Naadam Festival (July 10th - July 12th): Naadam is a traditional type of Festival in Mongolia. The festival is also locally termed "the three games of men". The games are Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery. The three games of wrestling, horse racing, and archery had been recorded in the 13rd century book The Secret History of the Mongols. It formally commemorates the 1921 Revolution, when Mongolia declared itself independent of China. Women have started participating in the archery and girls in the horse-racing games, but not in Mongolian wrestling. The biggest festival is held in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar during the National Holiday from July 10th - July 12th in the National Sports Stadium. Other cities and towns across Mongolia, have their own, smaller scale Naadam celebrations. It begins with an elaborate introduction ceremony featuring dancers, athletes, horse riders, and musicians. After the ceremony, the competitions begin. Another popular Naadam activity is the playing of games using shagai, sheep knuckles that serve as game pieces and tokens of both divination and friendship. Click here to find 2024 All Naadam Festival Special Tours.
The Reindeer Herders Festival: takes place near the Khuvsgul Lake, in Khuvsgul province on July 06 and July 07, annually. There are 85 families live in the depths of the Taiga forest herding their 2690 reindeer. At the beginning of July, numerous reindeer people arrive near the Khuvsgul Lake with their reindeer from the depths of the Taiga forest to introduce their customs and tradition while participating in the Reindeer Festival. It is an opportunity for travelers to discover this unique culture not traveling far on rough roads and riding horses for several days to the remote Taiga. Except for the Reindeer Festival, Khuvsgul Lake is the world's freshest water lake and famous leisure holiday destination. The Reindeer/Tsaatan Festival aims to promote Reindeer herding, protect the animal and culture, attract both domestic and foreign tourists.
The Reindeer Herders Festival continues for 2 days:
-Reindeer/Tsaatan Herders Festival opening followed by a traditional Mongolian and Tsaatan concert.
-Visit the Reindeer families, explore their culture and lifestyle Reindeer race.
-You can ride horses, ox-cart, and reindeer Mini Naadam Festival and traditional wrestling.
-Reindeer polo.
-Bonfire and Shamanic ceremony.
-Horse racing.
-Local handmade souvenirs and art exhibition. Click here to find 2024 Reindeer Herders Festival Mongolia Tour.
Deel Mongol Festival (on July 09th): A deel is an item of traditional clothing commonly worn since centuries ago among the Mongols and other nomadic tribes of Central Asia, including various Turkic peoples, and can be made from cotton, silk, wool, or brocade. The deel is still commonly worn by both men and women outside major towns, especially by herders. In urban areas, deels are mostly only worn by elderly people, or on festive occasions. The Deel Mongol Festival is held in the Main square (*in the heart of Ulaanbaatar) on July 09th, and is comprised the folk art concert, parade-show in the Deel of Mongolian national clothes and Mongolian Ger. A traditional Ger is a portable, round tent covered with skins or felt used as a dwelling by nomads in the steppes of Central Asia. The structure comprises an angled assembly or latticework of pieces of wood or bamboo for walls, a door frame, ribs (poles), and a wheel (crown, compression ring) possibly steam bent. The roof structure is often self-supporting but large yurts may have interior posts supporting the crown. Click here to find 2024 All Naadam Festival Special Tours.
Yak Festival (in the last week of July): The Yak festival is held in the last week of July in Bat Ulzii village (sum) of Ovorkhangai (Uvurkhangai) province, which is considered as the motherland of yaks, with cooperation's of yak herders and yak down product producers. During the festival activities such as, yak parade, yak race, a fashion show and an exhibition of yak down products will be organized. Visit a Yak breeder's family and experience the traditional customs and lifestyle of local residents. Let's Travel to Mongolia Yaks Festival with Samar MagicTours. Book this tour early (*before October 1st) and safe 10%.
The Yaks Festival is one of the most important festivals in Mongolia. It's held each year on the 23rd of July, in Orkhon Valley, in Bat Ulzii sum, province of Ovorkhangai.
In Mongolia, the yak has a great value for nomadic breeders. It has many uses and is necessary for the good development of a farm. The yak can carry equipment on its back or tract a cart. Its wood is used for doing clothes, and, as any animal, its meat and milk are eaten. The main purpose of the festival is to promote the yak herder nomads, improve and increase the benefits of the yak related products, introduce the yak culture to the public, and attract tourists.
The main events of the Yak Festivals are:
1. The opening speech of a local governor followed by yak parade and performance.
2. Yak lassoing (the participants lasso a yak from an untrained herd of yaks).
3. Yak training (the participants ride and train the yaks they lasso).
4. Team competition of the yak herders (the competition type differs).
5. Polo sport while riding yaks (could be some of the most interesting and fun sport. Yak is a strong animal among the other animals of the nomads).
6. Yak racing (the Yak Festival tends to be a fun activity and could be some of the slowest races. Almost half of the yaks reach the finish line walking or barely trotting).
7. Best yak product competition (dairy products, yak hair/skin/horn products, and all new ideas or creativity).
8. A demonstration of yak wool rope making (the rope plays in an important role for the nomadic housing and animal tethering).
9. Demonstration of yak dairy product making (you will see how many different types of products the nomads produce).
The festival closes by the competition winner prizes
Except for the Yak Festival, the Mongolian people wear their nicest traditional clothes and the arena is the meeting point of friends, relatives, and local communities.
About Mongolian Yak: There are approximately 1,005,000 yaks in 13 provinces of Mongolia. Thus, Mongolia has the world's second-largest yak heads in the world, after China. The world yak population is 14.2 million. The mountainous yak habitat areas of Arkhangai, Uvurkhangai, Khuvsgul, Bayan-Ulgii, Uvs, and Khovd provinces are among the top tourist destinations in Mongolia. Not only the mountainous northern and western regions of Mongolia. The yaks are in mountainous areas of the Gobi desert such as Bayankhongor, Zavkhan, and Gobi Altai provinces. The yaks were domesticated relatively late and their isolated mountainous pastureland influences the animal's strong characters.
Contact us / Book Now!: info@samarmagictours.com / Click here to find the 2024 Yak Festival Mongolia Tour.
Danshig Naadam Festival: The Danshig Naadam Festival will held on August 03-04 in the West of Ulaanbaatar city, about 35kms (22 miles). The Danshig Naadam Festival celebrates the Ancient Buddhist traditions such as Tsam dancing, and it is dedicated to the Mongolia's first Buddhist leader, Zanabazar. Here also you can see the Naadam Festival activities such as, Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery. Click here to find the 14-day of Wonders of Mongolia with Danshig Naadam Festival Tour (August 02-August 15)-2024 or Click here to find the 3-day of Danshig Naadam Festival Tour (August 02-Autust 5)-2024
The Altai Kazakh Golden Eagle Festival is held in October.
When is the Mongolian Eagle Hunting Festival?:
05-06 October, 2024
2024 Special Group Departure: October 1st-October 09
The Altai Golden Eagle Hunting Festival follows much the same pattern as the Larger Golden Eagle Festival, with about 80 eagle hunters participating. The Larger Eagle Festival is held on September-October. This is an annual festival held in Bayan-Olgii extreme province of Mongolia on October. Anyhow the tourism infrastructure has somewhat developed. Be prepared for cold temperatures on October. In eagle festival, eagle hunters will make a show catching small animals such as fox and hares by their trained eagles. The eagles are released from a rock cliff, while their owners stand below and signal for them to land upon their arms, as they do during hunting. Those with the fastest times and best technique are awarded the highest scores. In addition to the eagle hunting contests, the participants play such traditional Kazakh games known as kekbar (from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). Click here to find the 2024 Altai Golden Eagle Hunting Festival Mongolia Tour.