Join Me in Mongolia

I’ve dreamed of exploring Mongolia for a long time now and, I’m finally going, and I want to bring you with me. Together, we’ll experience Mongolia not as tourists, but as welcomed guests. We’ve partnered with an incredible local company that’s deeply committed to ethical, regenerative tourism. Your visit supports local families, empowers women in tourism, and sustains age-old herding traditions threatened by climate change.

Together we will travel to the Altai Mountains, where we’ll stay with a local nomadic Kazakh herders family who migrate seasonally with their livestock. We will have the chance to live alongside them, take part in daily life, share meals, and experience the quiet beauty of their world.

As part of our trip, we'll also have the rare opportunity to experience the vibrant Sagsai Eagle Festival, a celebration of Kazakh culture, skill, and tradition set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Altai Mountains. Here, eagle hunters from across the region gather to display their horsemanship, hunting prowess, and traditional games. You’ll witness eagles in action, meet the hunters up close, and we will be able to witness Buzkashi, archery, and traditional costume contests. 

• The families hosting you are Mongol Kazakhs, primarily herders, and some are also
  skilled eagle hunters who traditionally hunt with golden eagles. It's important to note,
  however, that eagle hunting predominantly occurs during the winter, so it won't be
  featured in our visit.

• While these eagle hunters and huntresses often appear in media and are known for
  their rich cultural traditions, including hunting with eagles, they are not remote or
  undiscovered tribes. You will not be the first or last visitor they welcome into their
  lives. 

• Mongolia is often perceived by Westerners as a budget destination, but this is a misconception. The reality is that Mongolia is not a cheap country to travel in. Firstly, it is vast, with a low population density and limited infrastructure, especially in rural areas. Transporting goods, services, and people across such large distances is expensive. Secondly, many goods, including food, fuel, and equipment, are imported, which drives up costs.

• For those with dietary restrictions, we can prepare meals without meat, gluten, or dairy but
  ask you to still sit around the table with your hosts as this is an integral part of their
  culture.

• A lot of companies write that one festival is smaller or more authentic than another one. This is not true. All the eagle festivals are sponsored by local agencies typically in partnership with local eagle hunter organizations. They are all typically community-developed cultural events designed to promote Kazakh culture and help to preserve the tradition of hunting with eagles. For participants, the festivals are both social occasions and competitions, with the festivals offering prize money. 

Non-refundable deposit is required to hold your spot. The trip becomes non-refundable 90 days out.

After you arrive in Ulaanbaatar, your driver will be waiting to transport you to the hotel. 

we’ll meet in the afternoon for a walk across central Sukhbatar Square before heading to the Tumen Ekh Cultural Show followed by an informal welcome drink and dinner. 

We’ll start the day at Gandan Monastery, the spiritual heart of Mongolia, where you’ll receive a blessing for the journey ahead—something quiet and meaningful to set the tone.

From there, we’ll visit the amazing women behind the Made in Mongolia felting project, run by the Buddhist NGO Asral. It’s a wonderful initiative that supports local families, and you’ll get to jump into a relaxed, hands-on felting workshop. It’s fun, creative, and gives you a real sense of the craftsmanship and care behind this traditional art. After a local lunch, we’ll head off to meet one of Mongolia’s calligraphers. Calligraphy here isn’t just writing—it’s a flowing, expressive art form that’s deeply tied to identity and history.

We’ll fly out to western Mongolia and land in the provincial town of Ulgii, where we’ll meet our local team and continue on to the community of Altai. There, we’ll be welcomed by Asker, a Mongol Kazakh herder and eagle hunter, and his warm, generous family at their winter encampment—a settled base just outside of town, complete with shelters, storage huts, and livestock pens.

This family is something special—with one son and five daughters, the oldest girls are currently training to become eagle hunters while balancing their studies. During our stay, we’ll live alongside them, sharing in daily routines and traditions, and learning firsthand about the culture and lifestyle of Kazakh eagle hunters.

We’ll be doing horse treks, day hikes, and joining the family for informal cooking sessions

We’re heading to Sagsai to dive into the Eagle Festival, a lively two-day celebration of Kazakh eagle hunting and culture. The festival starts with a colorful opening ceremony that brings together eagle hunters, herders, and locals for a truly vibrant community gathering.

Over the course of the festival, you’ll see some incredible competitions that highlight the close bond between hunter and eagle, especially the speed, agility, and precision of the ‘berkut,’ the female Golden Eagle. You’ll also catch traditional games like horse races and Buzkhashi, a fierce tug-of-war played with a goat carcass, adding to the festival’s energy and excitement.

This isn’t just a show, t’s a living tradition recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, and it plays a vital role in supporting local communities and keeping these unique customs alive. We’ll be staying with an eagle hunter and his sons during the festival, so you’ll get a real insider’s experience and a chance to connect deeply with the culture and people who live it every day

We’ll travel to the small community of Ulaankhuus in Bayan Ulgii Aimag province, where we’ll meet Mongol Kazakh eagle hunter Bekbolat, his wife Maria, their grown son Esentai, and his young family. Spending the next few days at their welcoming home, diving deep into their traditional way of life.

We’ll finish out time in western Mongolia with two nights in the provincial capital of Ulgii, staying at the home of our Kazakh translator Jako and her family. 

Ulgii is a predominantly Kazakh town, with a strong Muslim influence that you’ll notice in everything from the street signs to the food and clothing. It gives the place a really distinct and welcoming feel.

While here, we’ll have time to wander the busy local market, great for buying hand-crafted wool and embroidered pieces. We will visit the local museum, it’s small but packed with stories and artifacts that help bring the region’s history into focus.

We will visit Halmira, a brilliant local seamstress she masterfully incorporates her own unique motifs alongside more traditional Kazakh embroidery designs to create exquisite wall hangings and other
handcrafted items.

For dinner, we head into town afterwards we have a private concert by the Kögershin family an incredible local musicians whose music, played on the Dombra, beautifully captures the spirit of Kazakh identity and tradition.

Fly back to Ulaanbaatar, we will have a free day here, in the evening, meet for an informal dinner of shared dishes at a great bar overlooking the
panoramic views of Ulaanbaatar. 

Time to say goodbye to Mongolia with an included airport transfer.