterfall is 23 m high while the smaller one falls from 13 m. The hiking path to the waterfall is relatively short but can be partly challenging toward the end. That being said, the scenic beauty along the way makes it worthwhile.
If you’re an avid fisherman, you can fish for Mongolian grayling here, but not that you have to bring your own fishing gear, we won’t supply it. Tonight, we will overnight in a local ger.
Meals: B/L/D
October 3 – Day 6: Explore Altai Rock Art & Balbal Stones
This mountain is rich with archaeological remains from the Bronze and Iron ages, as well as prehistoric petroglyphs. These stones and art have been long hidden and preserved in the remote High Altai, deep in the valleys once carved by Pleistocene glaciers. Evidence even suggests continuous human activity here since the latest episode of glacial retreat, c.17,000 BC. Looking closely at these artifacts, you can even track a change in climate and the routes of ancient people throughout South Siberia and Central Asia.
The term “Balbal” refers to ancient Turkic stone markers or statues found primarily in Central Asia, including parts of Mongolia. They are often grave markers or memorials, representing figures of warriors, animals, or other symbolic forms. These stone monuments serve various cultural and historical purposes and provide insights into the civilizations and beliefs of ancient Central Asian peoples.
Meals: B/L/D
October 4 – Day 7: Meet our Eagle Hunter Family
This morning we have a long drive ahead as we circle back towards Olgii and the small town of Sagsai to meet our Eagle Hunter family.
Since we’ll be staying with this family, you’ll have a chance to ask the Eagle Hunter your questions, get to know his family, and see and handle his magnificent bird. He will teach us some hunting skills and we’ll help him prepare for the big festival.
The next few days we’ll be staying at the same place. Overnight in a traditional Kazakh ger next to our host family.
Meals: B/L/D
October 5/6 – Day 8/9: Golden Eagle Festival
These next two days we will be busy at the Golden Eagle Festival. During these days we will follow our Eagle Hunter and watch and cheer him on as he competes with his Golden Eagle.
We will spend time with the family in the morning and evening, learning their etiquette and engaging in the daily chores, such as cooking, making different kinds of dairy products, milking cows and sheep, and herding the livestock with lasso on horseback.
Meals: B/L/D
October 7 – Day 10: Fly to Ulaanbaatar
After soaking in the last few moments of this unforgettable once in a lifetime experience, we will fly back to Ulaanbaatar.
Meals: B/L
October 8 – Day 11: Free Day in Ulaanbaatar
Today you will have the day at leisure to buy your last souvenirs, repack your suitcase, and prepare for your long journey home. We’ll have a final farewell dinner to say our last goodbyes.
Meals: B/D
October 9 – Day 12: Depart Ulaanbaatar
We will arrange an airport transfer to Chinggis Khaan International Airport for your flight home. Unless you want to extend your stay, of course 😉
Meals: B
Book Now
The price to book this Eagle Festival and Altai Mountains Immersive Trip is $4,000 USD per person.
Join me and attend the annual Golden Eagle Festival in western Mongolia. Live with an Eagle Hunter and his family, witness a hunt up close, and get to know this unique culture by living it yourself during this small group tour.
This once in a lifetime experience happens September 28 – October 9, 2024.
To book your spot, please complete the Google form linked below. Once received, I will reach out with everything you’ll need to complete your booking.
Join my Private Travel Group on Facebook
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