Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival Tour in Mongolia 2026

Your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for a domestic flight to Khovd town in western Mongolia. Upon arrival, enjoy a scenic drive to Ulgii town, the center of Bayan-Ulgii province and home to Mongolia’s Kazakh community, known for its unique culture and centuries-old eagle hunting traditions.

Upon arrival in Ulgii, check in at your tourist ger camp and enjoy lunch. In the afternoon, begin exploring the town. Visit the local museum to learn about the history and culture of the region, then stop at a panoramic viewpoint overlooking Ulgii town, the Khovd River, and the surrounding Altai Mountains. You may also visit the local market and explore the town at your leisure.

Accommodation: Ger at Pamuk Resort. Meals: Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, drive to Sagsai village (about 35 km), home to traditional Kazakh eagle hunters of the Altai Mountains. Visit a local eagle hunter family and spend the day experiencing their nomadic lifestyle. Learn directly from the hunter about the centuries-old tradition of eagle hunting and observe how he works with his golden eagle. You can also have the opportunity to hold the eagle on your arm under the hunter’s guidance, offering a memorable close interaction and unique photo opportunity. Share tea and a traditional meal with the host family and experience the warm hospitality of the Kazakh people before returning to Ulgii in the evening.

Accommodation: Ger at Pamuk Resort. Meals: Full board

Drive to the festival site, set against the stunning backdrop of the Altai Mountains. Upon arrival, you’ll be welcomed by the vibrant energy of the festival grounds.

Cultural Immersion Day and Opening Ceremony

Happy Golden Eagle Festival! Explore the festival site, where you can engage with traditional Kazakh arts and crafts, listen to folk music, and experience the vibrant atmosphere of the celebration.

One of the highlights of the day is welcoming nomadic families as they arrive with their flocks of livestock during the traditional migration. Visitors can also participate in assembling a traditional Kazakh ger (yurt), offering a hands-on experience of nomadic life.

After welcoming the migrating nomadic families, the festival’s most exciting moment follows — the Opening Ceremony, when eagle hunters parade into the festival site on horseback, signaling the start of the celebration. The ceremony includes welcoming speeches and an introduction to the eagle hunting culture and the traditions of Sagsai village.

The Eagle Calling Competition

Following the opening ceremony, the festival’s main competition begins — the Eagle Calling Competition, showcasing the remarkable bond between Kazakh hunters and their golden eagles. From a mountaintop, eagles are released while their masters call them from below. The birds must recognize their own master’s voice and fly down to land precisely on the hunter’s outstretched arm. Judges award points for speed, accuracy, and responsiveness, demonstrating both the hunter’s skill and the eagle’s training. This thrilling event offers one of the most spectacular moments of the festival and a powerful display of tradition and falconry mastery.

After a full day of excitement at the festival, return to your hotel or ger camp in Ulgii. Enjoy a well-earned dinner and relax, preparing for another incredible and eventful day ahead. 

Accommodation: Ger at Pamuk Resort. Meals: Full board

The second day of the Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival is dedicated to thrilling competitions that showcase the skills of Kazakh eagle hunters and their cultural traditions. The main event is the eagle hunting competition, where hunters release their eagles from a mountaintop and call them to land on a dragged fox skin, testing their hunting skills. The eagle must successfully catch the moving skin, demonstrating speed, accuracy, and gripping ability. This competition reflects how eagle masters and their trained eagles hunt together in real life, preserving an ancient tradition passed down through generations.

Other traditional Kazakh horse games include Tenge-Ilu, where riders gallop at full speed to pick up a coin from the ground, showcasing their agility and skill. Kokbar, a tug-of-war on horseback, is one of the most exciting competitions and a great source of pride for Kazakh men. It tests the riders' strength, skill, and teamwork as they compete for control of a goat skin, showcasing their horsemanship and endurance. Kizkhuar is a playful game between men and women, where a woman chases a man on horseback, sometimes playfully whipping him if she catches up. 

One of the must-see moments of the festival is the closing ceremony, held to honor the eagle hunters and their magnificent golden eagles. During the award ceremony, the best hunters and competitors are recognized.

In keeping with tradition, the champion is awarded a horse rather than modern prizes. This represents the authentic spirit of Kazakh eagle hunting, where the horse, the eagle, and the hunter together represent the true living heritage of this ancient practice.

After an unforgettable festival experience, drive back to Ulgii in the evening for dinner and a well-deserved rest. 

Accommodation: Ger at Pamuk Resort. Meals: Full board

Transfer to Ulgii airport for your domestic flight back to Ulaanbaatar. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel. Your journey concludes with wonderful memories of the Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival. 

Meals: Breakfast

The atmosphere of the Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival