Western Mongolia is a remote, wild, & sparsely inhabited region. It is the home of the Kazakh Eagle Hunters, a group of people who have developed a unique, ancient tradition of hunting with Golden Eagles.
Key Traditions and Life
- The tradition of eagle hunting is believed to have originated in central Asia more than 1800 years ago.
- Only female eagles are used for hunting due to their larger size & powerful hunting prowess.
- An extraordinary, but temporary, bond is formed between the hunter & the bird.
- After about ten years, the eagle is released far into the mountains before sunset to “re-wild” & have chicks. The hunter returns home in the dark so the eagle cannot follow.
- The eagles hunt for prey such as rabbits & foxes.
- There are still about 250 Eagle hunter families in Mongolia, with the Sagsai region of the Bayan-Olgii province acting as their heartland.
- The nomadic Kazakh people live in large family gers (yurts).
- Horses are central to their way of life, & daily activities include caring for herds of yaks, goats, & horses.
The tour offers a special journey to live alongside eagle hunter families & be part of their training schedule, & learn of their cultural ways & lifestyle.
Tour Highlights
- Ulaanbaatar (UB): The tour begins in Mongolia’s capital. Activities include visiting the Gandan monastery, & local markets, street photography, & souvenir markets plus other sites of importance. Can be done on the return on day 8 when we return.
- Meeting the Hunters: The group flies to Olgii, & travels southwest to stay in Altai village to meet the host Kazakh Eagle hunter families.
- Experience: Participants will live alongside hunter families in large gers over the week, witnessing hunting & everyday life capturing the details, as well as home life.
- Cultural Immersion & Sharmanic Ceremony: Evening fire ceremony where Eagle Hunters gather & share their stories.
- Eagle Falconers Competition: Be immersed in the competition between Eagle Hunters, complete with their traditional dress, call back & lure challenges.
- Handcrafts & Community Exhibition: Join in with their workshops & document the way they develop their intricate handcrafts, & personalised equipment.
- Archery & Kazakh Traditions in Olgii: En route, Buyant Village Archery competition & Kazakh traditional concert.
Practical Details
- Accommodation: Hotels in the cities (Ulaanbaatar, Olgii) are of a good standard. In western Mongolia, accommodation will be in simple, stove-heated gers with basic washing & toilet facilities.
- Climate (During Season): Typically cool, dry, and sunny. Daily high temperatures are usually between 10-15 Celsius or 50-59 Farenheight, with cold nights that can drop below freezing. Early snow may occur.
- Food: While hotel food will vary with menu options, food at the yurts will be traditional & simplistic. This is more traditional to Western Mongolian needs.
- Walking: Mostly easy, with opportunities for short hikes to photograph hunters & eagles in scenic spots.
- Photography Gear: Recommended focal lengths for full-frame cameras are around 24-105mm & 70-200mm, with a telephoto lens up to 400mm for distant shots. Drone photography is encouraged, but access to power is limited, so spare batteries are essential. For video good quality phones. I recommend the iPhone 15Pro Max or later, GoPros 12,13 or similar. Portable LED lights recommended. Tripods & Gimbals also helpful for stability & moving material.
NB: Note that all photos and video content on this page is user generated from previous tours. It is not part of my commercial endevours, or artificially generated. It gives you an overview of the locations and material covered.