ALTAI NOMAD GAMES & EAGLE HUNTRESS FESTIVAL 2025 //

ALTAI NOMAD GAMES & EAGLE HUNTRESS FESTIVAL 2025 //

$1050/Person
ALTAI NOMAD GAMES & EAGLE HUNTRESS FESTIVAL 2025    //
Duration 7 DAYS
Category
Travel season 0
Tour highlight

OVERVIEW
Altai Eagle Festival 2025. September 13-14.
The Altai Eagle Festival 2025, also known as the Smaller Eagle Festival, will take place in the historic town of Altai. This celebration, celebrated on September 13th and 14th, has a more charming vibe than the Golden Eagle celebration, but it is just as spectacular!

At the Altai Eagle Festival, Eagle Hunters will demonstrate traditional Kazakh eagle hunting techniques as well as compete in a variety of traditional nomadic horse games, camel races, and archery competitions. The Eagle Hunters show off their traditional Kazakh clothes, which exhibit a multitude of exquisite Kazakh motifs and styles.

The games being played are called "kokpar," and they include two guys on horseback wrestling over the skin of a goat while racing through the steppe. Tenge alu, or coin taking, is a sprint through the steppe where competitors collect coins along the way.

The trained eagles will compete during the two-day festival. On the first day, the eagle will fly up the hillside and return to land on their master's arm.

On the second day, the eagle will descend and capture a fox skin held by a trained eagle hunter. The competition awards and prizes to eagle hunters and their eagles based on speed and competence.
The Discover Kazakh Nomads Team provides the Altai Eagle Festival Package Tour, which includes a horseback ride and a stay with a nomadic eagle hunter family. Join the Discover Kazakh Nomads Team  for a one-of-a-kind adventure in this remote part of the earth!
This is a complete package tour with an experienced local support team. The tour will begin when you arrive in Olgii and conclude with a transfer back to the airport, where you will take a domestic flight to Ulaanbaatar.


Please note that the number of tickets for domestic flights is limited and it is highly recommended to BOOK your trip as early as possible!

Itinerary
DAY 1: Arrive in Bayan-Ulgii Province
DAY 1: Arrive in Bayan-Ulgii Province

 THURSDAY 6TH  SEPTEMBER—ARRIVAL IN BAYAN-ÖLGII

Likely, in the early morning we will transfer to the airport and fly 3½ hours to Ölgii or Hovd. Both towns are small towns, being capitals in their respective provinces. Both towns have a local interesting museum on its natural history. Hovd was a town already during Manchurian times, prior to 1910 and it has several ethnic minorities with a majority of Mongols. Hovd has both mosques and Buddhist temples. Ölgii is younger and with a majority of Kazakh people. Tuvans and Uriankhai peoples also live here. If we land in Hovd, there will be a nice drive of four hours with the Altai Mountains on both sides of the road, being the Hökh Serkhiin Nuruu and Tsambagarav Uul National Parks. We will use the time for sightseeing.

Altai Nomads games or Eagle festival

Day 2 Attend the Eagle Festival - Opening ceremony
Day 2 Attend the Eagle Festival - Opening ceremony

Day 2    FRIDAY 7TH SEPTEMBER—OPENING CEREMONY

Early morning we head to Altai  sum where the eagle festival take place.

The ALTAI NOMAD GAMES will crown the champions in different disciplines such as Hunting with eagles, some Kazakh traditional horseback games.

The ALTAI NOMAD GAMES-aim to preserve and celebrate nomadic traditions.

It is a spectacle with eagles released from the hills, hunting for a fox skin in tow behind a horseman. Horse games such as the Central Asian game bouzkhasi, which is on horseback tug-of-war with a goat carcass. Quite wild at times. You will explore the eagle hunters’ traditional custom and culture.

  1. Registration of credential eagle hunter
  2. Opening ceremony of annual golden eagle festival with parade of all participants
  3. Competition of best kazakh costume, eagle and horse harness
  4. Lunch break at 12:00 o’clock
  5. Competition of how eagle adapted to hunters. While the eagles were perched high on the mountain side, the hunter would call for the eagle to come and join him on horseback.
  6. Tenge ilu competition (traditional coin grabbing game while riding a horse)

Overnight accommodation will be in a Ger. (B-L-D) 

DAY 3 Attend the Eagle festival on the second day
DAY 3 Attend the Eagle festival on the second day

Day 3

SATURDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER—EAGLE FESTIVAL 

Explore another full day at the festival. Some shows of eagles are played. Eagles fly to the own trainers’ hand and catch the moving objects or prey while flying. Today there will be a camel race. In the evening, traditional concert of Kazak ethnic group performed and enjoy a farewell dinner.

  1. Competition of how eagles adapted to hunters "Shyrga Tartu" (the eagles will be qualified how fast and smoothy catch a lure that made of fox or hare skin).
  2. "Kyz kuar" game show (Traditional horseback riding fun game for youth, boys whipped by girls if they reached by them).
  3. Lunch break at 12:00 o’clock
  4. Continuation of the game
  5. Kukhbar competition (Traditional horseback riding game fight over for the goat skin).
  6. Horse race- 100 horse expected
  7. Award ceremony for winners of festival
  8. Closing ceremony. 

After closing ceremony we’ll drive back to Olgii.

Overnight accommodation will be in a Ger (B-L-D) 

Eagle Calling Event

The first day is mostly reserved for eagle hunters to demonstrate various aspects of eagle training and hunting skills. The first event is a calling competition.

The field is marked by three circles, each with a different number of points - 6, 8, and 10. The eagle is led to the top of a nearby hill, while its hunter stands in a circle on his horse.

The eagle is released, flying directly towards and landing on the hunter's arm. The higher the point, the further the ring. Several confident hunters approach circle number ten.

Many of their eagles fly straight to their prey, while others take a detour, checking nearby rocks for small rodents or even disappearing high in the sky.

During competition, some eagles get loose, fighting among themselves or landing on a hunter's arm with another. As they hone their calling skills, younger hunters prefer to use lower numbers.

The first day is primarily dedicated to eagle hunters demonstrating various aspects of eagle training and hunting skills. The first competition is a calling contest.

Shyrga Tartu – Lure Grabbing

The next event will similarly summon the eagles from the mountain's summit. Instead of landing on the hunter's arm, the birds must grab a piece of rabbit fur tied to the rope and leave it trailing behind the horse. The horses used to pull actual dead rabbits or foxes in previous years, but the most recent version only uses the fur. With the horse galloping at full speed, the more experienced pairs of eagle-men hunters would succeed. Less capable riders would keep their horses still and wait for the eagle to land on the fur.

Urianhai Archery Competition

While the main event takes place in the arena, an archery competition takes place in the middle of the day. These archers put on quite a show with their heavy bows and long arrows.

The day began with a call to action. On the final day of the Golden Eagle Festival, only the best displays of Kazakh horsemanship and hunting from the first day compete.

Tenge Ily – Coin Grabbing
A coin is thrown during this game, and riders pick it up from the ground while still on horseback. It's incredible to see the riders throw themselves to the ground, pick up a tiny object, and continue riding at full speed.

Kyz Kuar – Girls Chasing and Whipping Boys
Also known as the "Girl Chase," both a man and a woman race side by side on their horses. The man tries to flee the wrath of the women who relentlessly whips him. Some men are better than others at avoiding whipping. Some women are better at "beating" than others, or at least more eager to do so. This event is hilarious, and you can tell that each couple is having a good time.

Kukhbar –Competition for Goat Skin

The game is a tug of war between two riders on horses over a goat carcass. It used to be a real dead goat, but recent events have used a woolen decoy. This game is most likely the most competitive of all the contests. Each participant pulls the "carcass" with their entire committee. Disputes arose on a few occasions, with participants appearing on the judging platform and angrily complaining. Another rider would occasionally join in the debate. The trio would then push, pull, gallop, turn, and twist their way through the crowd. Alternatively, restart the horses at full speed, racing side by side,while the men pull the carcass.Two riders are in a tug of war over a goat carcass.

Traditional Kazakh Food

You will eat your lunch in a kitchen tent at the festival site, and you will come to the tens to warm up with coffee or tea during the celebration.

. As an additional tour highlight, we will invite a local folklore group and organize a small traditional concert.

The festival ends with a prize-giving ceremony. 

DAY 4 Home stay with Eagle Hunter's family
DAY 4 Home stay with Eagle Hunter's family

DAY 4 SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 9TH 

Real eagle hunting by riding on horseback

Assisting with the primary activities

You will drive to mountains to see how Kazakhs hunt with Eagles. In the Altai Mountains, we encounter golden eagles and begin our search for furred animals. Hunting animals can take days at times. As a result, baits are used in the eagle hunting demonstration. Continue your exploration of the nomadic eagle hunter's life, hear stories, and see how the eagle is trained and treated. Our eagle hunter demonstrates some eagle training activities, such as calling his eagle from afar to the gloved hand. Plenty of opportunity for photography of the eagle and hunter.

Eagle hunters only hunt in the winter, when the gold-colored foxes stand out against the snow. Small animals such as foxes, corsac foxes, and hares are hunted by the hunter using his eagle. You will observe how the golden eagle catches the prey and take numerous photographs of the action.

Dinner with the family AND a 20-minute conversation with an Eagle Hunter about Eagle training and hunting, with the Eagle Hunter providing answers. Dinner with the family and 20 minutes with the Eagle Hunter to ask questions about Eagle training and hunting, as well as for the Eagle Hunter to tell them funny facts about the Eagle. e them amusing facts about the Eagle.

Accomodation:Sleeping with family in separate yurt /No shower / ( B+L+D)

DAY 5 - 6 Explore the breathtaking beauty of Altai.
DAY 5 - 6 Explore the breathtaking beauty of Altai.


Day 5 - 6 MONDAY\TUESDAY  SEPTEMBER 10th-11th

Discover beauty of  Altai Mountains

• After breakfast, you will depart for the day's journey to Tavanbogd Nat'l Park, passing through ever-changing wilderness scenery as expansive Rockey plains give way to green valleys, rugged Altai peaks, and the stunning wilderness terrain of Tavanbogd Nat'l Park.

  • Drive to Shiveet Khairkhan Sacred mountain and stop to explore numerous petroglyphs. Shiveet Mountain, with its stunningly beautiful blue lakes, 4000 m high snow-capped mountains, a glacier, and rich archaeological sites. The best Petroglyphs in the area can be found on this mountain.Bayan-Ulgii’s rich archaeological remains are a reminder of the Bronze Age civilization and the Hun and Turkic invasions.
  • The area around Sacred Mountain is home to a large number of ibex or wild goats. There is also a large Ovoo, a shrine of sorts that is important to the local Tuvans and their shamanistic faith.
  • On the arrival at the campsite tonight, on the edge of the National Park boundary, you will meet Tuvan people near White River valley. / Tsagaan Gol /
  • You will see beautyof the snow-capped Tavan Bogd Massif and impressive Potanin Glacier.
  • Evening return to Ulgii, afternoon visit black market, art shops, and evening Zaisan top.

Accomodation: Guest House

( B+L+D) Dinner at the Restaurant

Day 7 Farewell to Ulgii city
Day 7 Farewell to Ulgii city


DAY 7  WEDNESDAY  SEPTEMBER 12th  FAREWELL TO OLGII

After breakfast, you will be driven to the local airport by your guide for your return trip to Ulaanbaatar.

Tour price includes/ Tour price excludes
ITINERARY Depending on the flight you scheduled, your travel days may vary to five or six days; we will notify you as soon as the domestic flight schedule appears.

Tour Price includes

Tour price excludes