This journey will take you to a place that only a few people have visited. Mongolia's western regions are a linguistic mash-up of Muslim and Mongolian customs. We will be flying to Olgii, the capital of Bayan Olgii province, today. Unlike the rest of Mongolia, which is ruled by Khalkh Mongolians, Bayan-Olgii has a Kazakh majority, almost all of whom are Muslims. Olgii also has its own small mosque.

The Golden eagle festival has been the largest gathering of eagle hunters and their eagles in the world. Eagle hunters celebrate their heritage and compete to catch small animals such as foxes and hares with specially trained golden eagles, showing off the skills of both the birds and their trainers. (Nowadays hunting live animals is not practiced during festivals anymore, instead eagles chase fox skin dragged by its owner on horseback.). Prizes are awarded for speed, agility and accuracy. Festivities which incorporate an opening ceremony, impressive parade, cultural exhibitions, demonstrations and handcraft followed by sporting activities and competitions take place 3 km out towards the mountains. Dressed in full eagle hunting outfits and mounted on groomed decorated horses, the hunters compete for the different awards of best-looking eagle and owner, best eagle locating its owner from distance etc…Other sporting activities include camel racing, archery, “Kiz Kuar” century old woman chasing game, “Tinge Lu” the competition where horse riders snatch coins from ground and the highly entertaining traditional game “Kokbar”- goatskin tug war on horseback. In the evening a traditional Kazakh folklore concert is held in Olgii theatre.

Today we will visit Kazakh families in their traditional Ger bigger than Mongolian Gers and brightly decorated with hand-made rugs. We will enjoy a cup of tea, share with our hosts delicious Kazakh dishes such as Kuz “salted and smoked horse meat” Bisbarmak while chatting and deepening our knowledge of rich Kazakh culture and custom. Afternoon we will go trekking in a nearby mountain valley and riding on horseback together with hunters through the scenic landscape.

The time has come to leave and fly back to Ulaanbaatar. You can use your free afternoon to see as you fit.

You may depart anytime. Time to say final goodbye to the land of blue sky. Or extend your stay to nearby national parks such as Gorkhi Terelj National Park and Khustai National park.