Ulaanbaatar

Touch down at Chinggis Khaan International Airport, where your private English-speaking guide will be waiting to welcome you to Mongolia. After a warm greeting, you will be transferred in a private vehicle directly to your 4-star hotel in the heart of Ulaanbaatar, the country's capital city. After check-in, the rest of the day is yours to rest and recover from your international flight. Depending on your arrival time, you may take a gentle walk around the city center or relax at the hotel. In the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner at the hotel restaurant where your guide will provide a detailed briefing about the journey ahead. You'll learn what to expect at the Golden Eagle Festival, discuss practical tips for the days in western Mongolia, and have the chance to ask any questions about Mongolian and Kazakh culture.

Khovd

Upon arrival at Khovd airport after a 2-hour domestic flight from Ulaanbaatar, board a private 4WD vehicle and drive to the sacred Three Caves (Gurvan Sekheert), a fascinating rock formation set into dramatic cliffs. This spiritual site has served as a resting place for nomadic travelers crossing the western Mongolian steppe for centuries. Walk among the rock formations and learn from your guide about the legends associated with the caves.

Khovd

Drive 110 kilometers west from the Three Caves to the shores of Khar-Us Lake, one of Central Asia's most important freshwater wetlands and a designated national park. The lake is a critical habitat for migrating birds and rare wildlife, with the snow-capped Altai Mountains visible across the water. A picnic lunch is served at a scenic spot along the lakeshore, where you can walk, photograph the wildlife, and take in the vast Western Mongolian sky.

Khovd

Drive another 70 kilometers through the changing western landscape to Ger Camp, a comfortable riverside tourist ger camp set against the dramatic backdrop of the Altai foothills. Settle into your traditional Mongolian ger (a felt-covered round dwelling used by nomads for centuries) and enjoy a hearty Mongolian dinner served around the fire. As the sky darkens, the western Mongolian stars emerge in spectacular clarity, far from any city lights.

Khovd

After breakfast, transfer to the domestic airport for a 2-hour flight to Khovd Province in western Mongolia. The flight crosses two-thirds of the country with stunning aerial views of mountains, lakes, and endless steppe. Upon arrival in Khovd, board a private 4WD vehicle and drive to the sacred Three Caves (Gurvan Sekheert), a fascinating rock formation set into dramatic cliffs that has been a spiritual site for nomadic travelers for centuries. Continue 110 kilometers westward through the changing landscape with a picnic lunch served en route. The journey leads to the shores of Khar-Us Lake, one of Central Asia's most important freshwater wetlands and home to migrating birds and rare wildlife. Here you can stretch your legs, walk along the lakeshore, and take in the vast Western Mongolian sky. After exploring the lake, drive another 70 kilometers to Chonon Bolboo Ger Camp, a comfortable riverside tourist ger camp where dinner is served around the fire under the open sky.

Bayan-Olgii Province

Embark on a scenic 250-kilometer drive through the foothills of the Altai Mountains into Bayan-Ölgii, Mongolia's only Kazakh-majority province. The landscape shifts dramatically during the journey: green river valleys give way to snow-capped peaks rising on every horizon, and golden eagles can often be spotted wheeling overhead. A picnic lunch is served at a scenic spot along the way.

Bayan-Olgii Province

Arrive in Ölgii town, the cultural and administrative center of Bayan-Ölgii Province and the heartland of Mongolia's Kazakh community. Check into a comfortable riverside ger camp on the banks of the Khovd River, with views of the snow-capped Altai Mountains visible right from your ger door. In the evening, enjoy dinner prepared in the traditional Kazakh style.

Bayan-Olgii Province

This is the day you have traveled for. After breakfast, drive 15-20 kilometers from Ölgii to the Golden Eagle Festival grounds with front-row seating arranged by our local team. The festival opens with the grand parade — up to 80 Kazakh eagle hunters (burkitshi) in full fox-fur coats and embroidered traditional regalia, riding horseback with their majestic golden eagles held high on the right arm. The national flags of Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and are raised together. The competitions begin throughout the day. Judges evaluate the bond between hunter and eagle, the ornament of the horses, and the precision of the famous cliff release, when eagles are set free from a high ridge and must recognize and return to their master's call. Other contests include traditional archery and demonstrations of the eagles' agility as they grip stuffed baits dragged by horses at full gallop. This 1,000-year-old tradition is UNESCO-listed as part of humanity's intangible cultural heritage.

Bayan-Olgii Province

Return to the festival grounds for the most thrilling day of the celebration. The second day features the legendary horseback games that have been played on the Central Asian steppe for centuries. Watch Kokpar, the spectacular horseback tug-of-war played with a goat skin between teams of mounted riders. See Kyz Kuar, the traditional Kazakh women's chase game where horsewomen pursue and try to overtake male riders. Witness Tiyin Teru, the breathtaking coin-grabbing contest performed at full gallop, where riders must lean from the saddle to snatch coins from the ground while their horses race past. The day culminates in the closing ceremonies as the top eagle hunters are honored with medals on a podium beneath the five raised national flags. You will see the masters of this ancient art receive recognition from their community and international guests.

Zaisan Hill Monument

After a morning flight from Ölgii back to Ulaanbaatar (1,600 kilometers in just over two hours), visit Zaisan Memorial Hill in the afternoon for sweeping panoramic views of the capital city and the surrounding hills. The Soviet-era monument commemorates Mongolian and Russian soldiers who fought together during World War II, featuring colorful mosaic artwork and a striking hilltop tower.

The State Department Store

Stop at the State Department Store, Mongolia's largest and most famous shopping complex with seven floors of products. Browse for high-quality cashmere garments, traditional felt art, Kazakh embroidery, leather goods, Mongolian souvenirs, and authentic handicrafts — perfect gifts to take home from your western Mongolia adventure.

Chinggis Khaan International Festival

After a leisurely breakfast at your hotel, your guide and private driver will transfer you to Chinggis Khaan International Airport with plenty of time for check-in and international departure procedures. You leave Mongolia with a thousand-year-old story to share — and the photographs and memories to prove that the world of Kazakh eagle hunters is real, alive, and unforgettable.