My journey to the far west of Mongolia was one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had! I had the honour of staying with two wonderful Kazakh families, living with them just as they live. Some moments were testing, (eating a goat's ear, for instance ;) ) but, mostly it was just BRILLIANT!

This album shows my experience with two families: Shokan's family in the incredible Altai mountains, an 8-hour drive overland from the nearest civilisation; and Esen's family, in the lowland plains near the village of Sagsai.  

Shokan and Esen are both eagle hunters, a tradition that has existed in Kazakh culture for hundreds and hundreds of years. With female Golden eagles trained to catch rabbits and foxes (or even bigger prey), Shokan and Esen hunt through the winter months.  During my stay they also competed in the annual Golden Eagle Festival near Bayan Ölgii, where nearly 100 eagle hunters took part in traditional events.  

The eagles are captured from the wild, which is a controversial issue for someone like me, who has a deep passion for wildlife and nature....but equally, it is an ancient tradition, and a way of life for Kazakh nomads. The eagles fly free and behave just as they would in the wild when it's time to hunt, but unlike in the wild, they are guaranteed a meal at the end of the day.

Although it may sound absurd, birds of prey don't generally fly for "fun"; they fly when they need to, to catch food. The remainder of the time they conserve all their precious energy by perching.

Although captive for a number of years, the Kazakh's will release their birds back into the wild once again to allow them to breed. They understand the importance of protecting the population and have a deep respect for these incredible birds.