Self-Launched Western Mongolia & Golden Eagle Festival
10 days · Western Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar, Ulgii & Altai)
Unquote Travel charges £2,400
No-markup version: ~£1,015 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 10-day independent version of Unquote Travel's Western Mongolia & Golden Eagle Festival group tour. You'll fly yourself to Ulgii (Ölgii), sort out a festival ticket and a local driver-guide directly with a Kazakh family-run operation, sleep in community gers and guesthouses, and witness the eagle hunters' competitions in Tolbo or Bugat on your own schedule. Costs assume a shared 4WD/guide split between 2–3 travellers and a backpacker-to-midrange mix of guesthouses, gers and budget hotels. All figures are rough estimates in GBP per person and exclude international flights to Ulaanbaatar.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar
Land at Chinggis Khaan International Airport and take the public airport shuttle or a metered taxi into the city centre (taxi ~£8–12, shuttle ~£2). Check into a budget guesthouse or hostel around the Sukhbaatar Square / Peace Avenue area. Use the afternoon to pick up a local SIM (Unitel/Mobicom, ~£4–8 for data), withdraw tugrik, and wander the square and State Department Store for snacks and a warm layer — nights in late September/October drop to 0–5°C in the west.
🚌Airport taxi or shuttle (~£2–12)
🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel dorm/private room, city centre (~£12)
- →Orientation walk around Sukhbaatar Square
- →Buy local SIM card and cash up in tugrik
- →Sort domestic flight check-in for tomorrow
Ulaanbaatar museums, monastery & traditional arts
Ulaanbaatar
Do the operator's guided day independently: visit Gandantegchinlen Monastery in the morning (free entry, small donation for the main temple; ~£2–3), then choose between the National Museum of Mongolia (~£4) and the Chinggis Khaan Museum (~£10) — the latter is excellent context for the west. In the evening book a seat at the Tumen Ekh Ensemble folk performance at their own theatre (~£8–10, buy direct or via Klook). Eat at a local khuushuur/guilash canteen rather than a tourist restaurant.
🚌Walking plus local bus/taxi (~£4)
🛏Budget guesthouse, city centre (~£12)
- →Gandantegchinlen Monastery
- →National Museum of Mongolia or Chinggis Khaan Museum
- →Tumen Ekh traditional art performance
Fly to Ulgii, meet your local fixer
Ulgii (Ölgii)
Book the MIAT or Hunnu Air Ulaanbaatar–Ulgii flight yourself online the moment dates open (return ~£130–170 booked early; festival weeks fill fast). On arrival, check into a local guesthouse and visit the Aimag Museum (~£2) for Kazakh/Altai culture. Pre-arrange your festival transport and driver-guide in advance by emailing Ulgii-based operators (Altai Expeditions, Kazakh Eagle Hunters Association contacts, or guesthouses who broker guides) — a shared 4WD with driver for 4 days runs roughly £60–90/day to split. Visit the Ulgii bazaar for a winter hat, felt boots and festival supplies.
🚌Domestic flight ~£75 one-way (return counted on Day 9); shared taxi to town ~£2
🛏Local guesthouse in Ulgii (~£12)
- →Fly Ulaanbaatar to Ulgii
- →Aimag local history museum
- →Ulgii bazaar and market wander
Into the Altai: stay with a Kazakh eagle hunter family
Sagsai / Tolbo valley area
Head out of town in your hired 4WD with driver (roughly 1.5–3 hrs depending on which community you've arranged). Arrange a homestay directly with a herder family through your guesthouse or the local eagle hunters' association — a community ger with full board typically costs £25–35 per person per night. Spend the day helping with livestock, learning how eagles are trained and baited, and eating beshbarmak (boiled mutton with noodles) with the family in the evening. Bring small gifts (tea, sweets, kids' pencils) and cash — there are no ATMs out here.
🚌Hired 4WD with driver, shared (~£25 pp)
🛏Community ger with eagle hunter family, full board (~£30)
- →Homestay with Kazakh eagle hunter family
- →Learn about eagle hunting and nomadic daily life
- →Traditional beshbarmak dinner
Eagle hunting demonstration and Kazakh dress photos
Altai foothills near Sagsai
Your host family or a neighbouring hunter will usually arrange a private eagle demonstration for a direct cash payment (~£25–40 per group, split between you) — the eagle is called to the glove, baited with a dragged fox pelt, and you get the full explanation. Bring a traditional Kazakh deel and fox-fur hat from the Ulgii bazaar (or borrow from the family) for photos with the bird. Afternoon: short hike or horse ride to a viewpoint and a stop at a rock-art panel if your host knows one nearby.
🚌Hired 4WD, shared (~£25 pp)
🛏Community ger with eagle hunter family, full board (~£30)
- →Private eagle hunting demonstration
- →Traditional Kazakh clothing photo session with eagles
- →Afternoon hike or horse ride
Khatuu Valley hike and petroglyphs
Khatuu Valley, near Ulgii
Drive to Khatuu Valley and hike the valley floor to the petroglyph panels (free; leave a small fee with any local caretaker). The optional 300 m climb to the ridge gives big views of the Altai foothills but is steep, loose and exposed — go with your driver and don't attempt it alone. Stop at a herding family for lunch (arrange the day before; £6–8 contribution). Move back to a Ulgii guesthouse in the late afternoon so you're positioned for the festival.
🚌Hired 4WD, shared (~£25 pp)
🛏Local guesthouse in Ulgii (~£12)
- →Hike Khatuu Valley
- →Petroglyph exploration
- →Herding family lunch stop
Golden Eagle Festival — day one
Tolbo or Bugat festival ground
Buy your festival ticket directly at the gate or through your Ulgii guesthouse/guide (~£10–20/day for foreigners; festival dates vary — September festival usually at Tolbo, early October festival at Bugat near Ulgii). Arrive early for the opening parade of eagle hunters in full regalia, then watch the hunting-outfit and accessory competition and the eagle speed/agility contest where birds are called from a cliff to a baited lure. Evening Kazakh concert with dombra music and dance is usually included in the day ticket. Bring cash for food stalls, sunblock and a windproof layer.
🚌Hired 4WD to festival ground, shared (~£20 pp)
🛏Local guesthouse in Ulgii (~£12)
- →Golden Eagle Festival opening ceremony and parade
- →Hunting outfit and accessory competition
- →Eagle speed and agility competition
- →Kazakh music concert
Golden Eagle Festival — day two and celebration dinner
Tolbo or Bugat festival ground
Second festival day: the cliff-release competition, the judging of eagle hunting performance, and traditional Kazakh games like kokpar (goat-carcass polo) — loud, chaotic and the highlight for many travellers. Stay for the awards ceremony and then take your driver-guide and homestay family out for a celebration dinner of shashlik and lagman in Ulgii (~£10–12 each, your shout). If you're on a tighter budget, eat at the festival stalls instead and put the money toward festival tickets.
🚌Hired 4WD to festival ground, shared (~£20 pp)
🛏Local guesthouse in Ulgii (~£12)
- →Cliff release competition
- →Eagle hunting judging
- →Kokpar traditional game
- →Awards ceremony and celebration dinner
Ulgii market and fly back to Ulaanbaatar
Ulgii to Ulaanbaatar
Morning at the Ulgii market for Kazakh textiles, felt, embroidery and eagle-hunter souvenirs (bargain in cash). Fly back to Ulaanbaatar on the afternoon MIAT/Hunnu Air service (~£75 one-way) and check back into a city guesthouse. Evening: cheap noodles or buuz at a local canteen, or a craft beer if you want a splurge.
🚌Domestic flight ~£75; local taxi ~£3
🛏Budget guesthouse, Ulaanbaatar (~£12)
- →Ulgii local market shopping
- →Flight back to Ulaanbaatar
- →Free evening in the city
Departure
Ulaanbaatar
Last morning for souvenir shopping at the State Department Store or a final monastery visit, then take the public shuttle or taxi to the airport for your international flight. If your flight is late, the Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum (~£4) is a good way to fill a couple of hours with the thawed-out cash you didn't spend on a group tour.
🚌Airport taxi or shuttle (~£2–12)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Souvenir shopping
- →Optional Zanabazar Fine Arts Museum
- →Transfer to airport
Self-launched vs. Unquote Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Unquote Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,015 | £2,400 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,385 per person (58%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Unquote Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,015
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Western Mongolia & Golden Eagle Festival cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,015 per person for 10 days in Western Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar, Ulgii & Altai). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Unquote Travel?+
Yes — Unquote Travel charges around £2,400 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,015 — a saving of roughly £1,385 (58%) per person.
How long is the Western Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar, Ulgii & Altai) trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Western Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar, Ulgii & Altai).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, festivals trip through Western Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar, Ulgii & Altai), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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