Golden Eagle Festival

It is the largest gathering of eagle hunters in the world with 70 eagles and hunters at the event, which has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Cultural Event. There are 2 days of events starting with various competitions between eagle hunters such as appearance, returning to master on command, and catching a piece of fur pulled behind a horse. Other events are a camel race, kokpar (tug-of-war over goat carcass while on horseback), Tiyn Teru (race to pick up a coin on the ground), and Kyz Kuar ('woman chase' with woman whipping man while racing). There are locally-made Kazakh handicrafts, food tents, and other entertainment at the festival site. Those with tickets to the event can attend a traditional Kazakh concert at the Kazakh National Theater in Ölgii.

Getting there: Just outside of Ölgii
Hours: 1st weekend of October
Price: Admission for festival and concert is US$40

Directions Suggest a nearby place

Listing from Wikivoyage: Ölgii, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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