Mongolia
Golden Eagle Festival 2027
An Extraordinary Journey Through Mongolia’s Gobi Desert & the Legendary Golden Eagle Festival
From AUD$9299
2 Sep 2027
15 Nights
Women only
Inclusions
Trip Highlights and Activities
Travelling solo?
You’ve got a few great options:
- Come to a Ladies Who Travel Meet Up and find a travel partner
- Pay the AUD$1975 single supplement for your own private room
- Share a room; we’ll match you with another Ladies Who Travel member
- Or bring your partner, friend, or family member – this trip is for women only!
Join Ladies Who Travel founder, Melissa Delaware, on this private Crooked Compass tour for Mongolia’s Golden Eagle Festival.
This is an extraordinary annual celebration where Kazakh eagle hunters, known as Burkitshi, honour their heritage and demonstrate the remarkable partnership between hunter and eagle.
During the festival, competitors release their specially trained golden eagles to hunt small animals such as foxes and hares, with prizes awarded for speed, accuracy, agility, and traditional Kazakh dress.
We attend a smaller, more local Eagle Festival, offering a more intimate and authentic experience with the Kazakh eagle hunters and their families.
This incredible cultural immersion is paired with exploration of the dramatic Gobi Desert. Journey through rugged mountainous terrain, vast steppe landscapes, and some of Mongolia’s highest peaks and largest glaciers.
Along the way, spend time with nomadic families to gain insight into their way of life and the resilience required to live off the land in one of the world’s most remote environments.
This map is for illustrative purposes only
Important Information – Internal Flight Scheduling
Please note that this itinerary includes domestic flights within Mongolia. Internal flight schedules are typically released approximately 11 months prior to departure.
For this reason, we strongly recommend allowing a buffer day before and after your Mongolia journey when booking international flights or making onward travel arrangements. This provides flexibility in the unlikely event that minor adjustments to tour dates are required to align with confirmed domestic flight schedules.
This is a normal logistical consideration when travelling in remote and less frequently serviced regions of the world and does not affect the quality, inclusions or overall experience of the itinerary.
Welcome to Mongolia!
Upon arrival at the airport, you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel in the heart of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s vibrant capital.
If you arrive early, you may wish to explore the fascinating National Museum of Mongolia (optional), which offers an insightful introduction to Mongolia’s rich nomadic heritage and the history of the Mongol Empire.
This evening, meet your guide and fellow travellers for a welcome dinner and trip briefing, before enjoying a spectacular traditional folklore performance at Tumen Ekh Ensemble — featuring throat singing, horsehead fiddle music and traditional dance. A memorable introduction to Mongolia’s cultural soul.
- Accommodation: Novotel Ulaanbaatar
- Included Meals: Welcome Dinner
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight south to the legendary Gobi Desert (flight timing subject to schedule).
On arrival, journey across vast open steppe to the striking White Stupa — Tsagaan Suvarga — a dramatic wall of layered cliffs rising up to 50 metres from the desert floor. Once part of an ancient seabed, these chalky formations glow in shades of red, white and ochre as the light shifts across the landscape.
After exploring this otherworldly setting, continue to your traditional ger camp and settle in for your first night in the heart of the Gobi.
- Accommodation: Overnight Camp Ger
- Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Travel: Travel from Ulaanbaatar to Tsagaan Suvarga with a lunch stop in Mandalgovi (Middle Gobi): 440 km, approx. 6-7 hours in total. The first leg to Mandalgovi takes around 3.5-4 hours on sealed roads, while the second leg continues for another 2.5-3 hours on a mix of sealed and unsealed surfaces. If we fly this route, this day will obviously have far less travel time.
Today, venture into the dramatic landscapes of Mukhar Shivert Gorge, a hidden valley tucked deep within the mountains of the southern Gobi. An unexpected oasis in the desert, parts of the gorge remain permanently shaded, preserving pockets of ice well into the warmer months.
Enjoy a guided hike through this striking terrain as the valley narrows around you. The walk follows a dry streambed and includes light rock scrambling, with a total hiking time of approximately 1–1.5 hours (2–3 km return). Keep watch for wildlife such as ibex, wild sheep and the impressive Lammergeier — the rare bearded vulture that soars high above the cliffs.
After exploring the gorge, return to your ger camp for a well-earned rest in the heart of the desert.
- Accommodation: Overnight Ger Camp
- Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Travel time and distances: 250 km, 4-5 hours. The route includes a mix of paved and unpaved roads, with the final stretch traversing rugged terrain within Gurvan Saikhan National Park.
After breakfast, continue your journey through the vast expanse of the Gobi Desert toward the spectacular Khongor Sand Dunes. Along the way, pass dramatic landscapes where the Altai Mountains meet the desert, including the striking West Beauty Mountain.
Arrive at your ger camp with the towering dunes rising in the distance. Later, visit the famous “Singing Sands,” named for the deep, resonant hum created when wind moves across the dunes. Stretching over 180 kilometres and rising up to 300 metres high, this is one of Mongolia’s most iconic natural wonders.
Enjoy a one-hour camel ride across the sands before exploring on foot. For those feeling adventurous, climb to the summit for sweeping desert views, or simply relax and take in the silence of this vast, otherworldly landscape.
- Accommodation: Overnight Ger Camp
- Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Travel time and distance: 160 km, 4-5 hours. The route crosses a mix of dirt and gravel tracks through wide desert plains. Tonight’s camp is a further 15-minute drive from the dune.
This morning, travel across rugged desert terrain to Khavtsgait Mountain, home to ancient petroglyphs carved by early nomadic cultures between 500 and 3,000 years ago.
A short but steep hike leads you to these remarkable rock engravings, which depict scenes of hunting, herding and wildlife — offering a fascinating glimpse into prehistoric life on the Mongolian steppe. From the ridge, take in sweeping views across the vast desert landscape.
After time to explore, continue your journey through the Gobi to your next ger camp, where you’ll settle in for another evening beneath Mongolia’s expansive desert skies.
- Accommodation: Overnight Ger Camp
- Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Travel time and distances: 180km, 5 hours. Your first stop, Khavtsgait Mountain, is reached in about 2.5 hours. From there, continue another 2.5 hours across rugged desert terrain to arrive at your Ger Camp
Today, journey to Flaming Cliffs (Bayanzag), one of Mongolia’s most legendary natural and archaeological sites. It was here in 1922 that explorer Roy Chapman Andrews discovered some of the world’s first dinosaur fossils and eggs, including remains of Velociraptor and Protoceratops — placing this remote corner of the Gobi Desert firmly on the global map.
In the afternoon, explore the dramatic sandstone formations on foot. The cliffs erode into jagged ridges and sculpted valleys, creating an almost otherworldly landscape.
As the sun begins to set, watch the cliffs glow deep orange and crimson — a breathtaking desert spectacle and one of the true highlights of the Gobi — before returning to your ger camp for dinner under the vast Mongolian sky.
- Accommodation: Ger Camp
- Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, travel to Dalanzadgad and visit the Gobi Museum of Nature & History, home to an impressive collection of dinosaur fossils, eggs and regional artefacts that bring the story of the desert to life.
Later, transfer to the airport for your flight back to Ulaanbaatar. On arrival, return to your hotel and enjoy an evening at leisure in the capital.
- Accommodation: Novotel Ulaanbaatar
- Included Meals: Breakfast
- Travel time and distances: Ger camp to Dalanzadgad Airport: 70 km, 1 to 1.5 hours on unpaved desert tracks. Flight to Chinggis Khaan International Airport takes approximately 1 hour and 5 minutes Chinggis Khaan International Airport to Shangri-La: 52km, 1-2hr drive
Begin at Gandan Monastery, the country’s most important Buddhist centre. As you walk through the monastery grounds, hear the rhythmic chants of monks and take in the scent of burning incense.
Inside, you’ll encounter the extraordinary 26.5-metre gold-plated statue of Migjid Janraisig, a powerful symbol of Mongolia’s religious revival after the fall of communism.
In a rare and intimate experience, you’ll share a traditional Mongolian lunch within the monastery grounds — a simple dining hall usually reserved for resident lamas. This is a unique opportunity to gain insight into daily monastic life and ask questions in a respectful, personal setting.
Later, visit the impressive Chinggis Khan Museum, Mongolia’s largest museum dedicated to the Mongol Empire.
- Accommodation: Novotel Ulaanbaatar
- Included Meals: Breakfast
This morning, fly west to Bayan-Ölgii Province, Mongolia’s most remote and culturally distinct region.
On arrival, meet your local support crew for the festival leg of your journey before travelling onward to Tolbo. Here, your expedition-style ger camp has been specially set up for the world-famous Golden Eagle Festival.
Unlike standard tourist camps, this remote camp is built among the gers of local eagle hunters, offering an immersive experience at the heart of the community. Evenings are spent in a communal dining ger, where freshly prepared meals are served, and conversations flow with fellow travellers — and sometimes even local hunters.
Conditions here are authentic and rustic: no showers, limited electricity and cool desert nights. But this is part of the adventure — a rare opportunity to step into traditional nomadic life ahead of one of Mongolia’s most spectacular cultural events.
- Accommodation: Basic Ger Camp
- Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today, step into one of the world’s most extraordinary cultural celebrations — the Golden Eagle Festival.
The morning begins with a local horse race, where young riders gallop across open terrain in a thrilling display of endurance and horsemanship. Soon after, the festival’s opening ceremony unfolds: Kazakh eagle hunters dressed in elaborate traditional garments parade on horseback, their magnificent golden eagles perched proudly on their arms.
Throughout the day, witness dramatic demonstrations of skill as hunters call their eagles from cliff edges, watching the powerful birds soar and land with breathtaking precision. The competitions test speed, obedience and hunting ability, while traditional games and cultural performances unfold around the festival grounds.
You’ll have unparalleled access to photograph and interact respectfully with hunters and their families — a rare opportunity to witness a living tradition that has been passed down for generations.
Return to your ger camp for dinner and warm conversation under the vast western Mongolian sky.
- Accommodation: Ger Camp
- Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
A second day at the festival allows for deeper immersion in this centuries-old Kazakh tradition.
Today’s competitions include simulated hunting challenges, where hunters drag a fox pelt behind horseback riders and eagles are judged on their speed and accuracy as they descend. The power and agility of these birds in flight is truly unforgettable.
Beyond the eagle contests, enjoy traditional Kazakh games such as aitis (a spirited poetic duel) and kyz kuar, a lively horseback courtship chase that blends skill with playful tradition.
In the evening, share dinner with Golden Eagle masters themselves — an intimate and meaningful opportunity to connect with the custodians of this remarkable cultural heritage, hear their stories and learn about the profound bond between hunter and bird.
As night falls over the steppe, reflect on the privilege of witnessing a tradition that few travellers ever experience up close.
- Accommodation: Ger Camp
- Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After a relaxed morning, visit the family of a Golden Eagle Master and step inside their ger for a deeply personal insight into the bond between hunter and bird.
Later, travel to Ulgii town and settle into your accommodation surrounded by sweeping mountain landscapes.
- Accommodation: Pamuk Resort and Ger Camp – private cabins
- Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Travel Times and Distances: Ger Camp to Local Eagle Master family: less than 1 hour. Tolbo to Ulgii Town: 130km, 2 to 3 hours on unpaved mountain and valley tracks
Fly back to Ulaanbaatar and continue to Terelj National Park. En route, visit the towering Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex, standing 40 metres high on the steppe.
Arrive in Terelj and settle into your ger camp amidst rolling meadows and pine-covered mountains.
- Accommodation: Terelj Lodge – Standard Gers or similar
- Included Meals: Breakfast, lunch & Dinner
- Travel Times and Distances: 5 km to Ulgii Airport Flight from Ulgii (ULG) to Ulaanbaatar, Chinggis Khaan (UBN): 2.15 hours
Explore the scenic beauty of Terelj National Park, walking through wildflower meadows and along forested streams.
Visit Aryabal Meditation Temple, climbing the symbolic 108 steps for sweeping views and quiet reflection. Later, enjoy a visit to a local nomadic family ger before returning to Ulaanbaatar in the evening.
- Accommodation: Novotel Ulaanbaatar
- Included Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
This morning, board a private train carriage, where as the train rolls out across the vast Mongolian steppe, you’ll be accompanied by traditional musicians performing throat singing and morin khuur (horsehead fiddle).
Arriving in a small rural village around midday, you’ll be welcomed by members of the local community. Visits to the village school and hospital offer genuine insight into daily life beyond the capital — a thoughtful and respectful cultural exchange supported by the community itself.
Later, you’ll be invited into a local ger for a traditional Mongolian feast featuring khorkhog — meat slow-cooked with hot stones in a metal container, a celebratory dish typically reserved for special gatherings. Shared in a simple but warm setting, this meal provides an authentic window into rural hospitality and nomadic culinary traditions.
After time with the villagers, return to Ulaanbaatar by road (approximately 3 hours), reflecting on the landscapes, traditions, and people that have shaped your journey.
- Accommodation: Novotel Ulaanbaatar
- Included Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Enjoy a relaxed breakfast before transferring to Chinggis Khaan International Airport for your onward journey home.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Ger Camps
Staying in ger camps is an essential part of the Mongolian experience, offering an authentic connection to the landscape and the country’s enduring nomadic traditions.
All ger camps are multi-share. Single supplements and guaranteed double rooms are available only in hotels.
Standard Ger Camp
Standard ger camps offer a semi-nomadic experience with limited electricity. Gers typically contain 3–4 beds arranged around a central stove.
Bathroom facilities are shared and usually include flushing toilets and showers, though hot water and Wi-Fi availability may vary by location.
Basic Ger Camp – Golden Eagle Festival
During the Golden Eagle Festival, we set up a comfortable temporary ger camp in a spectacular remote location. The camp is nestled among the eagle hunters’ own gers, providing unique access and a close connection to the festival atmosphere.
Gers are authentic and rustic, borrowed from local families, with minimal furnishings and basic insulation – expect cold nights, especially if snow or rain is forecast.
Facilities are simple but comfortable. Showers are not available, but camping-style toilets with a toilet tent and portable seat will be provided. A limited generator supply will be available for charging devices.
Meals are freshly prepared by the support crew and served in a communal dining ger, with limited variety.
There’s no electricity beyond occasional generator use, and phone reception is minimal – charging is possible but limited, so bring backup power.
Important Notes
- Flexibility is key in Mongolia, where road conditions can change quickly, infrastructure is limited, and plans may need to adapt.
- An experienced Australian escort will accompany your tour, along with local guides in each region. Our local guides are passionate about sharing their incredible country and culture with you. While some may be newer to guiding than before the pandemic, their enthusiasm and dedication ensure a warm, authentic, and memorable experience throughout your journey.
- During road journeys, bathroom facilities may be unavailable, and you may need to make do with the surroundings.
- Travel time used in this itinerary is a guide only and can change.
- On the ground, restaurant and meal plans may be subject to change depending on availability.
- Electricity in remote areas may be limited or nonexistent. We recommend taking a power bank and embracing some time “offline”
Is Mongolia the right destination for you?
Before embarking on an adventure to Mongolia, it’s important to know if this unique, rugged travel experience suits your travel style.
To help guide your decision, here are some aspects of travelling in Mongolia that past travellers have faced—are you ready for the adventure?