Overview
This small-group tour combines the excitement of the Naadam Festival with an immersive journey into the world of Mongolia’s legendary eagle hunters. It’s the perfect trip for travelers who want authentic culture, breathtaking landscapes, and meaningful encounters with nomadic families.
Your adventure begins in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital city, where you’ll explore historic sites and experience the blend of modern life and tradition. Next, you’ll fly west to Ulgii, the cultural heart of the Kazakh people. Here, you’ll stay in family homestays and camps alongside eagle hunters, learning firsthand about their way of life.
The journey continues through Tavan Bogd National Park, where you’ll trek across wild landscapes and experience highlights such as the Potanin Glacier, a non-technical climb of Mt. Malchin, the ancient Shiveet Khairkhan petroglyphs, and the stunning Lake Khoton. Along the way, you’ll witness the timeless tradition of eagle training, passed down through generations of Kazakh nomads.
This tour also includes a rare chance to celebrate Naadam Festival with local nomadic families, enjoying the traditional sports of wrestling, horse racing, and archery—one of the most colorful and authentic cultural events in the world.
Every day of this journey offers a new perspective on Mongolia’s wild beauty and living traditions, from snow-capped mountains and vast steppes to the warm hospitality of nomadic families.
Book your place now—only 6 spots available for 2026!
Itinerary
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar and explore Sukhbaatar Square, National Museum, Gandan Monastery, and panoramic Zaisan Hill.
- Meal(s): Lunch + Dinner
- Accommodation: Centrally located 4-star hotel – Holiday Inn Ulaanbaatar or similar.
Fly to Ulgii and immerse yourself in Kazakh nomadic culture with eagle hunters through homestays and wild camping.
- Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
- Accommodation: Stay in a local nomadic eagle trainer family, one of our long term cooperative families. Asian style outside long-drop toilet. No shower.
Drive approximately 150 km on dirt roads to Shiveet Khairkhan Mountain, the gateway to Altai Tavan Bogd National Park. Overnight stay with a nomadic family.
- Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
- Accommodation: We will stay in a local nomadic family’s ger.
Pack horses at the nomadic camp and ride for 4–5 hours to the park’s base camp. Overnight camping at the base camp.
- Meal(s): Trekking days’ meals will be made by our tour guide(s), who are well trained for outdoor cooking. But you should not expect chief style meals.
- Accommodation: On our horse trekking days, we will sleep in tents.
Explore Altai Tavan Bogd National Park: trek to Potanin Glacier and, for those who wish, summit Malchin Peak(4,050 meters). Return to the base camp in the evening for overnight camping.
- Meal(s): Trekking days’ meals will be made by our tour guide(s), who are well trained for outdoor cooking. But you should not expect chief style meals.
- Accommodation: Camping tent(s).
Ride back on horseback from the base camp to your vehicle near the park’s gate, then transfer onward. Overnight stay en route or nearby (depending on logistics).
- Meal(s): Trekking days’ meals will be made by our tour guide(s).
- Accommodation: Camping tent(s).
Drive through the Khoton and Khurgan Lake basins, taking in the stunning alpine scenery. Overnight wild camping in a tent surrounded by snow-capped mountains.
- Meal(s): Trekking days’ meals will be made by our tour guide(s).
- Accommodation: Depends on weather: camping tent(s) or nomadic family’s ger
It’s time to say goodbye to our nomadic Kazakh friends. Today we will drive back to Ulgii town. After approximately 5 hours of backseat driving, we will reach Ulgii town. Once we arrive there, you have time to relax in the hotel until dinner and refill your energy. Overnight in a hotel.
- Travel time: Approx 80-90 km on a dirt road to the provincial town. Upon arrival in Ulgiy, transfer to your hotel.
- Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
- Accommodation: You will stay in a provincial 3-star hotel – Makhsum hotel or similar. The accommodation is twin-based. Also, if you prefer a different type of accommodation, we have more options from a 3-star hotel to a home-stay.
Participate in the local Naadam Festival with horse racing, archery, and wrestling, and enjoy traditional cultural performances.
- Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
- Accommodation: You will stay in a provincial 3-star hotel – Makhsum hotel or similar.
Today we will catch a flight back to Ulaanbaatar. In the evening, our farewell dinner will take place in a restaurant.
- Meal(s): Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
- Accommodation: You will stay in a centrally located 4-star hotel – Holiday Inn Ulaanbaatar or similar.
Group price:
- $2590 US per person.
- Accommodations: 2 nights in 4-star hotels, 2 night in a provincial hotel, 3-4 nights in nomadic families’ ger, 3-4 nights in camping tent.
- Meals per itinerary: breakfast-10-11, lunch-12, dinner-12 + drinking water (2L per day)
- Museums and cultural performance
- Entrance fees to protected areas and national parks
- Professional tourist guide
- Vehicle: off-road monster 4×4 furgon with well experienced driver + fuel
- Domestic round flight tickets: UB-Ulgii-UB
- Camping equipment: tent, matt.
- International airfare(s) to/from Ulaanbaatar
- Personal equipment
- Optional activity cost
- Excess baggage charges
- Alcoholic drinks
- Travel insurance
Pictures from this tour
A Kazakh Eagle Trainer in West of Mongolia
Our guests in our host eagle trainer family's ger
Our American guest with a hunter eagle near Altai Mountains
Our guests trekking back to eagle trainer's family from Altai Mountain's base camp
A guest's shot of Altai mountains during horse trekking to Lake Khurgan
Lake Khurgan in Altai Tavan Bogd National Park
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