Our resident gains guru takes her guns off grid to spend time with the Eagle hunters of Mongolia and here’s why this immersive experience could be the bucket list item you never knew you needed…
THE WHERE
Located in eastern Asia bordering China and Russia, Mongolia may be the 19th largest country in the world, but it is one of the least densely populated. It’s also fairly challenging to explore. Roads don’t always exist. Neither do traffic rules. Flight times move without warning. Cell phone service is often non-existent. English is rarely spoken. And in certain parts of the country, a blizzard in the middle of summer isn’t out of the question. However, it’s because of exactly these reasons that nomadic cultures can continue to exist here, the Kazakh Eagle hunters of the Bayan-Ulgii province in the Altai Mountains of Western Mongolia, being no exception.
HOW TO TRAIN TO BE AN EAGLE HUNTER
From the minute I set foot in Mongolia to complete the longest and toughest horse race in the world in 2022 – The Mongol Derby – I always felt like I left a piece of my soul on the steppe. Being able to revisit the place that tried to kill me at every opportunity for another epic adventure was something I couldn’t pass up. Here are all the things you need to know about this once in a lifetime experience.
THE HOW
The legendary custom of eagle hunting is more than a thousand years old. Cave paintings depict falconry practices dating back to the Bronze Age, Genghis Khan was heralded as a huge fan, and Marco Polo described with reverence, his own eagle hunting experience with Khan’s grandson in the 1100s. But outside of the history books, this ancient practice transcends mere survival – it is not a sport, it is an art – a celebration of the dynamic relationship between hunter, eagle and nature, a dance of skill and intuition that exemplifies the mastery of a timeless tradition. Eagle hunters commandeer their fierce and sure-footed mounts across some of the most harsh and unforgiving landscapes on earth searching for rabbits, marmots, foxes or even wolves, in the hope of adding the pelts to their ensemble to signify their success and status.
BIRDS OF PREY
The golden eagle is a force to be reckoned with, possessing a wingspan of 6.6-feet, razor-sharp talons and the ability to dive at the speed of an express train – up to 190 mph. Hunters prefer females because they are larger (one-third heavier than the males) and more aggressive. These eagles are so fast and powerful that they can kill a fully grown wolf by diving at speed and striking the animal on the back of the head or neck. To allow a rider to carry an eagle over distance, a special device (“baldak”) is fitted onto the saddle to support the rider’s arm. After four years of training, the eagles are released back into the wild so they can breed.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
DAY 1 Arrival into Ulaanbaatar
The bad news is that Mongolia can be a marathon journey with hefty layovers each way. The good news is that it is only three hours behind Australia so jet lag is not a problem.
Top Tip: Book your flight through Hong Kong, take advantage of the multiple 24-hour lounges on offer and try to make sure you avoid landing at your final destination in rush hour.
DAY 2 Sample the wares of the “Black Market”
While the name itself might suggest something more ominous, this local one stop shop is a sprawling mecca of vendors hawking just about everything you could imagine. From leather and cashmere through to equestrian tack, furniture and souvenirs, this market is as overwhelming as it is mesmerising.
Top Tip: Try to get hold of some Yak wool socks – they are unrivalled when it comes to both comfort and warmth.
DAY 3 Glamping and the Ger
Have some motion sickness pills handy because after a two-hour flight west to Bayan Olgii village, a three-hour off-road adventure awaits you. This drive will give you an idea of exactly how far from civilisation you are, but rest assured you won’t be disappointed with your new home away from home. The hospitality and generosity of the Mongolian people is second to none, and the Mongolian ger (essentially a portable home) offers you a unique “glamping” experience complete with your very own fire stokers that come in throughout the night. The noise of a Yak snoring provides the perfect meditative soundtrack to fall asleep to.
DAY 4 The Falconry Apprenticeship
Watching Sekish AKA “Big Sexi” (our host) strut in with his Eagle Hunting buddies clad in wolf-skin cloaks and wielding Golden Eagles proudly on their arms is like something straight out of Game of Thrones. This morning’s mission is to get comfortable hooding and unhooding (the hood is kept on while not hunting to keep the eagle calm), and we’re all assigned a mentor. It’s initially nerve racking handling these magnificent creatures up close but turns out that some of them love a cuddle between efforts as the contact encourages bonding. The afternoon sees us meet our allocated horse and when the herder laughs and says, “Good Luck” as I set off – it doesn’t take long to understand why. Turns out “Little Red” is a spicy little racehorse with rusty brakes who is intent on leaving everyone to eat his dust.
Top Tip: It is preferable to be comfortable on horseback BUT there are horses to cater to any confidence level.
DAY 5 Call of the Wild
Today we learn the “call”. In partners, we get familiar with unhooding our Eagle and releasing it, before calling it to our arm and putting the hood back on. Once we’ve mastered the basics, we ride out to the mountain to practice from height & distance. To emulate a real-life scenario, one of us is running along the bottom of the mountain dragging a fox hide, the other is up at the top instructing the eagle to hunt it. Prying the eagle off their prey by forcing extension of the middle talon is another skill we have to master – it’s vital to do this quickly to avoid ruining the pelt. The privilege of being trusted to handle these revered raptors is not lost on me and is a true testament to the deeply personal relationships that Erik has cultivated within this “burkitshi” (tribe) because this is not business as usual.
Top Tip: These birds are heavy (weighing around 15 lbs) – especially when you have to rock climb at the same time – so make sure you work on your shoulder strength prior.
DAYS 6 & 7 The Hunting Party
We spend the next two full days hunting. And if you think watching the eagle hunters on the ground is impressive, watching their skills on horseback is something else entirely. While galloping across the flat offers up a sense of pure freedom, traversing rocky outcrops and sheer cliff faces 5,000m straight up is as terrifying as it is exhilarating. Not only do you get to observe the hunters divide and conquer – from the lookouts at the top to the chasers below – you get the option to participate and be an active member of the hunt itself. Sadly, we don’t catch anything but the fact that we have a ringside seat to observe this ancient tradition in action is nothing short of extraordinary and it’s clear at this moment that you don’t need to share a language to share a culture and all the knowledge that goes with it.
Top Tip: This trip is as boujee as you’ll get out here with not only a chef (and coffee) on hand but also a masseuse and hot shower in case you’re a little sore from the saddle.
DAY 8 Let the Nomad Games begin
This is an action-packed day where we welcome other men and women from across the valley to come and join us in a “friendly” competition. The games consist of Archery (on foot and horse), Bushkaza (horseback tug of war) and the “whip the boy” horse race (sorry in advance fellas). It culminates with the Eagle Competition where you put your newfound skills to the test. And while I may have hit absolutely nothing with a bow and arrow, I did come up trumps in the whipping race so maybe BDSM is my thing. And just because if it’s not on social media, it didn’t happen – you have the opportunity to immortalise your badassery forever with some professional shots of yourself astride your sturdy steed, Golden Eagle perched on your outstretched arm.
DAY 9 & 10 Back to civilisation
After one last breakfast to consume copious amounts of the famous Yak butter, it’s time to pack up our bags, our bravado and any newfound battle wounds and hit it the road. I’m already planning my next adventure.
THE WHO: MEET YOUR TOUR GUIDE EXTRAORDINARE
Erik Cooper @erikcooperadventurist is the curator of some of the most unique experiences on earth. He spends half his year in Mongolia where he’s cultivated a special bond with horse herders, reindeer riders and eagle hunters alike, a bond that speaks volumes to the authenticity of every trip. This is not your run of the mill tourist trap, rather an opportunity to build real confidence and real connections, all the while helping to support a nomadic community & culture that may very well face extinction in years to come. For further information or to book a trip, contact hi@erikcooperadventures.com
By ALEXA TOWERSEY
For the full article grab the February 2025 issue of MAXIM Australia from newsagents and convenience locations. Subscribe here.
