For thousands of years, the Altai Mountains in the northwest of Mongolia have been home to nomadic Kazakh shepherds. The Bazarbey family's autumn camp is located near a lake whose water glows in an intense turquoise.

We first met Bazarbey senior during the official speech of the Mayor of Ulgi, the capital of the province, at the Eagle Hunter Festival, which is held each autumn. The children of his brother, Aitkabi, - eleven year old Serun and thirteen year old Zamanbeh - won the competition for the most beautiful Kazakh costume.

We are going to a festival that the nomads hold each autumn, before the big cold comes. For Bazabey, his brother and his children, this is a welcome opportunity to compete with others in various disciplines. On our trip we meet other nomads who are also on their way to the festival. Everyone has bought along their eagles, which shows that hunting with birds of prey, which has been practiced here in the Altai for centuries, is still a custom in many families.

Bazarbey and his brother collect the horses they need for the competitions. The organizers expect sixty five participants, and those who can ride in this region and hunt with eagles are happy to attend to such a celebration. These occasions offer the opportunity to meet friends and distant relatives, to get the latest information about the grazing grounds in the various valleys, and to report on the damage caused by wolves, bears and dreaded snow leopards.

Now as bait, a fox, a hare or a wildcat is tied to a leash and pulled across the field to make it look as if it were an animal on the run. They used to use live animals, but these cruel practices were banned by the government.

The last competition is only for the toughest. First they have to catch an untamed horse from the herd with a lasso and then, without a saddle and bridle, ride it for as long as possible.

For two thousand years these have been among the customs of the nomads of the Altai. Basic customs that appeal to both human and animal instinct. The call of the wild in a colourfully natural and atmospheric setting!