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Witness / Attend in Bokonbaevo
A small town on the quieter south shore of Lake Issyk-Kul, backed by the Terskey Ala-Too. Bokonbaevo is the recognised home of Kyrgyz eagle hunting, where resident berkutchi keep and fly golden eagles, and it hosts demonstrations and the annual Salburun hunting gathering.
No organizer, no ticket office. This is a living tradition, and the way in is simply to be there; guides get you inside it.
Dates & details verified against: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage ↗
Why here
Bokonbaevo is the best place in Kyrgyzstan to see eagle hunting, the tradition the Kyrgyz call berkutchi, which UNESCO inscribed on its list of falconry heritage in 2021. A hunter carries a golden eagle on a gloved arm, and on the open steppe above the lake releases it after a lure or a live quarry, the bird stooping and gripping in seconds before returning to the fist. This is not a stadium act invented for tourists. The skill passes down within families, an eagle is kept for years and then released back to the wild to breed, and the town's hunters welcome visitors to watch a working demonstration and hear how a bird is trained, fed and flown. Come for a private demonstration through the season, or in the autumn for the Salburun gathering, when hunters, taigan hounds and horsemen compete together.
Best months
Demonstrations run year-round and can be arranged on a day's notice through the town, but the tradition belongs to the cold months. Late autumn through winter, from about November to February, is when the hunting is real, the eagles are working and the light and snow suit photography. The annual Salburun gathering is usually held in the autumn. Sessions take place on the open hills above the lake and can be cold and exposed, so dress warmly.
Getting there & around
Bokonbaevo sits on the south-shore road around Issyk-Kul, roughly four to five hours from Bishkek and about two hours from Karakol by car or marshrutka. Demonstrations are arranged through the town's community-tourism contacts, guesthouses or the eagle hunters directly, usually at a set fee per visitor. There is simple guesthouse and yurt-camp accommodation locally, which makes an easy overnight when combined with the south shore's petroglyphs and canyons.
Skill levels: beginner
Schools & guides (1)
Salburuun Federation
ClubThe Salburuun Federation, based in Bokonbaevo on the south shore of Issyk-Kul, works to preserve the training behind Kyrgyz nomadic hunting, from berkutchi eagle falconry to hunting with taigan hounds and horseback archery. It began formal registration and rules in 2010, adding animal-welfare standards that replaced practices such as live wolf-baiting with ethical simulations, and runs demonstrations and winter competitions. It keeps no booking website and is reached through the town.