In the shadow of the Altai Mountains, where Mongolia meets Kazakhstan and China, a centuries-old partnership between human and raptor continues. The Kazakh eagle hunters of Bayan-Ölgii province maintain one of Asia's most remarkable living traditions—capturing, training, and hunting with golden eagles in a practice that predates written history.
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The first light of dawn reveals a landscape seemingly untouched by time—rolling steppe giving way to snow-dusted mountains, with only the occasional ger (round felt tent) breaking the horizon. Daulet, a 62-year-old eagle hunter, emerges from his family's winter camp wearing a fox fur hat and traditional embroidered coat. On his right arm perches a magnificent golden eagle, nearly a meter tall, her feathers catching the morning light as she surveys the terrain with unblinking amber eyes.
This region of Mongolia, while technically within the country's borders, is culturally distinct. Over 90% of Bayan-Ölgii province's population is ethnic Kazakh, maintaining traditions that have disappeared from much of neighbouring Kazakhstan. Chief among these is the ancient practice of hunting with golden eagles, typically captured as juveniles from wild nests and trained through a demanding process that forges an almost mystical bond between hunter and bird.
"The eagle sees what we cannot see"
"The eagle becomes like family," explains Daulet through a translator as he adjusts the leather hood that keeps his bird calm when not hunting. "We feed her from our hands, we speak to her constantly, we build trust over many years."
This relationship typically lasts for seven years, after which tradition dictates the eagle must be released back into the wild to breed and live out her days in freedom.
When hunting begins, Daulet and other burkitshi (eagle hunters) climb to elevated positions while assistants flush out prey—typically foxes whose fur provides crucial winter warmth.
Upon spotting movement, the hunter removes the eagle's hood and points toward the target.
What follows is extraordinary—the eagle launches into flight with explosive power, reaching speeds of 200 kilometres per hour as she dives toward prey sometimes a kilometre distant.
"In this hard land, they have been our partners for thousands of years. Without them, we would not have survived."
For travelers willing to venture into Mongolia's westernmost province, this ancient tradition can be experienced through homestays with eagle hunting families. The annual Golden Eagle Festival held each October in the provincial capital of Ölgii draws hunters from across the region for competitions testing accuracy, speed, and the bond between hunter and bird. Yet the most authentic experiences come through spending time with families in their winter or summer camps, sharing meals of mutton and milk tea while learning the intricacies of this endangered way of life.
Climate change and modernisation present growing challenges to the tradition.
Younger generations increasingly move to urban centers, and shifting weather patterns disrupt the delicate ecosystem that sustains both wild game and the nomadic lifestyle. Organisations like the Berkut Association work to preserve eagle hunting by supporting traditional knowledge transmission and developing sustainable tourism that provides income while respecting cultural practices.
As the morning hunt concludes, Daulet removes his thick leather glove and strokes his eagle's chest feathers with his bare hand—a gesture revealing the profound trust between them. In his lifetime, he has trained 11 eagles, remembering each by name and personality.
"The eagle sees what we cannot see," he says, "In this hard land, they have been our partners for thousands of years. Without them, we would not have survived."
