Mongolia Naadam Festival - 2024 Tour

Arrival day in Ulaanbaatar. Take a half-day city tour, including the Gandan Monastery and National History Museum. Available to watch the ceremony of Nine White Banner at the central square and visit the national concert tonight. (L/D)

Naadam festival, biggest national holiday Mongolia. Enjoy festival colors and tradition: famed wrestlers, horse racers, and archery athletes will compete for best titles. Naadam festival brings together the country’s sporting men and women from the remotest regions to compete at the national level in the capital city. It is also a celebration of common people - herders who ride into town and urbanities who leave their flats and offices to watch the games- gathering where they have the opportunity to participate in the events, to barter, mix, sing and enjoy life to the full. (B/L/D)

Horse racing: The most impressive spectacle is surely the horse racing. The horses cover different distances according to their age. Azarga (stallions) 28km, Ikh nas (horses more than 5 years old) 30km, Soyolon (5-year olds) 25km, Khyazaalan (4-year olds) 22km, Shudlen (3-year olds) 20km and Daaga (colts to 2 years old) 15km. 

There are no limits on the number of horses participating; usually 200-600 horses in each race. The five winning horses are honored with a cup of mare’s milk (airag) on their neck, a khadag (respectful blue scarf), and a medal. 

Wrestling: The 512 wrestlers fight in the stadium, for the prestigious title “State Titan”. Both the “Titan” himself and the trainers have the opportunity to choose partners during the first few rounds, thus reducing the number of less experienced wrestlers early on and creating more excitement for the final matches on the second day. The rules are very simple: The wrestling area is unrestricted; there are no weight-classes and the one who touches the ground any part of the body, other than the feet, has lost. The winner continues to the next round. The loser has to stand under the wings of the proud winner. The wrestlers wear tight pants and a small vest with arms across the shoulders, which barely cover their well-trained bodies. 

Archery: Mongols are almost born with archery skills, an integral part of the nomad’s lifestyle. From very childhood, such qualities as perfect eyesight, measurement, patience, and strength are nourished to develop a good archer. Mongolian bows are very tight ones so that it requires pure strength to stretch it out. As a rule, several teams of archers compete. Each team of 5-7 archers should hit 33 leather cylinders from a distance of 75 meters.

Today we will drive to Terelj National Park to explore the natural beauty, ride on horseback through the beautiful Rocky Mountains and visit the nomad family to learn their lifestyle firsthand. Stay overnight at Traditional Mongolian ger dwelling. (B/L/D)

On the way back to Ulaanbaatar, we stop at Chinggis Khaan Statue in the Tsonjin Boldog area. It is located 55 km from Ulaanbaatar and the statue in total is 40m high from surface erected at about 10 m high foundation and surrounded by columns. The statue, Chinggis riding his horse, is made of 250 tonnage steel. It is the largest horse-riding statue in the World. Farsighted Chinggis Khaan holds a golden whip in his right hand. The building consisted of 36 supporting columns, symbolizes 36 kings who are direct lineage of Chinggis Khaan. Enjoy the traditional Folklore concert in the evening and if you want you can enjoy shopping- cashmere and state department store. (B/L/D)

Transfer to Chinggis Khaan International Airport or Train station and depart Mongolia. (B)