Welcome to Mongolia, a land of vast horizons and living traditions, where the celebrated Eagle Festival takes place against the dramatic backdrop of Western Mongolia's Altai Mountains near the shores of Tolbo Lake.
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Welcome to Mongolia, a land of vast horizons and living traditions, where the celebrated Eagle Festival takes place against the dramatic backdrop of Western Mongolia’s Altai Mountains near the shores of Tolbo Lake. Set within an alpine landscape of open steppe and rugged peaks, the festival offers a rare opportunity to witness the ancient partnership between eagle hunters and their magnificent golden eagles, as competitors dressed in traditional attire demonstrate skills refined over centuries. Read more about Mongolia’s festival traditions and what to expect.
Beyond the festival, the journey reveals the authentic nomadic life of Western Mongolia, with visits to local herder families living in traditional gers and maintaining customs passed down through generations. Travelling across Mongolia’s vast open spaces, from the haunting expanses of the Gobi Desert to the remote wilderness of the west, this tour showcases some of the country’s most striking landscapes. The Eagle Festival at Tolbo Lake is a powerful highlight, an unforgettable celebration of culture, heritage and natural beauty.
Mongolia – Eagle Festival
Drawn from the full tour dossier — the standout days, encounters and views our specialists keep coming back to.
The highlights
Mongolia's capital opens the tour with two days across its cultural and historical institutions. Gandan Monastery begins the morning with chanting ceremonies, followed by the National Museum of Mongolia and the Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum, whilst Sukhbaatar Square anchors the city's civic identity. A traditional Mongolian cultural performance — featuring throat singing, the horse head fiddle, and traditional dances — rounds off the capital's introduction before a drive east to the Chinggis Khaan Equestrian Statue and museum at HS Khaan Resort in Töv Province, with optional horseback riding across the surrounding landscape.
A drive west reaches Kharkhorin — the 13th-century imperial capital of the Mongol Empire — and the UNESCO-listed Erdene Zuu Monastery, Mongolia's oldest, built from the stones of the ruined city. The surrounding Orkhon Valley UNESCO cultural landscape provides two days of gentle walks, picnic stops, the dramatic Ulaan Tsutgalan Waterfall, and volcanic formations spread across wide open steppe. The ruined monastery complex at Ongiin Khiid — destroyed in the 1930s — closes this central Mongolia chapter with a contemplative sunset walk overlooking the river valley.
Three Camels Lodge in the Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park serves as base for three days of desert exploration. The Moltsog Els dune system delivers camel riding and a picnic among the sandscapes on the first full day, whilst Bayanzag — the Flaming Cliffs, one of the world's most significant dinosaur fossil discovery sites — and the narrow, high-cliffed passages of Yolyn Am gorge fill the second. Together these days cross some of the Gobi's most visually extraordinary terrain before the flight back to Ulaanbaatar.
The Eagle Festival in the Altai Mountains of western Mongolia is the defining event of the tour: two days of competition and ceremony in which Kazakh eagle hunters demonstrate their bond with trained golden eagles against the dramatic mountain backdrop. The eagles respond to their masters' calls, traditional equestrian games are contested, and cultural performances celebrate Kazakh nomadic heritage. An afternoon visit to a private Eagle Master's household — with close photography and cultural exchange — extends the encounter well beyond the festival grounds, with the Kazakh community settlement at Ulgii providing the wider context for this centuries-old tradition.
Trip highlights for Mongolia – Eagle Festival
Full itinerary · 15 days
Reserve your place with a £800 per-person deposit; the balance is due 70 days before departure. Prefer your own space? A single room is available on every departure.
| Departs | Returns | Status | Price pp | Single supp. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Sept 2026 | 16 Sept 2026 | Guaranteed | £4,695 | +£400 | Contact for availability |
| 1 Sept 2027 | 15 Sept 2027 | Guaranteed | £4,695 | +£400 | Book now |
Every one of our Mongolia journeys can be rebuilt around your dates, pace and interests — or we’ll design something entirely new.
Shared across all tours that visit this destination. Read alongside your individual tour dossier for trip-specific details.
Before travelling, consult the latest UK FCDO advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/mongolia. Mongolia is a safe destination for travellers; basic precautions against petty crime in Ulaanbaatar apply. US travellers should check travel.state.gov for current guidance.
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Make Mongolia – Eagle Festival your own — adjust the route, dates, pace or who travels, or start from a blank page with a specialist. We'll bring the details of this trip straight into your enquiry.
Join a small-group departure, or let our Mongolia specialists craft a private journey shaped around your dates and interests.
Common questions
Maximum 12 travellers — that's the cap on every Undiscovered Destinations small-group tour. Small enough to eat in a local family home; large enough to share the wonder with other like-minded travellers.
Yes — there's no compulsory single supplement on our small-group tours. You get your own room at no extra cost. About 60% of UD travellers come solo, so you'll be in good company.
Fitness requirements vary by itinerary, from gentle to demanding. The day-by-day tour dossier sets out walking distances, terrain and any altitude so you know what to expect. If you have specific concerns, speak to our team before booking — they can talk you through a typical day.
The next available departures are 2 September 2026; 1 September 2027. See the "Choose your departure" table further up the page for the full schedule and per-departure pricing.
Included items vary by tour — see the full list above. On this trip, expect: Arrival and departure transfers; Overland transport throughout with professional driver; All accommodation; and more. International flights and travel insurance are not included.
This tour visits Mongolia. Each destination has its own page with practical information, climate, and the attractions our specialists recommend — linked from the itinerary above.
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