Kazakh Eagle Hunters

Urbane Nomads' Hajar Ali introduces the unique way of life of the Kazakh Eagle Hunters, who practice this ancient form of hunting on the vast plains of Mongolia.

These photos were taken on a trip to Mongolia for the Eagle Hunting Festival in October 2011. Situated in far Western Mongolia  (a 4 hour plane ride from Ulan Baatar) on the border of Kazakhstan, Ulgii Aimag is distinctly different from the rest of Mongolia. Largely Kazakh and Muslim, Ulgii consists of a small town, Bayan Ulgii, and beautiful mountains and countryside.

The Kazakhs in Mongolia had escaped from Kazakhstan into Mongolia during Communist rule. As a result of this physical exile and isolation, the Kazakh community in Mongolia have managed to preserve their traditions and Kazakh Mongols are renowned for their skills in poetry, horsemanship and eagle hunting.

In eagle hunting, golden eagles are trapped and trained to hunt by the Kazakhs. There is a preference for female eagles, who are heavier and more aggressive. Ultimately, these eagles are released back into the wild by the Kazakh eagle hunters.

The Eagle Hunting festival, although perhaps staged with the aim of attracting tourists, is anything but touristy. Attracting only the more intrepid travellers, the remoteness of Bayan Ulgii and the associated costs of getting there, act as deterrents to most tourists.

Eagle hunters (or Berkutchis) from throughout Ulgii come to the festival area in traditional gear and on horseback and stay for the whole of the three day festival.

Aside from displays of eagle hunting and competitions to single out the best eagle hunter, there are several equestrian games such as Kokbar (a tug-of-war using goatskin on horseback) and Kyzz-ku ('kiss the girl', a traditional Kazakh courtship game on horseback).

Eagle hunting is a one of the endangered cultural traditions in the world today. The practice was listed by UNESCO as a living cultural heritage in 2010.

As well as the unique way of life of the Eagle Hunters, the area is famous for its petroglyphs, or rock paintings, some of which dates back several thousand years.

Hajar is the founder of Urbane Nomads, a travel company specializing in luxury travel to remote areas.