Western Mongolia is home to one of the world’s most extraordinary living traditions. For thousands of years, Kazakh hunters in the Altai Mountains have trained golden eagles to hunt alongside them — a partnership built not on force, but on trust, patience, and deep mutual respect. With Nomadic Trails, you can witness this tradition at its most vivid: the Golden Eagle Festival in Bayan-Ulgii.
Here, against a backdrop of snow-capped Altai peaks, eagle hunters gather each autumn to celebrate their craft. The crowds are local, the competition is real, and the experience stays with you long after you leave.
You won’t experience this from behind a barrier. Our Kazakh guides — many from eagle hunting families themselves — introduce you directly to the hunters, explain what you are watching, and take you beyond the festival grounds to visit a berkutchi family at their ger. Watch a golden eagle stoop from a mountain ridge at full speed. Sit with a hunter and learn how that bond is built, year by patient year.
Our groups stay small — never more than 8 people. Because of this, you get genuine access rather than a crowd experience, and time to absorb rather than simply photograph.
No special experience is needed. If you are curious about Central Asian culture, nomadic traditions, or simply want to witness something genuinely rare, this tour is for you. Families, solo travellers, and seasoned adventurers are all equally welcome.
We are a locally owned company based in Ulaanbaatar, running tours since 2017. We work directly with Kazakh families and eagle hunters in Bayan-Ulgii, so your visit puts money into the hands of the communities you are there to meet. No middlemen. No staged performances.
Ready to Witness It?
Come watch an eagle drop from the sky. Come sit inside a ger with the family that trained it. Come discover the Kazakh west of Mongolia — one of the last places on earth where this tradition still lives. Contact Nomadic Trails today to book your Golden Eagle Festival experience.
