Top Mongolian festivals

Festival of Ice

This winter festival takes place in February when temperatures in Mongolia can drop to minus 40 degrees! Brr.... The Ice Festival goes for two days when people living around the Lake gather for a activities and competitions that include ice sumo, ger (tent) building with ice, ice skating and sleigh rides.

Nadaam

Every year in July from the 11th - 14th the nation stops for an annual holiday to celebrate the "three manly sports" of Mongolia. These include wrestling, archery and horseback racing. The biggest celebrations are held in the capital Ulaanbaatar but every town across the country holds their own equivalent. The festival starts with traditional parades where everyone turns up in their finest silk deels (traditional dress) and there is also dancing. The sports events then begin and there's usually a market also with plenty of local food and drink available.

Tsagaan Tsaar

The Mongolian New Year festival or Tsagaan Tsaar is usually held in February in the winter months. It takes place roughly about the same time as Chinese New Year. For this celebration Mongolians visit their friends and family to exchange gifts and will eat traditional foods such as buuz (dumplings) and drink the potent airag (fermented milk). Mongolians love to party and the celebrations usually last long into the night.

Golden Eagle Festival

The ancient tradition of hunting with Eagles is still alive amongst the Kazaks of Western Mongolia. And every year all the hunters from the province gather to show off their skills and compete against each other. There are prizes for speed, agility and accuracy and of course local dress. Folklore performances also take place. The event is usually held in early October.

The Thousand Camel Festival

The Thousand Camel Festival or Bactrian Camel Festival is held in February in the Gobi desert. Camel herder people gather to race thier camels, enjoy traditional music, dance and costume and traveller's get a rare insight into the unique Gobi life.