Extreme Living: Rare insight into the migration of the eagle hunters

The photographer and filmmaker made the trip across the Altai Mountains in western Mongolia for the first time in 2015 and was the first outsider to walk with a Kazakh family on their spring nomadic migration.

This time around he was excited to be joined by eight photographers from Europe, USA and New Zealand as well as 13 Mongolians.

Since 2005, Tim has been to the country over ten times and has developed a close relationship with one Kazakh family - Shohan and his wife Perna - who move six times a year between various seasonal camps in Bayan Ulgii Province.

The Kazakhs of western Mongolia are known for hunting with eagles and each year - between February and April - around 200 families make the 150km trip across the Altai mountains, in temperatures of up to -40 degrees celsius.

This year’s trip, which took place in February 2016, followed the same nomadic migration as last year. The destination, Shohan’s family’s spring camp in Tavan Bogd National Park, is a place that only a handful of outsiders have witnessed in the winter months. It takes them around five gruelling days to cross the mountains and reach the family’s camp.

Tim said: “This is the beginning of their spring migration, the migration that takes them up to their spring pastures.”

Timothy and his group spent a few days in the remote location, accompanying Shohan hunting with his golden eagle. The group made the trip with three 4x4 vehicles, a six-wheeler overland truck and eight full-size gers (a Mongolian yurt) to accommodate everyone.

Although a lot of the family’s worldly goods can now be moved on the truck, the animals still needed to cross the mountains on foot. Shohan, Tim and his team were joined by Shohan’s eagle, the family’s camels, sheep, goats, cows, horses and yaks.

Tim said: “This was the most elaborate expedition I have ever undertaken.

He added: “Moving 21 people across the Altai mountains in winter is no mean feat, believe me.”