Day 12-13
The Eagle Festival
If you are keen, you may like to join some of the hunters this morning as they ride, eagles in hand, to the festival. Day one of the Eagle Festival, a two day festival which shows off the skills of eagle and hunter/trainer. Dressed in full regalia and mounted on groomed and decorated horses, the eagle hunters compete for various awards including 'Best Eagle at Hunting Prey'. Other 'manly' sporting activities you'll watch include horse racing, camel racing, and the highly entertaining 'Bushkashi' - goat skin tug-o-war on horseback.
Day two of the festival; return to the site for today’s events, which, altogether, play a major role in preserving traditional Kazakh culture. After the festivities each day, head back to your ger at the PJ camp which is not too far from the festival site. On one of the nights you may enjoy a traditional performance from local musicians.