Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival in Mongolia

Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival is held annually in western Mongolia and is a 2-day festival that annually runs 17 to 18th of September, co-organized by eagle hunters, local officials, and Mongolian tour operator company Ayan Travel. The festival covers with Kazakh cultural activities, eagle hunting competitions, meeting ups with famous eagle hunters, and special photographic workshops in majestic Altai Mountain ranges at the pleasant time of the year. This year the festival will be held between 2024-09-17 and 2024-09-18 in Sagsai Village, Bayan-Ulgii Province, West Mongolia. Here are the top ten reasons why you should visit the Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival.

1. Golden Eagle Festival Is Getting the World’s Most Trendy Event

According to world-class publications, there are some new words started to be seen The Golden Eagle Festival, Eagle Hunting in Mongolia, Kazakh Eagle Hunters, Ancient Tradition Is Still Alive in Mongolia …etc. That is true, appreciate journalists from around the world to promote this incredible human culture which nestles in the remote Altai mountains in Mongolia.

Since the soul-touching Film made about wonderful teenage eagle huntress Aisholpan, the hidden tradition of eagle hunting has been captured the world’s attention. She has been practiced eagle hunting with her father. In 2014, she participated the eagle hunting competition against the adult, experienced eagle hunters during the annual Golden Eagle Festival in Mongolia. So the film, the destination, the young generation, and the tradition of eagle hunting is all about the epic story of human culture and nature which truly steal your heart and can be the reason you should visit the Golden Eagle Festival in Mongolia.

2. Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival Offers Chance To Know About Kazakh Culture

Once you decided to travel to west Mongolia, especially visit eagle hunters, one of the most important things to do is experiencing the nomadic lifestyle of the local people and Kazakh culture. 

On the first day of the Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival you will totally immerse yourself into the authentic Kazakh culture by visiting hunters’ families, the most hospitable people on earth, following nomadic migration, learning their customs, experiencing in ger/yurt assembling, tasting local cuisine.

All visitors are invited to have warm talks with popular hunters, listening to epic stories, and speeches in the afternoon. As it is a cultural event, folk music performance is included in the program, the perfect chance to see them in their national embroidered costumes.

3. Explore The World Of Eagle Hunting During The Festival

Hunting with eagles has been practiced by Kazakh and Kyrgyz people for thousands of years in central Asia. Today in Mongolia, this is still living among the Kazakhs in its ancient form.

The giant golden eagle soaring over the prey, and the hunter or Berkutchi /eagle hunter I Kazakh language/ calling his eagle while galloping on horseback to the prey, the hunter eagle swooping down and landed on the prey hand with her full speed.

This is the most amazing moment to show us how the eagle and the man have built a special, spiritual relationship during their training period. It is said that there are five methods of hunting with eagles used among Kazakh falconry. You will learn all about the eagle hunting, its traditions and see thrilling competitions on the second day of the festival.

4. Photography Workshops At Sagsai Eagle Festival

We are helping our clients to “Be the eye to the world”, the words make us motivated as a photo tour organizing team. The 2-day festival is dedicated to all levels of photographers and filmmakers. The Golden Eagle Festival is so photogenic and very rich in unique objects to capture.

The hunter eagles, elegantly geared horses, traditionally embroidery dressed locals, festival parade, thrilling games on horseback, cultural ceremonies, performances, eagle hunting actions, ethnic portraits, and natural beauties are all in front of you. 

Special photo sessions are included in the program and if you need more professional service please just tell us and let us make your lens be the eye to the world. Photography workshops are held by talented, professional photographer Batzaya Choijiljav, who has been arranging and taking photographic adventures throughout Mongolia for more than a decade.

5. Why Sagsai Is An Ideal Place For The Eagle Festival

Sagsai soum, or village is a perfect habitat of giant eagles, wildlife, and nomadic people. The most eagle hunters of west Mongolia, are living in this small village, so we can call this place as a Hot Spot of Eagle Hunting Tradition in Mongolia. The Eagle Festival takes place in 35km from the Ulgii town, in a convenient area of Sagsai (river) valley surrounded with magnificent mountain backdrops. Special thanks to the local officials of Sagsai village for the cooperation with organizing the Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival and it helps us to make our festival more local and tourism-friendly and well-organized.

6. September Is Pleasant Time For Travelling To Eagle Hunters In Mongolia

When nature turns into its most beautiful color, September is considered to be a suitable period to travel in Mongolia. The temperature is milder than October and a bit cooler than warm August. Pleasant days are good for festive attenders, and the clear nights are perfect to shoot night sky photography. It is also an important period for the eagle training to prepare them for winter hunting. So September is the best time to travel to the eagle hunting festival in Mongolia.

7. Not Too Touristy Festival of Mongolia Gives Us Great Freedom

If you are a crowd escaper, creative artist, or passionate photographer and need to produce eye-catching works during your travels, or need to have uncommon images of the eagle festival then Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival is the right attraction for you. All the participants are so pleasant to allow us to meet, to have an interview, and to photograph them, the competitions take place right in front of you, so just focus on your passionate subjects.

8. Other Activities Around The Sagsai Festival

As it is festive, the trade fair, souvenir stands, coffee corner, night events other services, or activities are available during the festival. Tourists are invited to attend our special arranged activities, which would be a surprise for now. 

9. Contribution To Local People’s Livelihood of Altai Region

The contribution of tourism towards improving the livelihoods of local people in the remote Altai region of Mongolia. As an organizer of the festival, we have made some economic and social contribution to the local people, especially for young kids. For our clients, this is not the only contribution to the local hunters’ livelihood but also to educate, to inspire international audiences to promote this exotic heritage through their lenses. Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival offers some special sessions for your project if you would like to create outstanding impacts on the society.

10. Ayan Travel Experienced Travel Company In Mongolia

For the last decade, we have been successfully arranging adventure, event-based, and photography tours throughout Mongolia, under the lead of Batzaya Choijiljav, the active traveler, talented photographer, and verified photo contributor to the world-class agencies. Based on our previous travel experiences, we organize Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival with the help of local eagle hunters, official places of Mongolian tourism organizations, and our valuable partners and clients. 

For the basic tour operating services, such as meals, accommodation, transportation, travel, photography gear organizing, and keeping all visitors' safety, are arranged by our travel specialists and local partners. Our well-experienced tour guides, photography crew are here to make your trip wonderful. The Team at Ayan Travel try our best to make your trip successfully completed.

A Picture Says A Thousand Words, But A Video Shows A Thousand Pictures.

The atmosphere of Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival 

Here we suggest Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival Tour 2024.