The Altai Mountains are Mongolia's westernmost range, where eagles still hunt with men and the Kazakh minority has kept their 4,000-year-old traditions intact. Our guide to planning a journey into this remote corner of Central Asia.
Munkhbayar Bat-Erdene
The Altai Mountains rise in Mongolia's far west, on the borders of Kazakhstan, Russia, and China. This is not the Mongolia of grassy steppe and gentle rolling hills. The Altai is jagged, glaciated, snow-streaked in August, and silent in a way that feels prehistoric. It is also home to one of the last cultures on earth that still hunts with golden eagles.
Ninety percent of Bayan-Olgii's population is ethnic Kazakh. Their language, food, music, and Islam are distinct from Mongolian culture. Families live in tall white gers called kiiz uy, and their dowry chests, embroidered rugs, and falcon gloves are museum-worthy. A Rara Avis journey into Bayan-Olgii puts you inside a Kazakh home, not outside looking in.
The eagle hunters of western Mongolia are not reenactors. They train wild-caught female golden eagles for seven years, hunt fox and marmot from horseback in winter, and release the eagles back to the wild at the end of the partnership. We introduce guests to Jenisbek, Aralbai, and the small circle of active hunters around Sagsai and Altai sum.
June through early September. The Altai Tavan Bogd National Park protects Mongolia's five highest peaks and the glaciers that feed them. Multi-day treks to Khuiten Peak's base camp, yurt stays with reindeer herders in the neighbouring Tsaatan region, and horseback crossings of the Khoton Khurgan lakes are our signature routes.
Aero Mongolia operates daily flights from Ulaanbaatar to Ulgii (3 hours, 320 USD round trip). We handle airport transfer, park permits, Kazakh host arrangements, and bilingual Mongolian-Kazakh-English guides.
Seven nights for a taste. Ten nights for eagle country in depth. Fourteen nights for full Altai Tavan Bogd plus the Tsagaan Sala petroglyph valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site with over 10,000 Bronze Age rock carvings. We plan private journeys by request.