MIR Corporation - Mongolia's Golden Eagle Festival

Mongolia's Golden Eagle Festival

•	Dates & Prices
•	Special Features
•	Map
•	Daily Itinerary
•	Reading List
•	What's Included
•	Why MIR
•	Explorer Series Description
•	Suggested Extensions

Explore UlaanBaatar and Gorkhi-Terelj National Park before flying to Mongolia's westernmost province, where the Altai Mountains unite Western China, Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. Here on the rocky ridges overlooking the snow-dusted steppe, a dwindling number of ethnic Kazakhs carry on a 6,000-year-old tradition, hunting with magnificent Golden Eagles, one of the world's largest predatory birds.

Days 1-4: UlaanBaatar, Gorkhi-Terelj National Park

Drive outside UlaanBaatar to Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, where horses are available for hire and huge rock formations crop up at intervals through the rocky soil. Spend two nights in a ger here to get a feel for the huge distances and enormous sky that you will experience in the west. Back in the capital, visit the Gandan Monastery and the National Museum of Mongolian History and enjoy a traditional Mongolian cultural performance.

Days 5-8: Ulgii, Golden Eagle Festival

Fly to Ulgii, capital of Bayan-Ulgii, the westernmost province of Mongolia and one of its most beautiful, where the nomadic local populace is ethnically Kazakh. Visit with a traditional Kazakh family and enjoy their hospitality. Attend the fascinating Golden Eagle Festival, where the speed and agility of the eagles and the bond between hunter and bird are tested and celebrated. The opening ceremony begins with a parade to highlight the craftsmanship of the traditional costumes and hunting gear and continues with an evening performance in honor of the participants. The next day’s competition finds the eagles attacking fox skins dragged by their trainers, with judges evaluating their skill at hitting the target, their diving speed and gripping technique.

Days 9-10: UlaanBaatar

Fly back to the capital and gather for a festive farewell dinner to toast your adventure on the high steppe of Mongolia.

Trip Details

Length of Trip:	10 Days
Departures in 2011:	1
Dates:	September 26 - October 5, 2011

Land Tour Cost:
6-12 travelers	$4,695**
Partial Single Supplement	$550*

No Hidden Costs!
**Land tour cost includes internal flight costs which are subject to change; see the Descriptive Daily Itinerary for details.

MIR Signature Experiences

Spend three days in remote Ulgii, getting to know ethnic Kazakh nomadic families
Watch the competition among the eagle hunters with their lordly birds
Attend a performance of Kazakh music and dance arranged for Golden Eagle Festival participants