Mongolia Golden Eagle Festival

3 reviews

Overview

Journey through Mongolia’s wilderness to the Golden Eagle Festival in the remote Altai Mountains

In Mongolia, rolling steppe makes way for stark desert. Across this vast landscape, nomadic ger camps are scattered, camels and goats are herded on horseback, fermented mare’s milk is the tipple of choice, dunes sing and the first intact dinosaur eggs were found. Genghis Khan went forth from here to conquer the largest contiguous land empire in history and, to this day, Buddhist and Animist traditions mix. Journey along rough tracks through steppe, mountains and the Gobi Desert, staying in simple ger camps as we experience the nature and culture of this sparsely populated country. We also fly to its remote western reaches for the Eagle Festival, which celebrates the centuries-old Kazakh tradition of hunting with golden eagles and the close relationship between the hunters, their animals and the land.

For an alternative Eagle Festival itinerary, please click here.

Key Information

Activity: Culture
Activity Level: Easy & Moderate
See our Activity Level Guidelines to check if this holiday is right for you.
Comfort Level: Simple
Trip Code: ACK
Ways to Travel: Guided Group
Countries: Mongolia
Carbon Footprint: 49.1kg CO2e per person per day

What's Included

All accommodation: 4 Classic nights (hotels), 12 Simple nights (traditional nomadic ger camps)
All breakfasts, 14 lunches and 15 dinners
Immersive itinerary with all transport (4x4s, bus and internal flight) and listed activities
Expert tour leader to enhance your adventure
Group arrival and departure transfers available

Positive Impact

We donate to our Foundation and rewild 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller. Find out more about how our adventures support nature and people to thrive.

Don't Forget To

Request a single room if required, purchase travel insurance and arrange any visas and vaccinations.

Highlights

Witness the extraordinary bond between Kazakh hunters and golden eagles at a festival in the remote Altai Mountains

Journey along rough tracks through the vast steppe and Gobi Desert

Stay in traditional ger camps and experience Mongolia’s nomadic culture

Itinerary

First Destination: Ulaanbaatar
Next Destination: Ulaanbaatar

Accommodation:Bayangol Hotel (or similar)
Meals included:Dinner

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Hotel
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Bayangol Hotel (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Bayangol Hotel (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast

First Destination: Ulaanbaatar
Next Destination: Ulaanbaatar

Our adventure starts in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital city. There are no activities planned for today to allow for different arrival times. If you have time to explore some of the sites we recommend visiting Sukhbaatar Square, the National Museum and the landmark State Department Store.

Around 6pm, say hello to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Your tour leader then ensures a big welcome by arranging a group dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Want more time in Ulaanbaatar? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Accommodation:Bayangol Hotel (or similar)
Meals included:Dinner

After breakfast, we transfer to Terelj National Park (approximately 2hr 30min drive), home to fascinating rock formations and green meadows carpeted with wildflowers. On the way, we visit the Genghis Khan statue. Standing 130ft (40m) tall and made of stainless steel, it’s the tallest equestrian statue in the world and quite a sight. We spend the day exploring these and visit the Aryabal Meditation Temple, which offers great views over the park. After lunch at our camp, we make a short trip to visit a local nomadic family to see how they live and hear about the nomadic way of life. Here, we also enjoy a tasting experience of homemade dairy products, such as yoghurt, cheese, curds and traditional salty milk tea.

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we begin our journey towards the Gobi Desert, travelling across the open steppe to the striking rock formations of Baga Gazryn Chuluu. Here, we explore the ruins of Lovonchombo Monastery and visit a natural spring traditionally believed to have healing properties for the eyes. Tonight, we settle into our traditional ger – a quintessential Mongolian experience.

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We have an early morning drive to Dalanzadgad, the capital of the South Gobi province, then proceed to the Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park. Gobi Gurvansaikhan means ‘Three Beauties of the Gobi’ and this range marks the eastern end of the Gobi Altai mountain range. The park landscape is extremely varied, with rocky and sandy desert plains, precipitous cliffs, ravines, saltpans and oases. We visit a spectacular natural sight of this region: Yolyn Am, which is approximately 31mi (50km) or 1hr 30min drive each way. Yolyn Am means Vulture’s Mouth and is a canyon so deep and narrow that winter ice can remain on the valley floor even in the height of summer. This region is also renowned for the diversity of its wildlife and many endangered species roam here, including Mongolian wild asses, ibex, argali sheep and snow leopards. We explore the canyon before transferring to a nearby ger camp for dinner and our overnight stay.

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we drive 45mi (70km) to Bayanzag, popularly known as the Flaming Cliffs, and hike among colourful sands of red, yellow and orange. Bayanzag is a renowned dinosaur fossil exploration site, discovered in the 1920s by Mongolian and American palaeontologists. We are free to explore the region and may even be lucky enough to spot dinosaur fossils. After a picnic lunch, we head to our camp for the afternoon.

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We have a six to seven-hour drive (125mi/200km) to the Khongoryn Els dunes, which stretch for 125mi (200km) and are as high as 985ft (300m) in places. They are known as the Singing Dunes, because of the beautiful sound that resonates through them on a windy day.

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Khongoryn Els sand dunes landscape, Mongolia. Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park

We have a full day to explore the dunes and surrounding area. We have the opportunity to visit a camel-breeding family and learn about the life of the local nomadic herders.

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Our journey continues through classic Gobi Desert scenery of flat stony plains with small rocky outcrops and patches of sand across the Khatan Suudal Steppe. We stop for a picnic lunch and then continue our drive to the Bayan mountains to view the Bichigt Khad petroglyphs. The rock inscriptions and pictures here date to 3000 BCE; we see paintings including depictions of ibex, argali and men riding horses. It is possible to see some of these from the vehicles (better with binoculars) but, for those who wish, it is also possible to hike up to the cliffs for a closer inspection of these Bronze Age works of art (the main cliff is a steep climb for 195ft/60m and walking poles are required so we usually visit the smaller cliff, which is more accessible).

We are in the vehicles almost all day today and cover approximately 240mi (385km).

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

First, we drive to Tsagaan Agui (White Cave), then pass over Taats River, from where the majestic Ikh Bogd mountain (the highest mountain in the Gobi Altai range) should be visible in the distance. We stop for a picnic lunch and then skirt the eastern edge of Ikh Bogd. We then drive to Arvaikheer, the capital of Ovorkhangai Aimag, on the northern edge of the Gobi.

We cover around 260mi (415km) today – expect to be on the go for approximately 11 hours.

Accommodation:Hotel
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we visit Arvaikheer local market and the museum, which contains nature collections, stone figures and Turkic scripts. After lunch, we set off for Kharkhorin, stopping en route to visit Shankh Monastery, once the home of the great Mongolian theorist Zanabazar.

We arrive to camp in the evening in time for dinner.

Total driving: approximately 93mi (150km), four hours

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we visit the 13th-century capital of the Mongol Empire. It was established by Ogedei Khan and remained the Mongol power base until Kublai Khan established Beijing as the capital. Erdene Zuu (Hundred Treasures) Monastery was the largest monastery in Mongolia, built in 1586 under the direction of Abtai Khan on the ruins of the ancient capital. Much of the monastery was destroyed during Stalin’s purges of the 1930s, but an impressive wall with 108 stupas and several temples remain.

After lunch, we drive (for about two hours) to the Mongol Els, or Little Gobi Desert as it is known, a unique belt of dunes in the steppe. We check into a nearby ger camp and head out to explore the region. It is an incredible sight to witness the bactrian camels wandering the desert dunes while horses graze on the green steppe nearby. We also visit Khogno Khan mountain, a small temple at its base. This region is also renowned for its birdlife, including steppe eagles.

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In the morning, we drive for three hours (125mi/200km) to Khustain Nuruu National Park, famous for the re-introduction of Mongolia’s wild horse. The Przewalski’s horse (or takhi horse) almost became extinct, but thanks to the efforts of several Mongolian and international organisations, these magnificent wild horses now roam the steppes of the park. We visit the Project Information Centre and take a guided hike to see the wild horses.

In the afternoon, we drive back to Ulaanbaatar city. This evening, there’s the option to enjoy a live performance by the Tumen Ekh ensemble, showcasing traditional Mongolian music and dance, including throat singing, contortion and Tsam dancing.

Accommodation:Bayangol Hotel (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Przewalski's horse at khustain nuruu national park mongolia

In the morning, we fly to Olgii in western Mongolia, from where we drive offroad for about an hour to Sagsai village. Here, we visit a Kazakh family home. We spend the day seeing how they go about daily life, taking care of and milking the cows, goats and sheep. We can also sample their traditional food and taste homemade yak cheese and yogurt. This is a great opportunity to understand the life of a nomadic family and to experience their friendliness and hospitality. In the afternoon, we return to Olgii and stay overnight at a ger camp.

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we attend the Eagle Festival. For the first day of the festival, we see the competition for the best Kazakh costume, horse racing and archery. In the evening, we enjoy a cultural performance in the local theatre.

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we have another chance to witness the competitions and events of the Eagle Festival. We can see a demonstration from the eagles and their hunters, a camel race and the lively sport of kukhbar (in which two horseback riders wrestle over the possession of a goat skin). After enjoying the festivities, we return to camp for dinner.

Accommodation:Ger camp
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we transfer to the airport for a mid-morning flight to Ulaanbaatar, arriving midday. We transfer to the hotel and freshen up before a light lunch. This afternoon is free for last-minute sightseeing or souvenir shopping around UB – cashmere, leather goods and traditional handicrafts are all good options and the guide can recommend the best places to go for these. Night owls may want to sample the Ulaanbaatar nightlife!

Accommodation:Bayangol Hotel (or similar)
Meals included:Breakfast

The tour ends after breakfast today and we begin our return journeys home, full of tales and magnificent photos to share. If you aren’t ready for the adventure to end, speak to your sales representative about our range of extension options.

Meals included:Breakfast

Dates & Prices

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Accommodation

Hotels and ger camps

We use hotels in Ulaanbaatar and Arvaikheer and ger camps elsewhere. Gers are similar to yurts. This traditional accommodation is airy and usually contains a central wood-burning stove (in the summer the stoves are not normally needed). The bathrooms are shared and all have hot water (due to the remoteness of the camps this can be erratic at times). Many of the ger camps now have 24-hour electricity in the ger itself for charging batteries. If there is no charging facility inside the ger then there are charging facilities in the common area (though this may only be when the generator is turned on during limited periods of the day). Accommodation at the Eagle Festival is four people per ger. For the rest of the camps, it is two people per ger and hotels are on a twin-share basis too. Due to the remoteness of Olgii, there is a limited choice of accommodation and the ger camps here are more basic than elsewhere. There may also be rare occasions when a single cannot be guaranteed in a particular ger camp.

Essential Information

This trip is graded Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

Mongolia is six and a half times larger than the UK but with a population 21 times smaller. Understandably, this means that large tracts of the country have little infrastructure. Much of our time is spent in areas where roads are barely tracks through the landscape.

On this trip, we go further into the wilderness than the average visitor to Mongolia and, while this allows us to travel through stunning parts of the country, encountering few people other than the odd nomad, it does mean some days involve long and bumpy drives.

The longest driving days are in Bayan Gobi and the drive to Arvaikheer where we are on the move all day. These drives are balanced with time to relax and take in the incredible surroundings often with the option of going for a walk or, sometimes, a horse or camel ride.

There are some scheduled hikes, looking for wild Przewalski’s (takhi) horses and visiting the Singing Dunes, Vulture’s Mouth canyon and the Flaming Cliffs, for instance. These are relatively short, no more than one or two hours, on mostly flat or undulating terrain. The Flaming Cliffs hike may not be suitable if you have an acute fear of heights and can involve some scrambling; however, it’s possible to opt out of the walk and still enjoy great views of the cliffs.

The climate in central Mongolia is generally pleasant in summer when the trip runs. In the Gobi Desert, however, temperatures can get well above 30C (86F), even approaching 40C (104F).

This trip goes off the tourist trail and encounters local nomads. It takes us through spectacular and diverse wilderness and gives us an insight into a fascinating country unlike any other.

Key information

Start hotel: Bayangol Hotel, Chinggis Avenue-5, Ulaanbaatar 14251, Mongolia
Phone: +976-11-312255
Recommended arrival time: You can arrive at any time today. There will be a welcome briefing around 6pm this evening.
Airport: Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN)

Getting to the start hotel

The start hotel is approximately 1hr 30min drive from the airport. Exodus provides one group arrival transfer from the airport, which is timed to coincide with the arrival of a chosen flight. You may join this transfer, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. Speak to your sales representative for the group arrival transfer times or to arrange a private transfer.

Catching your return flight

There’s a group departure transfer to the airport for those booked onto a chosen flight. Please speak to your sales representative if you wish to join. If the group departure transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative transfer.

Mongolia

Travellers from UK, US, CA and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Mongolia. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

Traditional Mongolian diets are very meat and dairy heavy. While there are opportunities to try some of these products, such as dry curd and fermented mare’s milk, the meals provided in the ger camps are generally Western meals, at times with an Asian influence. There is normally some form of soup and salad plus a main course and desert. Vegetarians are generally well catered for; if you are vegetarian or have other dietary requirements, please inform us in advance.

Breakfasts can vary from place to place, some are buffets while others are set, normally cereal, bread and possibly a hot dish. On some days, a pack lunch is provided, this is often still a proper meal (though without the soup). Water is provided and is generally from large water containers, so make sure to bring a refillable water bottle. Tea, coffee, soft drinks, beer, vodka and (most of the time) wine are available to buy at the ger camps. There is the opportunity to buy snacks in Ulaanbaatar and on a couple of other occasions along the way when we drive through towns or villages.

September/October is the shoulder season in Mongolia. Temperatures can vary quite widely from very hot to freezing and you should pack for both hot and cold weather as you’ll be in a T-shirt one minute and a down jacket the next. This is possibly the best time to visit the Gobi Desert as the temperatures cool and the crowds have mostly gone. In Olgii, where the Eagle Festival takes place, the weather is likely to be cold with temperatures averaging 7C (44F).

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

You’ll also find Thriving Nature, Thriving People moments across our trips. These experiences are often a highlight of your adventure, while also benefiting the natural world or local communities.

On this trip, we:

Attend the Eagle Festival to support the continuation of Kazakh eagle hunting traditions and community cultural pride.
Visit a Kazakh family home in Sagsai village to learn about nomadic life, livestock herding, and traditional food practices.
Meet a nomadic camel-herding family to learn about desert livelihoods and daily life.

Reviews

Add new review

Chrys Tremththanmor

Added October 2022

Enthralling Adventure

Fantastic trip. We travelled (admittedly some long drives) through the flat landscapes, dodging large herds of goats and sheep as well as horses and camels. Four visits to various nomad families gave us insights into their ways of life, and we sampled fermented cows', mares', and camels' milk. We watched one family milk the mares, and rode camels near the sand dunes. Visits to Buddhist temples and museums gave us additional insights. The bronze age petroglyphs were a highlight, particularly those of tigers. The best bit was at the end of the trip, when we attended the Golden Eagle Festival. Watching men and women interact with their eagles was amazing, as were the other events, such as the tug-of-war with a goat skin.

Most Inspirational Moment

Visiting the eagle hunter's family. The eleven year old boy was so obviously proud to have an eagle of his own.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent. He handled some tricky situations with great wisdom and humour.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The Eagle Festival was very cold, -2C on the first day. Make sure to wear lots of layers, and bear in mind that there are no permanent buildings so it's not easy to get warm anywhere. However attendance by tourists was a quarter of pre-pandemic, so it was very easy to get a good spot to take photos.

Suggestions

'Shared facilities' means a toilet and shower block a short walk from the ger. Although this can make for a cold trip in the night, the starry skies make up for it. We had stunning views of the Milky Way. My write up of the trip is at www.travellinghopefully.co.uk and my best photos are at www.stalkingthelight.com

Chris Goddard

Added October 2019

Eagle Festival

Advice given by Exodus regarding the transfer in Beijing was inadequate. Much more detail is needed. Many lost souls were wandering the airport for some time. Perhaps a step-by-step description ? Chinese airport personnel were generaly rude, and less than helpful. The whole trip was generally fine. Exodus were advisied that one of us was gluten-free, but this information was not given to the tour guide beforehand, which Exodus stated it had been. Probably did not make a huge difference in the end as Gluten free food is largely unknown in Mongolia (not entirely unexpected).

Most Inspirational Moment

Eagle festival was stunning

Thoughts on Group Leader

Namja (??) did an excellent job in leading the tour. He was very well versed in local history, and very keen to help and assist when required. Thouroughly reccommend this guide/group leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Gluten free travellers - take plenty of food ! Make sure you understand the intricacies of Beijing airport transfer - in advance !

Suggestions

No

Jeremy Reed

Added October 2019

Excellent trip.

Just returned from.this Mongolia trip. It was a wonderful holiday. Mongolia is vast and fascinating. The holiday was made more enjoyable and informative by our guide MG. The Eagle Festival was unbelievable. 120 eagle hunters with their beautiful Golden Eagles.

Most Inspirational Moment

The Eagle Festival

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader MG was amazing. Knowledgeable and well organised. Took all the stress of travelling. Well done MG.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take more money. The Ger camps sell beer and wine. Plus you need c $100 per person for tips and incidental paid for by the group leader. Plus you need to tip the group leader at the end of the trip.

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£ 4999