Mongolia hosts two distinct Kazakh eagle festivals each autumn in Bayan-Ölgii Province, the country’s western Kazakh-majority region. The Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival runs in mid-September with around 40 hunters in the Sagsai district — smaller and more intimate. The Ulgii Golden Eagle Festival runs in early October in Ölgii city with around 70 hunters — larger and more photographer-friendly. Both feature horse racing, archery, eagle competitions, and traditional Kazakh dress. Choose Sagsai for authenticity and small crowds, Ulgii for the spectacle and scale. Both share the same Kazakh culture — the difference is size and atmosphere.
Key Takeaways
- Sagsai Festival runs in September with around 40 participating hunters in Sagsai district
- Ulgii Golden Eagle Festival runs in October in Ölgii city with around 70 hunters
- Both festivals are held in Bayan-Ölgii Province where 93% of the population is Kazakh
- An estimated 80% of the world’s eagle hunters live in this province
- Both feature eagle hunting competitions, kokpar (horseback tug of war), archery, and traditional Kazakh attire judging
- Sagsai tours start from $1,300 per person; Ulgii Golden Eagle tours from $2,300
- The two festivals can be combined in a single trip with careful date planning
The Two Festivals at a Glance
Mongolia has not one but two Kazakh eagle festivals each autumn, both held in Bayan-Ölgii Province. Most travel articles conflate them — they are different events with different scales, dates, and atmospheres.
| Sagsai Eagle Festival | Ulgii Golden Eagle Festival | |
|---|---|---|
| When | mid-September (Sept 17-18, 2026) | early October (Sept 30 – Oct 1, 2026) |
| Where | Sagsai soum (Uujim center), ~70 km from Ölgii | Ölgii city + steppe ~4 km outside |
| Hunters | ~40 participants | ~70 participants |
| Atmosphere | small, traditional, intimate | larger, more international, photography-focused |
| Crowd | mostly Kazakh locals + small group of foreign visitors | mix of foreign tourists and locals; busier |
| Tour cost | from $1,300 / person (4-8 day options) | from $2,300 / person (8-day photography focus) |
| Best for | first-timers wanting authenticity | photographers, large-group documentary work |
Both festivals showcase the same Kazakh berkutchi tradition — the practice of hunting with trained female golden eagles. The competitions, dress, and core events are similar. The difference is mostly scale and location.
Sagsai Eagle Festival — The Smaller, Traditional Event
The Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival takes place in mid-September in Sagsai soum, with the central event in Uujim village roughly 70 km outside Ölgii city. Wikipedia’s overview describes it as a “smaller related event” running annually in September with approximately 40 participants.
Why Sagsai matters: – It is closer in feel to a community gathering than a tourist event – Kazakh families travel from across the province to compete – Photography opportunities are easier — fewer cameras, more direct contact with hunters – The remote location (1.5 hours by 4×4 from Ölgii) means casual day-trippers don’t attend – Hunters often have time to talk between events — not the case at Ulgii’s busier schedule
The competition events at Sagsai are essentially the same as at Ulgii: best eagle responding to its handler, best eagle catching prey on a fox-skin lure, best traditional Kazakh dress, and the famous kokpar — horseback tug-of-war over a goatskin. What differs is the scale: a single day’s events at Sagsai feels like a village fair; the same events at Ulgii feel like a national championship.
Ulgii Golden Eagle Festival — The Big October Showcase
The main Golden Eagle Festival is held in Ölgii every October, with around 70 hunters competing each year. Events take place both in central Ölgii and on the nearby steppe, approximately 4 kilometres outside the town.
This is the festival that international audiences know — featured in the documentary The Eagle Huntress, covered by National Geographic, BBC, and the international photography press. Visitor demographics skew toward: – Wildlife and travel photographers carrying serious gear – Documentary filmmakers – Tour groups from Europe, North America, Australia, Japan, and Korea – Local Mongolian families on holiday from Ulaanbaatar
Beyond the eagle competitions, the program at Ulgii includes: – Horse racing across the open steppe – Archery from horseback – Bushkashi or kokpar — Central Asian horseback tug-of-war using a goatskin – Traditional Kazakh dress and tack judging – Live music and folk performance throughout the festival ground
The festival is bigger, more polished, and has a clear opening ceremony, scheduled events, and a closing parade. The trade-off: more cameras between you and the action, and busier accommodation in Ölgii during festival week.
Which Festival Should You Choose?
The honest decision tree:
Choose Sagsai if you: – Want to feel close to the hunters and their families, not behind a press line – Prefer fewer foreign tourists and a more intimate atmosphere – Are travelling on a more modest budget (tours from $1,300) – Have a tighter trip window and can leave by late September – Are visiting Mongolia for the first time and want maximum cultural depth
Choose Ulgii if you: – Are a photographer who wants the larger numbers, more action, and recognised venue – Want to see the full scale of the tradition with 70+ hunters – Have a longer trip window and can stay into early October – Plan to combine the festival with autumn trekking in Altai Tavan Bogd – Want the festival that has been documented internationally for context
Choose both if you have 3 weeks. See the next section.
How to Book — and Why Early Matters
Both festivals operate on tight windows: 2 days each, once a year, with a fixed number of hunter participants. Hotels in Ölgii are limited (under 200 rooms total), and the better-positioned guesthouses sell out 6–9 months in advance for the Ulgii festival weekend.
Practical booking advice: – Book Ulgii by March-April for an October departure that year – Book Sagsai by April-May for September — slightly easier but still competitive – Confirm flight dates from Ulaanbaatar to Ölgii early — domestic flights run twice daily but fill up – If your dates are flexible, ask your tour operator about private departures around either festival
Tour operators for both festivals work directly with the hunter families, secure festival passes, and arrange photography hides during competitions. Independent travel to either festival is technically possible but logistically very hard for first-time visitors — most reviewers recommend a guided tour.
For Sagsai, the 4-8 day Sagsai Eagle Festival tour covers festival access plus optional eagle hunter homestay and Altai Tavan Bogd day trip. For Ulgii, the 8-day Golden Eagle Festival photography tour is built around the October festival with extra days for photography.
Combining Both Festivals in One Trip
The Sagsai Festival (mid-September) and the Ulgii Golden Eagle Festival (early October) are roughly two weeks apart. With careful planning, both can be attended in a single trip. This is rare — most international visitors choose one — but for serious photographers or cultural travellers it is the ultimate Bayan-Ölgii experience.
A typical combined trip looks like: – Days 1-2: Fly Ulaanbaatar → Ölgii. Drive to Sagsai for festival arrival – Days 3-4: Sagsai Festival (Sept 17-18 in 2026) – Days 5-12: Eagle hunter homestay in Bayan-Ölgii + Altai Tavan Bogd National Park trekking. Use this fortnight to explore the province and meet families away from festival crowds – Days 13-14: Return to Ölgii, prepare for Ulgii Festival – Days 15-16: Ulgii Golden Eagle Festival (Sept 30 – Oct 1 in 2026) – Day 17: Fly back to Ulaanbaatar, onward home
Total trip length: 17-18 days. Total cost: $3,500-$5,000+ per person depending on group size and accommodation grade. Most operators including Discover Altai will custom-build this combined itinerary on request.
If you can only attend one, the Eagle Hunter Homestay tour is a year-round option that puts you with a Kazakh berkutchi family without festival timing constraints — useful if you can travel outside September-October.
Suggested Tours:
- 4-8 day Sagsai Eagle Festival tour
- 8-day Golden Eagle Festival photography tour
- Eagle Hunter Homestay tour
Suggested Blogs:
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The Mongolia Eagle Festival in Bayan-Ölgii runs in late September and early October at elevation 1,710 metres, where October average…Burkitchi Apprenticeship: How a Kazakh Boy or Girl Becomes an Eagle Hunter
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When is the Mongolia Golden Eagle Festival in 2026?
The main Ulgii Golden Eagle Festival in Bayan-Ölgii Province runs September 30 – October 1, 2026, with surrounding tour days typically September 28 to October 5 for the full 8-day program. The smaller Sagsai Eagle Festival runs September 17-18, 2026 in Sagsai soum (about 70 km from Ölgii). Dates are confirmed annually by the Mongolia Tourism Authority and shift slightly year to year.
What’s the difference between Sagsai and Ulgii eagle festivals?
Sagsai is the smaller, more intimate September event with around 40 hunters held in Sagsai district. Ulgii is the larger, more photographer-focused October event in Ölgii city with around 70 hunters. Both feature the same Kazakh berkutchi tradition, eagle competitions, horse racing, archery, and bushkashi. The difference is scale: Sagsai feels like a village gathering, Ulgii feels like a national championship.
Can I attend both festivals on the same trip?
Yes — they are roughly two weeks apart (Sagsai mid-September, Ulgii early October), so a 17-18 day combined trip can cover both. Most travellers choose one festival to keep trip length and cost manageable, but for serious photographers, attending both is the ultimate Bayan-Ölgii experience.
How much does each festival tour cost?
The 4-8 day Sagsai Eagle Festival tour starts from $1,300 per person. The 8-day Ulgii Golden Eagle Festival photography tour starts from $2,300 per person. Both prices include domestic flights from Ulaanbaatar, ground transport, English-speaking guide, all meals, accommodation, and festival entry. Combined trip ~$3,500-$5,000 depending on group size.
Do I need a tour or can I attend independently?
Technically you can attend either festival independently — both are open to the public with no special permit. In practice it is logistically difficult for first-time visitors: domestic flight booking from Ulaanbaatar, accommodation in Ölgii during festival week, festival passes, and language barrier with hunters all favour a guided tour. Most independent travellers we hear from recommend a tour for the first visit, then independent exploration for return trips.
What gear should photographers bring?
For both festivals: a 70-200mm or 100-400mm telephoto for eagle action, a wider 24-70mm for crowd and ceremony shots, a weather-sealed body (Bayan-Ölgii October mornings can drop near freezing), polarising filter for snow glare, and at least three camera batteries. The festival ground at Ulgii has more open space for long lenses; Sagsai’s smaller venue means tighter compositions and more candid people-with-eagles shots.