Routes
Golden Eagle Festival, Bayan-Olgii
A trip to the far west, to Bayan-Olgii province, where Kazakh hunters compete with trained golden eagles in autumn. There are two distinct events: the Sagsai festival in September and the larger Olgii festival at the start of October, and operators sell separate departures for each. Every version flies from Ulaanbaatar to Olgii rather than driving, because the province is about 1,700 km from the capital. Around the festival days, itineraries add a stay with an eagle-hunting family and usually a day in Terelj on the Ulaanbaatar side.
- Typical length
- 6–9 days (Read more: 7)
- Difficulty
- easy
- Driving per day
- 1-3 hours in the Olgii area; the Ulaanbaatar-Olgii leg is flown
- Total distance
- A few hundred km of local driving around Olgii plus roughly 1,700 km each way by air
- Best months
- Sep–Oct
- Jan: not a best month
- Feb: not a best month
- Mar: not a best month
- Apr: not a best month
- May: not a best month
- Jun: not a best month
- Jul: not a best month
- Aug: not a best month
- Sep: a best month
- Oct: a best month
- Nov: not a best month
- Dec: not a best month
Stops: Ulaanbaatar → Gorkhi-Terelj National Park → Bayan-Olgii Kazakh eagle hunters and the eagle festivals → Altai Tavan Bogd National Park
Day by day
- Day 1
Arrive Ulaanbaatar
Airport transfer, city sightseeing. 4-star hotel.
- Day 2
Terelj day trip
A day in Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, used as a buffer before the western flight. Hotel or ger camp.
- Day 3
Fly to Olgii
Domestic flight west, then a visit to a Kazakh eagle-trainer family to see the birds handled up close. Ger camp.
- Day 4
Festival day one
Eagle-calling and hunting competitions from horseback, plus traditional Kazakh games. Ger camp.
- Day 5
Festival day two
Further competition rounds and closing ceremony. Ger camp.
- Day 6
Fly back to Ulaanbaatar
Return flight; some itineraries add Terelj on this side instead. Hotel and farewell dinner.
- Day 7
Departure
Airport transfer.
Price bands
budget join-in
379 USD
Prices as published for 2026
Group size assumed: 4-8 per departure
Includes: Selena Travel's 7-day Golden Eagle Festival tour (1-7 October 2026) is US$2,650 pp: full-time English-speaking guide, entrance fees, meals, festival tickets, airport transfers, 4 ger nights and 2 nights at a 4-star Ulaanbaatar hotel, and the round-trip Ulaanbaatar-Olgii flight. Single supplement US$400.
standard private
386 USD
Prices as published for 2026
Group size assumed: small group, twin or double share
Includes: The Sagsai Eagle Festival departure (14-20 September 2026) is US$2,700 pp on the same pattern, with the Olgii-Ulaanbaatar return flight and taxes and a 15+5 kg baggage allowance included. Single supplement US$350.
premium
400-500 USD
Prices as published for 2026
Group size assumed: private departure with solo or upgraded rooming
Includes: Adding the single supplement to either festival departure puts the effective rate in this band; premium here buys privacy and hotel quality rather than better festival access.
Accommodation
Four ger camp nights in the west and two nights in a 4-star Ulaanbaatar hotel on the standard shape. Olgii-area gers are heated with stoves and bathrooms are shared; this is not a place with en-suite options.
Vehicle
Private 4WD minivan in Olgii and an air-conditioned vehicle in Ulaanbaatar. The round-trip domestic flight is included in the price and comes with a 15 kg checked plus 5 kg cabin limit — the binding constraint if you are carrying camera gear and cold-weather clothing.
Not for
Ask before you book
- Which festival is it — Sagsai in September or Olgii in early October — and on exactly which dates?
- Is the Ulaanbaatar-Olgii flight included, with what baggage allowance, and who pays if it is cancelled?
- How many festival days are in the itinerary, one or two?
- Is there a separate visit to an eagle-hunting family away from the crowd?
- How are the gers heated, and what overnight temperatures should you pack for?
- Are festival entrance tickets included?
Sources (3)
- Golden Eagle Festival Tour 2026, 7 days - Selena Travel — 1-7 October 2026 dates, Olgii location, US$2,650 price and single supplement, 4-8 group size, itinerary shape, accommodation, included domestic flight, Easy grade
- Sagsai Eagle Festival Tour 2026, 7 days - Selena Travel — 14-20 September 2026 dates with the festival on 17-18 September, US$2,700 price, Olgii-Ulaanbaatar return flight with 15+5 kg allowance, accommodation mix
- Majestic Western Mongolia Tour - Selena Travel — Eagle-hunter culture and Altai Tavan Bogd as an extension from the same province, and the Ulgii domestic flight