The golden eagle, with its distinct coloring and wide wingspan, thrives in the Altai Mountains of Mongolia's far west.

For centuries, ethnically Kazakh nomads have captured golden eagles at birth and tapped into their maternal food-gathering instincts in order to train them to hunt foxes, wolves and other animals. This tradition has gained worldwide attention through teenager Aisholpan, the subject of the 2016 documentary, The Eagle Huntress.

The Altai Eagle Festival, held annually in Mongolia's Altai Mountains on the third weekend of September, is an ideal opportunity to explore eagle hunting. Dozens of eagle hunters gather at the festival to compete and show their birds. Since 2018, Blue Silk Travel has been a proud festival sponsor.

In addition to attending an eagle festival, visiting a family that raises eagles is an excellent way to learn about the rich tradition of eagle hunting.