Naadam Festival Exploration

Naadam Festival, also known as the ‘Olympics of the Nomads’, is the largest festival of Mongolia, held annually from July 11th to 13th as a part of the Mongolia National Day celebration. During this period, Ulaanbaatar has the country’s most vibrant atmosphere, making it the best place to experience the feast. Naadam literally means ‘three games for men’ in Mongolian, namely wrestling, horse racing, and archery. The history of Naadam can be traced back to the time of Genghis Khan about 800 years ago. Every July or August, he gathered his army and used one of these three games to test the soldiers. Later, the three competitions were combined and became a regular event - Naadam.

 Note: As Naadam is quite popular among locals and tourists, the tickets need to be booked beforehand. We recommend you confirm your trip with us at least 3 months in advance to make sure we can get the tickets for you.

Upon your arrival at Ulaanbaatar Chinggis Khaan International Airport or Railway Station, our private guide will pick you up and the experienced driver will transfer you to the hotel. The rest of the day is free for you. You may stroll around to feel the happy atmosphere at every corner of the city. 

 Things to Know:
1. Weather in July: The temperature during the Naadam Festival ranges from 22°C-32°C (71°F-89°F), and has a large variation between day and night, so sun-protective gear and thick clothes are both necessary.
2. Telephoto Lens: If you want to capture wonderful moments during the festival, please remember to take a telephoto lens.
3. Traffic Condition: During Naadam, not only locals but also many tourists rush into Ulaanbaatar, which makes the traffic heavier than usual. As a result, the driving time may be longer, especially on the way to the suburb to watch horse racing and back.

 Recommended Restaurant: (at your own expense)
Modern Nomads is a chain restaurant in Ulaanbaatar, and we recommend you head to Modern Nomads 1 restaurant, only a 15-minute drive from the hotel. Try its signature dish - Roast Lamb with Stone which is not roasted on fire but with burnt stones. The lamb mixed with potatoes and onions will be put into the pot with scorching stones layer by layer, and finally, beer will be used to add its flavor. After 1-hour roasting, the lamb tastes juicy and tender. Service attendants may not be good at English, so an electronic translator is helpful.
Average Cost per Person: USD 15-20. The Visa card is acceptable at the restaurant, but less cost-effective than using MNT cash.
Address: In Front of Metro Mall, Baga Toiruu Street, Ulaanbaatar

Accommodation: Grand Hill Hotel Ulaanbaatar (4 stars) or similar

In the morning, our experienced guide and the driver will pick you up from the hotel and escort you to the Ulaanbaatar National Stadium to attend the opening ceremony of the Naadam Festival. As the first cheers burst, your Naadam tour embraces its real start. After the speech by the President of Mongolia, soldiers in red and blue uniforms holding the State Nine Banners on horses step into the stadium magisterially, followed by horse racers, archers, and wrestlers. Then, the celebration culminates in a series of performances such as the Mongolian folk dance, Biyelgee. People dressed in colorful traditional costumes wiggle their bodies to the rhythm of Khöömii, a kind of throat-singing.

After cooling your mind from the whoop-de-do of the opening ceremony, it is time to jump into the exciting archery races in the afternoon. Archers need to shoot small leather-made cylinders with red markings and they are scored based on how far the targets moved from their initial locations. The further they move, the higher scores archers will get. You may even hear the swishing sound when arrows are released from bows if sitting on the front spectator seat. Made of wood, ox horn, leather, and feathers of raptors, the bows and arrows need more than 6 months to be finished, making them very valuable.

Then, you can thrust your way into the crowd cheering for wrestlers. Wrestling is the most important sport in Mongolia, and wrestlers especially champions who are considered heroes and the people close to the god gain much veneration. Before the race, competitors will dance their traditional devekh, also known as the “eagle dance”, emulating the flying gestures of eagles and phoenixes to show their courage and power. With the whistle blowing, wrestlers tangle with each other and try their hardest to fall their opponents down. If one of them touches the ground with body parts other than hands and feet, the other one will be the winner. When the competition ends, we will escort you back to the hotel.

 Night Activity Recommended: Ulaanbaatar Firework Show
As a conventional ceremony, the fireworks show is displayed on Sukhbaatar Square at 24:00 on July 11th every year. The square is a 20-minute drive from your hotel and you can easily reach by taxi. Amidst the people who count down, you can hurrah for the booming of colorful fireworks, which will leave you with an unforgettable memory of this Nadaam tour. Besides, please keep your valuables safe in the crowded square. You are also advised to return to the hotel as soon as the show ends, as there may be alcoholics on the street.
► How to Hail a Car: It is best to use taxis equipped with meters. UBcab, the Mongolian car-hailing app that has an English version is also widely used. Hailing a private car on the street is possible, too. However, if using private cars, you can pay referring to the distance on Google Maps to avoid overcharges and only cash is acceptable.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Grand Hill Hotel Ulaanbaatar (4 stars) or similar

After breakfast, our guide and the driver will accompany you to the suburb of Ulaanbaatar where the intense horse racing is held. Mongolian horse racing includes long-distance, short-distance, and steeplechase races. Different from the steeplechase of the West held at the racecourse, Mongolia’s takes place in the natural grassland. It is a big test of rapport between riders and horses. They need to work together to surmount unknown natural obstacles and fight for the golden medal. Participants are usually 13 or 14 years old, with the youngest being only seven, as a lightweight rider can reduce the burden for the horse. They are dressed in vibrant traditional costumes and gallop with whips brandished, leaving clouds of dust behind. Standing beside the fences along the runway, you will feel the clip-clop of horses’ hooves beating your heart like a drum.

 Recommended Food: Khuushuur 
As the saying goes, “If you don’t have khuushuur, then you don't experience the Naadam.”, so don’t miss the tasty snack. You can easily buy it at stalls outside of the National Stadium during the festival, costing MNT 800-1,500 (about USD 0.2-0.4) each. It is a kind of fried pastry with minced mutton or beef mixed with onions, garlic, cabbage, and carrots as fillings, which is always served with pickles. If you are a vegetarian, khuushuur filled with vegetables, cheese, or tofu is also an alternative.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Grand Hill Hotel Ulaanbaatar (4 stars) or similar

Coming to Ulaanbaatar, how can you not visit its best attractions? Today, the guide will accompany you to explore some of its highlights. The first spot will be a Tibetan-style Buddhist monastery, Gandan Monastery. Initially built in 1835, it has developed into the largest lamasery in Mongolia, housing a golden Buddha statue as one of the country’s national treasures. Then drop by Sukhbaatar Square in the city center, where there is a statue of Sukhbaatar, who is a hero of Mongolia. On the right side of Sukhbaatar, a bronze statue of Genghis Khan is set up at the doorway of the Parliament House where you can take a photo with this great leader. Next, the guide will lead you to the National Museum of Mongolia and explore the story behind Mongolia's Stone Age ruins and rock carvings, traditional clothes, and representative artworks of the nomads.

In the afternoon, we will continue to Bogd Khan Palace Museum, one of the most important museums in Mongolia. Built in 1903, it was originally a Buddhist temple which soon became the Palace of Bogd Khan, the last emperor of Mongolia. Your eyes will be caught by a white European-style building - the Winter Palace of Bogd Khan which houses clothes of the royal families, articles for their daily use, Tangkas, Buddha statues, and other religious items. You can closely experience the lavish life of Bogd Khan by admiring the yurt made of 150 jaguar skins.

Leaving the museum, climb up the Zaisan Memorial Hill, which is located on a mountain to the south of Ulaanbaatar. It was built to commemorate Soviet and Mongolian soldiers who sacrificed for the country in the Second World War (1939-1945). Besides, it is a great place to overview the whole city.

★ Watch Traditional Mongolian Folk Song and Dance Show

To conclude the day, a traditional Mongolian music and dance show will be arranged for you, during which you will have a chance to enjoy the famous “throat singing”. It is said that in ancient times Mongolian soldiers would sing in chorus before the war to encourage morale. If you close your eyes, you may have an illusion of listening to a small choir. Besides, the traditional Mongolian dance, Biyelgee, is conventionally performed while half-sitting, which reflects nomadic life through the expressive movement of arms and shoulders. The dancers usually wear vibrant deels - a kind of long, loose-fitting robes with intricate patterns such as floral, geometric, and symbolic motifs and adorned with jewelry, belts, and colorful sashes. Just immerse in the jubilant atmosphere!

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Grand Hill Hotel Ulaanbaatar (4 stars) or similar

At the very end of this Mongolia Naadam Festival tour, our guide will pick you up from the hotel and send you to the airport for your return flight. If interested, we can continue to tailor the tour for you to have a deep exploration of the Gobi desert, valleys, waterfalls, and hot springs on the vast Mongolian grasslands. Please feel free to contact us!

Meals: Breakfast