Golden Eagle Festival
2026
What is the Golden Eagle Festival?
The Golden Eagle Festival is an annual celebration of the ancient Kazakh tradition of hunting with trained golden eagles. Each October, eagle hunters from across the Altai mountains ride to Shar Nuur on horseback — their eagles perched on their arms, their costumes unchanged in generations.
Hunters compete across two days in speed, accuracy, and the beauty of their traditional dress. The competition is judged by a panel of senior hunters, and the atmosphere is unlike anything else on earth: the roar of the crowd as an eagle drops from a mountain ridge at full speed, the silence just before it lands on its hunter's arm.
The festival has taken place every October for decades. It is not a performance put on for tourists — it is a living ceremony that has been the centrepiece of Kazakh nomadic culture for centuries.
2026 Festival Dates
Shar Nuur Eagle Festival
The largest and most internationally attended festival. 100+ eagle hunters compete over two full days. This is the one to build your trip around.
Ölgii Eagle Festival
Held the last weekend of September, this is a more intimate festival with fewer tourists. If your dates allow, attending both gives a very different perspective.
What Happens at the Festival
Opening procession & eagle speed competition
The festival opens with a procession of all eagle hunters riding in together — one of the most cinematic moments of the event. The main competition is the eagle calling contest: hunters ride to the top of a steep ridge and release their eagles, which must fly down and land on their handler's arm in the valley below. Speed, precision, and obedience are scored. Day One also includes the traditional costume judging.
Accuracy tests & horseback games
Day Two brings the accuracy contest — a fox-fur target is dragged across the ground by a galloping horse, and eagles must strike it. The afternoon is devoted to horseback games: Kiz Kuar (girl chasing), Tiyn Teru (coin picking at speed), and Kokpar (a team tug-of-war over a goat carcass on horseback). The day ends with the awards ceremony — a deeply emotional moment for the winning hunter.
Photography Guide
For eagle descent shots, position yourself halfway up the hillside opposite the launch ridge — you get the eagle against the sky, then frame it against the mountains as it drops. Our guide knows exactly where to stand before the crowds arrive.
70–200mm f/2.8 for action, 50–85mm for hunter portraits, wide-angle for the procession. A teleconverter (1.4x or 2x) extends reach. Bring 2 bodies so you don't miss shots swapping lenses, and pack plenty of memory cards.
Minimum 1/1600s shutter speed for eagles in descent — 1/2500s is safer. AF-C continuous autofocus, high-speed burst mode. Expect 3–5 keepers per 20 frames at peak action.
Arrive before 8 am. Morning light from the east illuminates hunters from the front for about two hours. Midday is harsh — use the break for portraits. Hand warmers help keep fingers nimble in October cold.
Getting to Bayan-Ölgii
Western Mongolia is remote — getting there is part of the adventure.
Fly into Ulaanbaatar
Most international visitors arrive via Seoul, Beijing, Istanbul, Moscow, or Tokyo. Ulaanbaatar (ULN / Chinggis Khaan International) is the main hub.
Domestic flight to Ölgii
MIAT and Hunnu Air fly Ulaanbaatar → Ölgii (ULG) several times a week. Flight time is ~2.5 hours. Seats sell out fast in October — book as early as possible.
Transfer to festival grounds
From Ölgii airport, the Shar Nuur festival grounds are just a 20-minute drive. We arrange all pickups, transfers, and luggage handling throughout the tour.
Where You'll Stay
During the festival, hotels in Ölgii are packed and overpriced. We do it differently.
We stay at a traditional ger camp near Shar Nuur — close to the festival grounds, away from the town crowds. Each guest ger sleeps 2 people with proper beds, blankets, and a wood stove that keeps the ger warm through cold October nights.
- Private guest gers for sleeping (2 per ger)
- Separate kitchen ger — all meals cooked and served here
- Shared toilet and shower facilities on-site
- Wood stoves for warmth on cold autumn nights
- Authentic experience far from the crowded town hotels
Why Book With a Local Guide?
Many travelers consider attending independently. Here's what you miss without a guide.
Our 2026 Festival Tour
9 days · October 2026 · Small groups (max 8) · English-speaking local guide
From $2,100 USD per person · $600 deposit to confirm
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know before planning your trip.