Mongolia

In the rugged highlands of western Mongolia the ancient tradition of hunting with golden eagles has experienced a renaissance. Deep within the Altai Mountains, Kazakh hunters from across the Bayan-Ulgii province gather annually to celebrate this traditional falconry skill, competing in a series of age-old games and hunting competitions. Until recently, this custom was on the verge of disappearing. But in 2000 the Golden Eagle Festival was established to revive the tradition and promote it among the Kazakh’s younger generations.

Traveling as far as 140 miles on horseback, arriving competitors are welcomed at the ger-tented encampment with a special presentation of Kazakh dance, music and other folkloric performances. This celebration provides our group a wide variety of interesting photographic opportunities. The official opening ceremony begins with the dramatic parade of these rugged hunters on horseback with their eagles. The excitement continues as the hunters competitively exhibit their traditional Kazakh dress and the hand-crafted falconry equipment and ornamentation of their adorned eagles.

The second day of the competition is packed with action—the eagles are judged for their speed and agility. These impressive birds fly from their release point at high cliff’s edge to chase a “fox” dragged by their human hunting partners on the plains below. The men demonstrate their courage in an ancient test of horsemanship as they participate in a variety of rough and tumble traditional games.

After photographing the festival, we return to the capital, Ulaanbaatar—but only to prepare for the next day’s flight over the vast steppes and into the Gobi, Mongolia’s southern province of semi-arid desert. Of all the world’s arid lands, the Gobi has the greatest air of mystery, perhaps because it lies at the mysterious heart of Asia’s hinterland—between the Siberian wilderness to the north and the Tibetan Plateau to the south.

For the next three days, we explore the stunning untamed landscapes of the Gobi. Khongoryn Els, the largest sand dune field in the Gobi, rises dramatically from the vast surrounding plain. These “Singing Sands” can tower to 1,000 feet in height and cover an area of 375 square miles. From the golden hues of early morning to the deepening blush at sundown, shifting light and shadow on the dunes intensify their shapes and patterns. In this seemingly empty expanse, traveling nomadic families, camels traversing the sands or drinking at a water hole, and the surprising green of the saksaul “trees” fringing the edge of the dunes, add exciting photographic potential. Before leaving the Gobi, we capture images of the Flaming Cliffs where the orange-red sandstone glows at sunset.

After our return to Ulaanbaatar, one final journey takes us to Gorkhi Terelj National Park at the southern end of the Khentii Mountains. Here mountain forest landscapes are highlighted by gold-hued larch trees in autumn and granite block rock formations. A special stop at the recently-completed statue of Genghis Khan on horseback—rising 131 feet above the grassy steppe plains and covered with 250 tons of gleaming stainless steel—presents an imposing photo opportunity in the luminous early light. An open platform at the horse’s head provides panoramic views far into the distance.

A visit to the Golden Eagle Festival is an amazing experience for adventurous travelers—but it is not for everyone! Please consider that this tour includes some Spartan accommodations, unusual and often lackluster food at some locations—and will routinely find us in unfamiliar situations. If occasional uncomfortable and exotic surroundings are not acceptable to you, we recommend you consider a different tour.

Join us for this exotic and productive photographic journey to the rugged realm of Mongolia’s Kazakh falconers and the incredible Gobi Desert.