INTRODUCTION

The Golden Eagle Festival is one of the most fascinating tourism events in Mongolia. It has been organized since the year 2000 with the main purpose of reviving and preserving the ancient tradition of eagle hunting among the Kazakh ethnic minority, passing it down to future generations, promoting it to both domestic and international tourists, and developing it as a tourism product.

The tradition of hunting with eagles is believed to have originated among the nomads of Central Asia around 6,000 years ago and has been preserved to this day. Mongolia is considered the country that has best maintained this tradition. To showcase this rich historical heritage to the world and attract more tourists, the Golden Eagle Festival is held twice a year—once in spring, on March 4-5 in Ulaanbaatar, and once in autumn, during the first seven weeks of October in Bayan-Ölgii province.

The Golden Eagle Festival is held in the form of a competition. The event begins with eagle hunters dressed in traditional attire, proudly carrying their trained eagles on their arms while riding specially trained horses as they join the opening parade. During this parade, the participants with the most beautiful traditional clothing, the best-decorated horse, and the finest eagle equipment are selected and awarded.

Following the parade, various competitions take place to assess the hunting skills of the eagles. Judges evaluate the bond between the eagle and its owner, how well the eagle listens to its handler, the power and grace of its flight, and its hunting ability. In previous years, live animals were sometimes used to test the eagle’s hunting skills; however, due to requests from tourists, this practice has been banned in recent years.

During the festival, visitors can also enjoy kokpar, a traditional Kazakh horseback game where riders compete for a goat carcass, as well as coin-grabbing games from the ground while riding at full speed. In addition, guests have the opportunity to meet warm and hospitable Kazakh people dressed in their stunning national costumes, gaining a deeper understanding of Kazakh traditions, customs, and way of life.

In recognition of its cultural significance, the ancient tradition of eagle hunting was officially inscribed in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.

Programs:

• Opening ceremony
• Contest of the most beautiful horse and rider
• Contest of the best trainer of eagles
• Competition of eagle hunting
• Traditional games
• Competition of catching items from the ground from top of a running horse
• Qualifying the King Eagle
• Closing ceremony