Travel to Mongolia and discover the iconic Naadam Festival.
The ancient Greeks may have the Olympics but the Mongols have Naadam. Mongolia’s annual circus-like Naadam Festival is a centuries-old tradition that dates back to the era of the great Khans and their dynasties. Wrestling, archery and horse racing — the three skills that Genghis Khan considered essential for any Mongol warrior — are showcased at the country’s largest celebration of the “three manly sports”. Come behind the scenes as we meet the competitors in the lead up to the festival and discover some of Mongolia’s wild outback, visiting ruined monasteries, flaming cliffs and historic cities.
Go behind the scenes of Mongolia's Naadam Festival and visit the athlete's training camps as they prepare to compete in the Naadam Festival.
Live the nomad life with a family stay at a horse breeder's camp.
Experience the phenomenal landscapes of central Mongolia.
Attend the Naadam Opening Ceremony and watch athletes compete for glory in wrestling, horse racing and archery.
Encounter Mongolia's stunning natural landscape with visits to places such as the Flaming Cliffs and sand dunes of Khongoriin.
Staying in various tourist ger camps, you will experience basic conditions which may take some getting used to. Most gers sleep up to six people, with comfortable beds and plenty of blankets.
You will have an overnight family stay at a horse breeder's camp and will need a sleeping bag for this night. This is an authentic local experience, so be prepared for basic, but very real conditions.
This trip involves long drives across some rough terrain and to remote areas, away from modern facilities and conveniences. As you'll spend a lot of time on the road, it is important to realise that the emphasis on this trip is on the journey. You'll travel through amazing landscapes and stay in some stunning locations.
Depending on group size, you may be split into multiple vehicles throughout this trip. The leader will make an effort to rotate travellers through the vehicles so that everyone spends some time together on the drives.
Vegetarians can be catered for, though choices may be limited. Please let us know if you have any specific dietary requirements when you book your trip. Some food will be traditional Mongolian style, but as the traditional diet consists solely of meat and dairy products, most meals are less challenging and based more on Russian or Western cuisine, which is now also common in the Mongolian diet.
Trip departures are unavailable.
There are currently no scheduled departures on our Mongolia's Naadam Festival trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.
1. A Single Supplement is available on this trip for hotel nights in Ulaanbaatar only.
2. A sleeping bag is required for the family ger camp stays. You can bring your own, or hire one in Ulaanbaatar for 5 USD per day. Please let your booking agent know if you would like to hire one.
3. Please provide your full passport details to your booking agent no later than 40 day prior to departure. This is required for booking Nadaam festival tickets.
4. Please note that if you are booked on the 2nd departure starting on 29 Jun 2023 (departure code: CBSOS2306292), the order of destinations on the itinerary will be adjusted as below ( the included activities in each destination will remain the unchanged):
1. Ulaanbaatar: Group meeting
2. Ulaanbaatar: Wrestling Camp
3. Ulaanbaartar: Archery Camp
4. Ulaanbaartar: Horse Racing Training Camp
5. Karakorum
6. Ongiin Khiid
7. Khongoriin Sand Dunes
8. Khongoriin Sand Dunes
9. Vulture Canyon/ Bayanzag Flaming Cliffs
10. Tsagaan Suvarga
11. Baga Gazriin Chuluu
12. Ulaanbaatar
13. Ulaanbaatar - Nadaam Openning Ceremony & Archery events
14. Ulaanbaatar - Wrestling & Horse Racing events
15. Trip finish
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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