Golden Eagle Festival Join us for an unforgettable journey to the Golden Eagle Festival in Bayan-Ulgii Province, located in the Altai Mountains of Western Mongolia. Each year Kazakh hunters from near and far attend the festival with their Golden Eagles, known as berkut, to enter them into competitions testing speed, agility, and accuracy. Ceremonies, dance performances, a parade in the provincial capital's city square, and a Kazakh play in honor of the hunters and their eagles are all a part of this unique experience.
This annual festival, which celebrates the Golden Eagle as well as the hunters' traditional culture, is arranged by the local Kazakh community and members of the Berkut Association, a community-based conservation organization. Historically, nomadic Kazakhs have depended on the Golden Eagles for hunting, and the Berkut Association was founded by Nomadic Expeditions CEO Jalsa Urubshurow to preserve this proud tradition and protect the berkut. All proceeds from the festival's ticket sales ($30 per person for two days of competitions) will benefit the Berkut Association, which will use these funds to further the organization's goals, including arranging the Golden Eagle Festival each year.
This expedition into the rugged Altai Mountains also includes opportunities to ride on horseback alongside the hunters, as well as visits to a local mosque, town market, provincial museum, and archaeological site. |
