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- Eagle-hunting demonstrations (berkutchi) — Watching Kazakh eagle hunters work with golden eagles is the real showstopper: the birds swoop, land on gloved arms, and hunt on command. It’s a living tradition that feels ancient and immediate at once — close-up, powerful, and oddly gentle when the handler cradles the bird afterward.
- Mounted sports and horse games — Fast horse races, kokpar-like scrambles, and long-distance chabysh rides put nomadic horsemanship on full display. Expect dust, raw energy, and moments that make you appreciate why a good saddle and a confident horse are central to steppe life.
- Traditional music, throat singing, and epic recitals — You’ll hear khoomei (throat singing), dombra/komuz playing, and oral epics around bonfires — voices and instruments that map the landscape
- Eagle-hunting demonstrations (berkutchi) — Watching Kazakh eagle hunters work with golden eagles is the real showstopper: the birds swoop, land on gloved arms, and hunt on command. It’s a living tradition that feels ancient and immediate at once — close-up, powerful, and oddly gentle when the handler cradles the bird afterward.
- Mounted sports and horse games — Fast horse races, kokpar-like scrambles, and long-distance chabysh rides put nomadic horsemanship on full display. Expect dust, raw energy, and moments that make you appreciate why a good saddle and a confident horse are central to steppe life.
- Traditional music, throat singing, and epic recitals — You’ll hear khoomei (throat singing), dombra/komuz playing, and oral epics around bonfires — voices and instruments that map the landscape as much as the lyrics do. It’s hypnotic: part performance, part communal ritual.
- Yurt village, crafts, and hands-on heritage — The festival’s yurt encampment is where artisans sew felt, stitch saddles, and make shyrdak rugs; you can try your hand at patterns, wear traditional dress, or just sip tea and watch. Those low-cost, immersive moments are the best way to understand daily nomadic life.
- Altai landscape and night-time atmosphere — Set against the Altai mountains, the festival combines raw steppe vistas with star-filled nights and firelit gatherings. The scenery turns ordinary festival moments — a dawn horse ride, an evening concert — into something you’ll remember long after the last performance.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.