Golden Eagle Festival Mongolia 2024 & 2025

When is the Mongolian Eagle Festival?

On 17 and 18 September 2024 (Group tour departure available) and (Gobi Desert & Eagle Festival group tour available)

On 21 and 22 September 2024 (private tours available)

On 5 and 6 October 2024 (Group tour departure available) and (Gobi Desert & Eagle Festival group tour available)

On 17 and 18 September 2025

On 20 and 21 September 2025

On 4 and 5 October 2025

Golden Eagle Festival is a must-see event in Asia, particularly in Mongolia. It is a festival to demonstrate the culture of the Kazakhs to the world and promotes their heritage to their next generations.

The main festival held in October is organized by the Mongolian Eagle Hunters’ Association. Bayan-Ulgii province is located 1600 km from Ulaanbaatar and a domestic flight is the preferred way of transport for people traveling from Ulaanbaatar. The October Golden Eagle Festival is the main festival, attracts large number of tourists and photographers. There is a limited capacity for domestic flights and local accommodation. Therefore, we suggest you arrange and book the tour as early as possible if you are planning to participate in the October eagle festival.

There are two smaller Golden Eagle Festivals held in September. Up to 80 Eagle hunters participate in the October festival while up to 40 Eagle hunters contest in each festival of September.
2019 was the 20th anniversary of the October Golden Eagle Festival. The Golden Eagle Festival is in high interest to the photographers.

What to See During the Golden Eagle Festival?

They celebrate the Eagle Festival for two days; it starts with the opening parade of well-dressed 70 to 80 Eagle hunters riding the horses and holding their eagles on their right arm. Many of the Eagle hunters arrive faraway traveling with their eagles on horseback.
The Eagle Hunters compete two days according to the following criteria;
The bond between the eagles and hunters

The Eagle Hunters’ clothing

The Eagle Hunters’ horse ornaments

You also see an archery

Check the eagle’s agility and ability to grip stuffed baits dragged by horses

The Eagles released from a hilltop should recognize the call of their trainers and sit on his arm

Camel or horse race

A coin grabbing on a horseback

Kyz Kuar-Women Chasing game

Kykbar – Tug of war played on horseback with goat skins

Concert of the Kazakhs

Eagle Festival Tour Meals

There are several temporary ger-restaurants around the festival area. The restaurants serve traditional Kazakh, Mongolian and western-style meals.

Where to stay during the Eagle Hunting Festival?

The festivals are held about 7 to 14 km out of the Ulgii town. Therefore, it is available to stay in the town hotels and tourist ger camps. Alternatively, you can stay in the guesthouses and family runs gers of Ulgii. Staying with a Kazakh family is available either in the town or in the countryside.

Some facts about the eagles and hunters

Golden Eagles (Aquila Chrysacty) have incredible speed, great eyesight, and powerful feet with sharp talons. The Eagles are hooded by a specially made hood to keep them calm. It is removed when scanning areas of the steppes. The Eagles can spot even the slightest twitch from a great distance.

The second fastest bird for hunting on earth

Golden Eagles do not migrate

They have an average lifespan of 20 to 30 years

They can survive in a wide range of climates, from the icy edge of the Arctic to the scorching desert.

The average weight of a male eagle is 3.6 kilograms (8 pounds), compared to 5 kilos for females (11pounds). The hunting is done on a horseback. The greater weight female eagle is supported by forked support fitted to the saddle while traveling on the horseback

Wingspan ranges between 1.8 meters (6 feet) and 2.5 meters (8 feet)

Their diet is mainly small animals such as foxes, hares, and mice

The trained eagles have names

They release the eagles ceremonially in the wild after 6-7 years hunting

Golden Eagle chicks that were born and raised in the mountains are brought to train

The female species are trained as the female eagles are larger in a body and have brave instincts

The Eagles have been trained by males. It is not unusual to see 9 and 10 years old boys training the Eagles. However, there are several huntresses now. One of them is Ashlopan, a teenage eagle trainer girl who participated in the Golden Eagle Festival and won prizes while competing with the male adult hunters.