October in Mongolia

October is not too late to travel to Mongolia as it is still warm during the days but a bit chilly during the nights. The greatest offer of this month is the Golden Eagle Festival, held in Western Mongolia. Undoubtedly, it is the biggest eagle festival in the world, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Event. Each year, just as the winter hunting season is getting underway, almost 100 Kazakh hunters from near and far gather to compete against each other on the speed, agility, and accuracy of their hunting eagles at the festival.

The festival starts with the arrival of Kazakh hunters on horseback in the company of their fierce eagles. The competitions test not only the bird’s courage and the hunter’s skill, but also the bond between hunter and bird. Specially trained eagles catch small stuffed animals such as foxes and hares as well as returning to their owner from a long distance at command. During the festival, visitors can also see other cultural events and small competitions such as a traditional coin grabbing game on horseback, camel race, Buzkashi or goatskin tug of war on horseback and Kyz Kuar or girl chase where a man and woman race on horseback while the woman whips the man.