The Naadam Festival Tour
7 days
Overview
The official Naadam celebration annually takes place throughout the country on 11 and 12 July and all provinces and towns celebrate their festivals respectively on their own dates in July. The Mongol nomads who are sparsely distributed throughout the vast territory of the country, would gather all together to celebrate the Naadam Festival once every year in July. It is a festival that puts competitors’ bravery, speed and skills to the test. The word Naadam literally means ‘’Games’’. The festival is also locally termed "Eriin gurvan naadam" meaning "The Three Manly Games". The games are Mongolian wrestling, horse racing, and archery, and are held throughout the country during midsummer. Women have started participating in the archery and girls in the horse-racing games, but not in Mongolian wrestling. In 2010, Naadam was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO. The Naadam is an annual festival celebrated by Mongolians since the time of the Hunnus. Even, the core of the festival – three manly sports – the wrestling, horseracing and archery, embrace many elements of arts, such as singing, dancing and performing.
Date & Price:
Departing: 09-07-2025
Finishing: 15-07-2025
Status: Open
Price Per Person:
Includes:
- 5 overnights in a 4 star hotel in Ulaanbaar
- 1 overnight at the tourist ger camp (twin/triple)
- Drinking water
- All visits, Naadam festival opening entrance fee, and other visit and sightseeing fees in the programme
- Private comfortable van for the group including gasoline with an experienced driver
- English speaking guide
- All indicated meals
Exludes:
- Travel insurance
- Optional activities
- Meals not indicated
- International flights and airport transfers
- Drinks
- Gratuities
- Mongolian tourist visa fee
- Hotel early check-in and late check-out
- Other services not mentioned in the itinerary
Travel information:
- * Attend Naadam Festival in Mongolia which is inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
- * Visit and attend to the Naadam Festival in Central stadium.
- * Visit Horse race place
Day 1 Arrival in Mongolia
Arrive in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. Our representative will pick you up from the airport and transfer you to a 4-star hotel located within the city center. Meet at the hotel lobby and the tour guide will lead you on a walking city tour including the main square with a grand statue of Chinggis Khan in front of the parliament building, the National History Museum introducing Mongolia’s history from early humans to the modern era, and the Choijin Lama Temple Museum displaying some of the best samples of Buddhist artworks. Then attend a show of traditional performances followed by a welcome dinner and tour briefing.
- D
- Hotel
Day 2 Visit Deeltei Mongol festival (Mongolian costume festival)
Our guide will pick you up from the hotel and walk to the central square to visit Deeltei Mongolia Naadam (Mongolian costume festival). On this day Mongolian people wear their traditional clothes of Deel and there are several nominations such as the Contest for best-dressed couple (in Mongolian national costume), Contest of best-dressed foreigner (in Mongolian national costume), Contest of public dance and Best Dancing Couple... You will have a chance to see the Mongolian all ethnic group's different styles of traditional clothes.
- B.L.D
- Hotel
Day 3 See the Naadam Festival in the Central Stadium
Meet with the guide and driver. Today we will visit to the Naadam Festival stadium. The national holiday Naadam is not only famous among Mongolians but also in the world. Many tourists, guests and journalists come to Mongolia to take part. The Festival starts with a transferring ceremony of the nine white banners from the Government House to the Naadam Stadium followed by a horse parade. Genghis Khaan used to use the nine banners during festive and peaceful times. Next, the magnificent opening ceremony starts. Traditional wrestling, archery and horse race are main highlights of the festival. As well as, you will see anklebone shooting and Naadam trade starting from Naadam main dish Huushuur, souvenirs, traditional clothes and much more. In the evening attend a show presenting traditional performances consisting of music, throat-singing, dancing, and contortion followed by a dinner at local restaurant.
- B.L.D
- Hotel
Day 4 Go to the horse-race field
Our guide and driver will pick you up early in the morning and drive outside west of Ulaanbaatar to the horse-race field. There are 6 races categorized by the horses’ age and race distances are between 15 and 30 kilometers depending on the age group. The jockeys are children usually between the ages of 9 and 12. While waiting for the race, the area is bustling with interesting activities such as folk and horse shows, festive foods, souvenir sales, and mini-games for spectators to partake. Return to Ulaanbaatar for dinner and hotel drop-off.
- B.L.D
- Hotel
- 50 km
Day 5 Drive to Terelj national park
Stopover at the Chinggis Khan statue complex. It is a 40-meter (130 ft) tall, stainless-steel statue of mounted Chinggis Khan and the world’s largest equestrian statue. Once you go inside, there is a souvenir shop, restaurant, and small museum. A lift takes you to a flight of stairs leading up to back of the horse’s head where you can get a panoramic view of the surrounding steppe. Afterwards drive to Terelj NP, a popular vacation spot for tourists and locals.
- B.L.D
- Ger camp
- 70 km
Day 6 Drive back to Ulaanbaatar
Drive back to Ulaanbaatar. Free day till dinner.
- B.D
- Hotel
- 70 km
Day 7 Departure
Pick up from the hotel and transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
- B
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