Mongolia
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Watch golden eagles dive from the Altai foothills, sleep in a ger under a sky full of stars and share milk tea with a Kazakh family in their home. This is Mongolia at its wildest and warmest. Along the way you’ll hear the monks chant at Gandan Monastery, meet an eagle hunter and the bird he trained himself, and hike to a hilltop monastery in Terelj National Park. For your last two nights, you’ll trade hotel rooms for a traditional ger in Terelj, tucked into the pine-covered hills.
Inclusions
Handpicked stays
The Novotel in Ulaanbaatar, a hotel in Ulgii for the festival and a ger camp in Terelj National Park.
18 meals
8 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinners, including dinner in a Kazakh family’s home.
All activities, included
- ✓Two days at the Golden Eagle Festival
- ✓A visit with an eagle hunter’s family
- ✓A Kazakh family dinner with traditional music
- ✓Round-trip flights between Ulaanbaatar and Ulgii
- ✓Gandan Monastery
- ✓Zaisan Hill
- ✓The Genghis Khan statue
- ✓A hike to the monastery in Terelj National Park
- ✓A night in a ger camp
A local female guide
A local woman leads you from the welcome meeting to the last breakfast. She knows the families, the festival and exactly where to find a real cup of coffee in Ulgii.
All transport and flights
Airport pickup when you land, a private van for every drive and round-trip flights between Ulaanbaatar and Ulgii.
A matched roommate
Our compatibility quiz pairs you with someone you’ll actually click with. Hello, ger buddy. Want your own space? Private rooms are available.
Most tips
Drivers, hotel staff, restaurants and local hosts are covered. Tipping your guide is up to you.
Highlights
Watch the Golden Eagle Festival from the front row
Two days of eagle hunters, horseback games and snow-dusted Altai peaks
Meet an eagle hunter’s family in their home
Hear how a golden eagle is trained, over tea in Ulgii
Share a Kazakh family dinner with live music
Milk tea, home cooking and father-and-son dombra songs
Sleep in a ger in Terelj National Park
Pine-covered hills, grazing yaks and a sky full of stars
Hear the monks chant at Gandan Monastery
Mongolia’s largest monastery, right in the middle of Ulaanbaatar
Watch the Golden Eagle Festival from the front row
Two days of eagle hunters, horseback games and snow-dusted Altai peaks
Meet an eagle hunter’s family in their home
Hear how a golden eagle is trained, over tea in Ulgii
Share a Kazakh family dinner with live music
Milk tea, home cooking and father-and-son dombra songs
Sleep in a ger in Terelj National Park
Pine-covered hills, grazing yaks and a sky full of stars
Hear the monks chant at Gandan Monastery
Mongolia’s largest monastery, right in the middle of Ulaanbaatar
Your Itinerary
AFTERNOONLand at Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN) and meet your driver, who’ll take you to the Novotel in central Ulaanbaatar. Land by 3pm to settle in before the group meets.
EVENINGMeet the women you’ll spend the next 9 days with at 6pm. Stay for an easy dinner at the hotel, or head to bed early after the long flight.
Optional dinner
MORNINGHear the monks’ morning chants at Gandan Monastery, the heart of Tibetan Buddhism in Mongolia.
AFTERNOONLearn how Genghis Khan built an empire at the Chinggis Khaan Museum, then climb Zaisan Hill for views over the whole city.
Breakfast
MORNINGFly about 2 hours west to Ulgii, a mountain town at the heart of Kazakh eagle hunting culture.
AFTERNOONWander the market and stop for coffee where daily life unfolds around you.
EVENINGVisit an eagle hunter’s family at home and hear, over tea, how a golden eagle is trained.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
MORNINGDrive about 40 minutes into the Altai foothills for day one of the Golden Eagle Festival. Watch hunters in fur-trimmed deels parade on horseback with their eagles.
AFTERNOONCheer on the eagles as they dive to their masters, and catch the horseback games between events.
EVENINGShare dinner with a Kazakh family in their home, followed by songs on the dombra from father and son.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
MORNINGHead back for day two of the festival. There’s no velvet rope here, so wander, meet the competitors and take all the photos.
AFTERNOONStay for the awards ceremony, crowning the best eagles, riders and hunters of the year.
Breakfast, Lunch
MORNINGFly back to Ulaanbaatar, about 2 hours.
AFTERNOONStop at the giant silver Genghis Khan statue on the drive to Terelj National Park.
EVENINGSettle into your ger camp among rolling meadows and rock formations.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
MORNINGHike about 800 meters and 108 steps up to a hilltop Buddhist monastery with prayer flags and big valley views.
AFTERNOONTake the afternoon off. Hike more, rest in your ger or grab a cup of tea and chat.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
MORNINGDrive about 2 hours back to Ulaanbaatar, past stone cairns draped with blue prayer flags.
AFTERNOONSpend a free afternoon shopping for cashmere and souvenirs.
EVENINGToast the trip at a farewell dinner with a glass of wine or a beer.
Breakfast, Dinner
MORNINGShare one last breakfast, hug it out and head to the airport whenever your flight calls. Checkout is at noon.
Breakfast
From $5,650 · 9 days · Max 14 women · $550 holds your spot
Where you’ll stay
TERELJ · 2 NIGHTS
Terelj Star Resort
Deluxe gers set among rolling meadows, pine-covered hills and rock formations, with yaks grazing outside and a sky full of stars at night.
ULAANBAATAR · 3 NIGHTS
Novotel Ulaanbaatar
A modern hotel in the middle of the city with comfy beds, hot showers and reliable Wi-Fi. Our travelers say it’s even nicer than they expected.
Roommates, matched
Our compatibility quiz, built with a matchmaker and psychologist, pairs you with someone you’ll actually click with. Or upgrade to a private room.
Who you’ll travel with
Up to 13 other women, most of whom booked on their own. They range from 28 to 88, and it’s the eagle festival, the family dinners and the late-night ger chats that bond you. 92% of our travelers say they keep in touch after the trip ends.
✓Meet your group on WhatsApp before you fly
✓A welcome dinner on night one, with your guide making the introductions
✓Solo time built in, so you’re never forced to be “on”
“I felt like I had so much in common with everyone. It was a unique, special experience.”
Vanessa Y. · Mongolia
The people behind your trip
Your guide
Bata
Bata is a mom of five, a queen of multitasking and the reason a lot of our travelers say they’d book again. She sets up visits with families you’d never meet on your own, and she once hauled a coffee pot all the way to Ulgii because the hotel only had instant.
Expect endless patience, a huge smile and a deep love for her country that she can’t wait to share.
Founder
Amanda Black
After getting robbed as a backpacker, Amanda vowed no woman traveling alone should ever feel that stranded. Since 2018 and hundreds of group trips, she’s still keeping that promise.
Behind the scenes
Our operations team
You’ll see Bata and our local partners. Behind them, our team follows every day of your trip to keep you safe and on track.
In their words
★★★★★ 4.7 on Trustpilot · Read all reviews
★★★★★
“The Eagle Festival, of course. Reading about it and experiencing it are not the same; it was so much more than I imagined. Visiting with the families was also such a treat.”
Tammy Q.
Mongolia
★★★★★
“Meeting Billeg and hearing the throat singing in Ulgii was a pretty unreal experience. Bata was the real star of the show though. The scenery at the Golden Eagle Festival was like something out of a movie.”
Vanessa Y.
Mongolia
★★★★★
“We could not have had a better guide than Bata. She went above and beyond not just in teaching us about her wonderful country, but in setting up extra experiences.”
Julienne P.
Mongolia
Your Safety on tour
Never on your own, unless you want to be
“Bata was the absolute best! She took care of us in such a way that I had no concerns about anything.”
Tammy Q. · Mongolia
A local female guide, every day
We meet you at the airport
Private transport, vetted routes
Pre-trip guides, so you land prepared
A guide who knows every family we visit
One guide in front, a whole team behind her
“Bata was the absolute best! She took care of us in such a way that I had no concerns about anything.”
Tammy Q. · Mongolia
Choose your departure
$550 holds your spot
It comes off your total.
Pay at your pace
As much and as often as you like. Balance due 90 days out.
Plans change? Transfer for free
Move your spot to another date or trip with 90+ days’ notice.
Per person, USD · Other currencies at checkout · 🔒 Secure checkout with Stripe
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Mongolia Sept 29 - Oct 7, 2027
Questions women ask before booking
Is this trip right for me?
Pack for the cold. The festival is in early October in the Altai foothills, and it can snow. Bring layers, a warm hat and gloves.
Pack light for the flights. The flights to and from Ulgii allow 15kg checked and 5kg carry-on.
Meat lovers’ country. Expect lots of mutton and dairy. If you’re vegetarian, we do our best to give you filling meals, but bring protein snacks from home.
How active is this trip?
Light. Festival days are mostly standing and watching, with short walks between events and the food gers. The Terelj hike is easy to moderate: about 800 meters and 108 steps up to the monastery.
The flights between Ulaanbaatar and Ulgii are about 2 hours each, and the drive to Terelj is about 2 hours.
Where do I arrive and leave from?
Arrive: Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN) in Ulaanbaatar on day one, and we’ll pick you up. Land by 3pm so you’re settled in time for the welcome meeting at 6pm.
Leave: Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN) any time on the last day. Checkout is at noon. Your airport drop-off isn’t included, but your guide can help you arrange a ride.
Do I have to share a room?
Only if you want to. Twin-share rooms are included in the price, or you can upgrade to a private room. If you share, you’ll take our roommate compatibility quiz, built with a professional matchmaker and psychologist, and we pair you with someone who fits how you travel: early riser or night owl, social butterfly or quiet recharger.
Will we stay in the places shown on this page?
Usually, yes. These are the places we book. Now and then one is unavailable, and we swap it for a stay of the same standard or better.
Do I need a visa?
It depends on your passport. US and Canadian passport holders don’t need one for a trip this length. Many other passports do, and there’s no visa on arrival in Mongolia, so check early.
Once you book, we’ll walk you through exactly what you need, step by step, until you land in Ulaanbaatar.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes, travel insurance is required for every traveler. When you book your spot, you can add a plan from our preferred insurance partner in a couple of clicks, or choose your own provider and add your policy details any time before departure.
What’s not included?
International flights.
Travel insurance, which is required.
Visa fees, if your passport needs one.
Tips for your guide.
Your airport drop-off on the last day.
Meals not listed in the itinerary, including the optional dinner on day one.
What if I need to cancel?
90 or more days before departure: we’ll transfer your deposit to another SoFe trip, any date or any destination. Or we’ll hold it for up to a year until you’re ready to choose.
Fewer than 90 days before departure: payments are non-refundable, so you’d claim through your travel insurance. That’s exactly what it’s there for.
Everything you need before you go
The dress code, a printable packing list, and books and films to get you in the mood.
Your spot is waiting.
From $5,650 · 9 days · Max 14 women · $550 holds your spot
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