Muir's Tours - Mongolia Festivals

Mongolia Regular Events & Festivals

 THE safe place (security issues) for adventure travellers, Mongolia is rapidly being recognised as a cultural destination with the Naadam Festival drawing many to this part of Asia.

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Early August - Yak festival - Arkhangai province Tariat Sum
Mongolia rates number two in the world for its number of yaks. It is a tradition in Mongolia to hold Yak Festival annually, hallowing this strong as well as productive animal, mostly dwelling the highlands of the country. The event consists of several parts such as: Yak show, wrestling, yak races and horse races.

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11th - 13th July - Naadam - Most provinces
The main festival of Naadam is already quite well known around the world. The festival celebrates the 1921 Mongolian revolution and therefore the main events are horse racing, archery and wrestling. The traditional sports of the Mongolian warrior (the three "manly" sports). Although today you will see young girls and women taking part in the horse racing and archery.

Naadam is held throughout Mongolia, but the largest event is in Ulaanbaatar. The atmosphere during Naadam is exciting with various forms of entertainment and as well as the sport.

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Mid - Late August - Mini Naadam - Tuv province-Ondor dov
The core of Mini Naadam is a small scale version of the famous National Naadam Festival. The purpose of Mini Naadam, is to let allow tourists the opportunity to take photos or shoot video closer than is possible during National Naadam Festival. There are all the usual competitions of wrestling, horse races and archery during the event.

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Early September - Tsam dance - Ulaanbaatar 
The Buddhist ceremony for the ten Dharma Protectors takes place at Dashchoiling monastery. The public are allowed into the monastery to see the Tsam dance performance. In this Tsam there are many kinds of deities such as Damdinchoijoo, the king of Death, Shridevi, the female protector of religion, Gongor and Namsrai, the deities of wealth. In the evening, there will be a special religious festival, called “Sor Zalah” or “Throwing the Sor” which mean throwing and burning of the blessed barley.

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Early October - Eagle Hunting Festival - Bayan-Ulgii aimag
One of the oldest and the most spectacular festivals for Kazakh people. Hunting with eagles to the Kazakhs is the same as riding a horse to the Mongols - it is the main thing, it is everything. It exhibits the real pride of the Kazakhs. The festival is held in the extreme western area of majestic Altai mountains, river glaciers and beautiful landscape of Mongolia’s Bayan-Ulgii aimag.