Nomadic Traditions and the Great Gobi Desert
Mongolia’s Golden Eagle Festival
Overview
On this thrilling “back of beyond” journey, we witness the Golden Eagle Festival, the cultural event captured in the acclaimed film The Eagle Huntress. Heading out to far western Mongolia, we watch as Kazakh horsemen and horsewomen compete in hunting with their magnificent trained eagles, releasing them to swoop down from cliffsides. Festival activities also include archery and breathtaking kukbar horseback games played at a thundering gallop. Flying south to the remote Gobi Desert, Three Camel Lodge is our comfortable home as we hike to petroglyph sites, climb golden sand dunes, ride magnificent two-humped Bactrian camels, explore glacier-carved Yol Valley National Park in the foothills of the Altai Mountains, and sip sundowners below the brilliant Flaming Cliffs, where the first dinosaur eggs were unearthed.
Arrive: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Depart: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Highlights
- See eagle hunters and huntresses parading with their huge golden eagles, and watch the eagles hunt their prey
- Enjoy the stunning setting of the renowned Three Camel Lodge, with its well-appointed ger tents
- Sip sundowners and watch the magical sunset at the Gobi's Flaming Cliffs
- Walk in the Moltsog Els dunes, ride a two-humped Bactrian camel
- Watch a wild horseback game called kukbar
- Visit Gandan Monastery, seat of Buddhism in Mongolia
Itinerary
In Ulaanbaatar, our visits include fascinating Gandan Monastery, the seat of Buddhism in Mongolia. We fly to the Gobi Desert, where our hikes from the charming Three Camel Lodge bring us to rock art sites and into the habitat of argali mountain sheep and soaring lammergeiers. We also have the opportunity to climb golden sand dunes and ride a magnificent two-humped Bactrian camel, a species native to Mongolia and China. We'll explore the Flaming Cliffs, rich in dinosaur fossils, and watch the sunset paint the cliffs ochre and red.
A flight brings us to Ulgii in Mongolia's far west, land of the Kazakhs, the traditional nomadic herders of Central Asia. Here in the High Altai, we'll join in the annual Golden Eagle Festival of Kazakh hunters and their trained golden eagles. We'll be front and center as the local Kazakhs parade on horseback dressed in their hunting finery, accompanied by their golden eagles. Kazakh families arrive from villages far away to enjoy the pageantry, and during competitions, awards are given to hunters with the most elaborate dress and to eagles that have demonstrated the most skill and agility. Archery and the fast-paced equestrian game of kukbar are part of the festival's closing ceremony—it's an unforgettable sight! Our accommodation is a comfortable ger camp. Depart on Day 12 via Ulaanbaatar.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
The trip is Level 3, Moderate, according to our trip grading system. Although there is only minimal hiking, this trip involves rugged travel conditions in remote locations, simple accommodations in gers (yurts), and rough roads.
Review Trip Level Details
Mongolia has a relatively cool climate with short, mild summers and long, severe winters from October to April. October will be cool and the occasional or rare snow storm is possible, especially in Ulaanbaatar and Ulgii. Weather patterns at this time can be unpredictable. Come prepared for at least some rain, wind, and some very cold nights and mornings. A dusting of snow is not uncommon here at this northern latitude.
In Ulaanbaatar, our overnights are in a well-located hotel with modern amenities. Our ger camps at the Golden Eagle Festival are simple two-person gers with beds, sheets and blankets, and small stoves for heat. Toilet and shower facilities are separate from the gers and shared by all participants. The shower water is solar heated and may not be available daily. Please be prepared for limited shower use. In the Gobi, we stay at the Three Camel Lodge, with its setting in the stunning landscape of the Gobi's Gurvan Saikhan National Park. Gers at this lodge have private bathrooms and the main lodge building has a central fireplace and large wooden porch for enjoying the serenity of the Mongolian outback.
Roads outside Ulaanbaatar are unpaved and often very bumpy and dusty. In most cases, travel on these roads will be done in Russian four-wheel drive vans, which are not up to western SUV standards, but are reasonably comfortable.
Mongolia is an exciting destination, and while tourism is growing rapidly, the infrastructure remains limited. The country is modernizing quickly from its Soviet-era standards, but they are not yet up to the level of many countries (particularly felt by travelers on the bumpy roads!). Essential requirements for travel in Mongolia are flexibility, a sense of humor, curiosity, enthusiasm about new peoples and places, and an openness to the unexpected.
Client Testimonials
"The festival was fantastic. The locations of the eagle camp and Three Camel Lodge were beautiful. We were thrilled to experience the mini-Nadaam in the Gobi, and we really enjoyed the hike to see the petroglyphs in the Gobi."
Becky H.
Chandler, AZ
"Loved the trip, guide and all crew members. Everything worked very well and was well organized. The cultural performance in Ulaan Bataar was unexpectedly excellent. Food at both camps was yummy—we ate too much! As always, we enjoyed the fellow WT guests."
Irene R.
Cincinnati, OH
"The trip was an amazing immersion into the Mongolian culture! And our guide, Azaa, did a masterful job of guiding through this adventure! I came away with a far better understanding of this incredibly unique country—with a very unique and significant history than I ever thought I would! Also, the opportunity to meet and spend some time with a wide cross-section of Mongolian people (the Gobi and the mountains) was priceless. The balance between the ancient nomadic and modern cultures was amazing, and will definitely stay with me! I cannot recommend this adventure more!"
John R.
Ronkonkoma, NY
"This was a fantastic trip, and not one we could have managed on our own."
John S.
Laurel, MD
"We had a really great time—the Golden Eagle Festival and the Gobi were both truly spectacular. The Three Camel Lodge was superb in every way, and the ger camp near Ulgii was a lot of fun and in a great location. We enjoyed being in the Kazakh gers with their rugs and decorations."
Margaret A.
Seattle, WA
"The trip was amazing. I'm already thinking about my next one!"
Mary W.
Crosby, TX
"Spectacular! Thrilling! Unique! To those considering this trip: You will see more than 100 eagle hunters and huntresses parade in front of you with huge golden eagles on their arms. You will watch the eagles circle overhead until they spot their target, then swoop down at a dazzling speed. You will get to meet the hunters, and you will have the thrill of holding the eagles!"
Michael S.
Oakland, CA
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Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.