Eagle hunting in Kazakhstan: where to see Kazakh eagle hunters

Kazakh eagle hunting is easiest to see at a tournament, and the tournament with a current date is Shygys Salburyny in Bozanbay village, East Kazakhstan. In October 2026 organisers expected about 150 eagle and falcon masters from nine countries. If you are in Kazakhstan outside the festival, your realistic option is the Sunkar centre in Almaty, which is a bird show rather than a hunt. Be clear which one you are planning for.

Four ways to see a golden eagle in Kazakhstan, compared

Each row gives a different experience, so choose by what you want to watch and whether your dates can move.

The practical reading: a festival gives you the real thing but ties you to dates nobody has published yet. Sunkar fits any Almaty trip, as long as you check first that it is running.

Shygys Salburyny: the festival worth arranging a trip around

Bozanbay has hosted this event since 2021, when the first tournament was called Qansonar. It went international in 2022 under its present name. The name is usually translated as “Eastern Hunter”. In 2026 it included the first open Asian Cup in hunting with birds of prey and was on the Ministry of Tourism and Sports calendar of major events.

The main ground is called Burkit Tobe, “eagle hill”. Alongside the birds, the programme lists Tazy races, horse-breaking, archery from horseback, picking up a coin at the gallop, a crafts fair and a concert. In 2023 the event counted 40 golden eagles, 10 falcons and 40 Tazy dogs. It had hunters from China, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Russia. If you want to ride yourself, seven national parks have an official horse-hire rate; see horse riding in Kazakhstan.

Fly to Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk) and go on by road: FlyArystan lists the city from both Almaty and Astana in its winter 2026/27 schedule. Do not buy flights until the akimat names dates. The festival has moved by more than a month between editions.

What the competition looks like

RFE/RL describes three stages at the 2023 Salburyn tournament. First the bird must return promptly when called from a distance. Next it dives on a lure of fur or hide swung on a string. The final uses live game and is judged on speed, beauty and behaviour, with hunters in traditional dress.

Know this before you take children: at Bozanbay in 2023 the semi-final used free hares and the final foxes. Animals are caught in front of the crowd. If you only want to see the birds, the show format suits you better.

Sunkar: the golden eagle closest to Almaty

Sunkar was founded in 1989 to protect the endangered saker falcon and stands at 7 Alma-Arasan Street, near the Alma-Arasan gorge. Welcome.kz describes a golden eagle among the resident birds and part of the show. It pairs naturally with a day in the mountains above Almaty.

Travel listings disagree on show days, times and season, and we did not find a site run by the centre. Ask your driver or hotel to phone before you set off.

Wild golden eagles: where they are on record

Golden eagles live in several protected areas, though no page can promise you a sighting. Our guides list them at Zhongar-Alatau, Karatau Reserve, West Altai, Ustyurt, Naurzum and the Semey forest. Park materials also note them along the road to Charyn Canyon. For other species, see where to watch wildlife in Kazakhstan.

Words you will meet on posters and in schedules

Programmes are in Kazakh and Russian, so these words help you read them. Other words and customs you may meet at celebrations, such as shashu, bata and kokpar, are explained in Kazakh culture and customs.

What we could not confirm