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Treasures of Slovakia Tours 2019

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Exotic Mongolia and Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival!
Home Stays with Kazakh Nomads & Throat Singer; Ulaanbaatar Treasures A dream come true - experience Kazakh nomad life as we spend several nights in a family compound staying in gers (yurts) and viewing daily life; then experience the incomparable Golden Eagle Festival with feats of daring on horseback, a camel race and handcrafted treasures galore for sale! End with 2 nights in Ulan Bator, a city of contrasts, known for the great golden Bhudda temple.
Sept. 11 - 20, 2019 Land only - $ 2,399; single room add $599 A unique tour to discover a magical world of nomads, eagle hunters, goat herders, embroiderers and throat singers. Bayan Olgii (Ulgii) is the only Kazakh province in Mongolia. Around 1750 some Kazakh families moved from Kazakhstan to China and in 1844, 500 Kazakh families traveled to a new home in northwestern Mongolia. Today the Mongolian Kazakhs are the only ones among the Kazakh peoples who have maintained their pure, traditional culture and language. There is no road from UB to the Kazakh region around Olgii and it is so remote, in the far northwest corner of Mongolia, 1000 miles from the capital. The only way to get there is by plane since there are no roads between the two places. The old ways with families living in their compounds are still strong here. One of the traditions for which the Kazakhs are famous is their hunt with Golden Eagles, hunting for fox, rabbits, even wolves! Kazakh women are famed for their traditional embroidery decorating their gers with glorious embroidered and appliqued wedding cloths and for felt making for rugs and clothing. This is a rare opportunity to experience living history – to sample the life of nomadic families and to share and learn about their unique lifestyle.
Day 1 Tuesday, September 10 Upon arrival in Ulaanbaatar, you will be met at the airport and driven to our hotel. Time to rest up and meet the other travelers. (Dinner on your own – many flights arrive very late) Hotel in Ulaanbaatar, pick up at airport
Day 2 Wednesday, September 11 Flight from UB to Ulgii City, Meet your guide on arrival and the crew, drivers and expedition cooks. Drive to a village to enjoy a rare concert by a throat singer. Overnight in family home. Breakfast, lunch & dinner Day 3 and 4 Thursday & Friday, September 12 and 13, Arrive at the Kazakh Eagle hunter’s family compound. We’ll arise at the same time as the nomads and there will be much to see and do surrounded by the rugged mountains. Try riding with the Kazahk herdsmen to see how they care for their animals from the yaks and cows to the beautiful

horses that come running by from time to time. Try your hand at milking a yak, pet a cashmere goat; help with processing dairy products and sample traditional foods. Marvel at cheesecooked up on a tiny stove in 5 minutes; it is totally delicious and sample a kind of rich buttermilk. Explore the real way of life of a regular nomadic family. Staying in a ger is an amazing experience. Be surrounded by their friendliness and hospitality. One day we’ll meet the Eagle hunter’s family. You will be introduced to the art of eagle hunting and can talk with the hunter through an interpreter to learn how he trains and hunts with his eagle. This is a super photo opp! Holding a golden eagle on your arm is a peak experience of life! The tradition of hunting with eagles goes back thousands of years in central Asia. We also will visit other families in the compound and have a bit of musical entertainment, an embroidery demonstration and enjoyable interchanges with the families, young and old. A highlight was the bubble gum we brought – young and old tried it. 2 nights in a Ger, The three meals a day were lovingly prepared throughout the trip by our crew cooks featuring hearty soups, fresh salads and intriguing stir fry dishes. They stayed with us the entire time in Olgii. Breakfast, lunch & dinner. Day 5 and 6 Saturday, Sunday, September 14 and 15 The Magical Golden Eagle Festival begins with a Parade and an Eagle Calling Event As the eagle hunters line up, the photos are spectacular. They appear in gorgeous folk dress and the eagles ride on their outstretched arms. They let us take close ups – a feast of color. The first day the eagle hunters demonstrate different aspects of their eagle training and hunting skills. The first competition is a calling event. Three circles mark the field, each with varying numbers of points – 6, 8, and 10. The eagle is brought to the top of a nearby hill while its hunter awaits on his horse in a given circle. When the eagle is released, it flies toward and lands directly on the hunter’s arm. The further the ring, the higher the points. Several confident hunters wait at 10. Many of the eagles fly in a straight line to their hunters, but others take a longer way, checking nearby rocks for small rodents, or even disappearing high in the sky. As the competition goes on, more eagles are loose, fighting among themselves, or landing on the hunter’s arm.