A recent documentary called The Eagle Huntress followed the story of Aisholpan Nurgaiva, a 13-year-old girl, as she trained to become the first female in twelve generations of her nomadic Mongolian Kazakh family to become an eagle hunter. Longtime Journeys traveler Dick Seibel attended the Golden Eagle Festival, where Aisholpan was the first female to ever compete in this centuries-old tradition. Here, he shares his story of witnessing this festival firsthand.
- Related: Nomads of Mongolia (video)