Hunting with trained Golden Eagles: Historically, nomadic Kazakhs depended on Golden Eagles for hunting. One of the last true wilderness areas of Asia, the stunning beauty of the magnificent Altai Mountains will be the backdrop for this extraordinary Eagle Hunting tour. A highlight of any trip to this region is interacting with local Kazakhs and learning about their unique culture. The skilled and trained Golden eagles hunt rabbit, fox and wolf and the way the Kazakh hunters train the eagles is fantastic! Approximately ninety percent of the population of Bayan-Ulgii is Kazakh and though their pastoral-nomadic lifestyle is similar to that of Mongolians,' these Kazakh-speaking nomads are predominantly Moslem. Passed down from their Turkic ancestors, many Kazakhs still hunt with trained Golden Eagles whose vision is eight times more acute than humans.' Female eagles are preferred since they are believed to be more aggressive and weigh as much as fifteen pounds (nearly one-third more than the males). Kazakh women are renowned for their skills in embroidery and applique-hand-crafted felt carpets line the floor of their gers and delicately embroidered tapestries adorn the walls in a dazzling mosaic of colors.

Notes: Accommodations will include ger/small Kazak housedecorated with Kazakh wall hangings, with sharing facilities. Food will be simple and meat-based.

The Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once distributed across North America, Europe and Asia, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas.

The Golden Eagle is one of twelve species of large predominantly dark-coloured eagles in the genus Aquila found worldwide; a large brown bird of prey, it has a wingspan averaging over 2 m (7 ft) and up to 1m (3 ft) in body length.

Adult Golden Eagles range widely in size across their range. The largest races comprise the largest eagles of the genus Aquila. Length may vary from 66 to 100 cm (26-40 in), wingspan can range from 150 to 240 cm (59-95 in), and weight is from 2.5 to 7 kg (5.5-15.4 lb).

Golden Eagles often have a division of labour while hunting: one partner drives the prey to its waiting partner. They have very good eyesight and can spot prey from a long distance. The talons are used for killing and carrying the prey, the beak is used only for eating.Their prey includes marmots, hares and mice, and sometimes birds, martens, foxes, young deer, and livestock including lambs and young goats. During winter months when prey is scarce, Golden Eagles scavenge on carrion to supplement their diet.