Traditional Naadam Festival
Travel destinations: Ulaanbaatar – Ceremony Naadam Festival – Gurvanbulag community – Kharakhorum – Khognokhaan mountain – Ulaanbaatar
• Activities: Visit the festival and sightseeing, cultural visits and nomads
• Duration: 5nights / 6days
• Covering distance: 820kms
• Season: July
Tour starting: 06-07 March 2024
• Travel destinations: Ulaanbaatar – Dalanzadgad town – Bulgan soum – Ulaaanbaatar
• Activities: Camel festival, sightseeing, cultural visits
• Duration: 2nights / 3days
• Covering distance: 1420kms
11 July Day 1 Naadam Festival
Naadam! Naadam! Mongolian National Day is celebrated throughout the country. Naadam festival is opened officially by the President of Mongolia. Soldiers on a horseback, sometimes dressed in a Chinggis Khan warrior’s regalia will pick up the nine white horsetail banners from the Parliament house where they are normally displayed and will then ride in procession through the city later to be placed in the center of the National Stadium from where we will be viewing the Opening Ceremony. At the stadium, a huge procession is held including hundreds of adults and children dressed in costumes representing Mongolia’s numerous ethnic groups. The opening ceremony features a colorful show with folk music and dance, parachute show and more merriment. The first round of wrestling will start immediately after the opening ceremony. Usually 512 wrestlers from all across Mongolia will compete in the first round! But sometimes more than 1000! After that you will see the archery competitions where contestants can only rely on his or her keen eyes and firm hand and experience taking an aim at the target of fist-sized baskets. You can also watch the ankle bone shooting competition. You will be staying overnight in a hotel. L
12 July Day 2 Visit horse racing field
In the morning we will travel to Khuu Doloon Khudag the horse racing field. The horse races continue over the two main Naadam days. Mongol horseracing is part of a living cultural heritage, similar to the equestrian tradition that brought the Mongol armies to faraway places during the medieval times. There are seven categories of races depending on the age of a horse. Two to three hundred riders age of 5 to 12 compete in every age category in a distance of 15 to 35km. We will see the “four year old” horses racing around 11 am. The horse racing is actually a bit far from the barriers set up for visitors, so bring binoculars! However the fun of attending is really seeing the locals. We can visit nomadic tented camps that have sprung up behind the race track and experience a concentration of nomadic Mongolia at one site! Herdsmen have come with their horses and with provisions for the festivities, which include airag (koumiss; fermented mares milk) for the merrymaking. After witnessing the horse racing we will continue our journey to Khustai National Park which will take 65kms.We will be staying overnight in ger camp. LD
13 July Day 3 Travel to nomad community
In the early morning we will visit the park to see the wild horses. Then we will travel to Gurvanbulag community which will take 200kms. Here you can actually live as a nomad and observe the local nomadic lifestyle doing wide variety of activities. The hostess of the family will show and teach you how to produce tasty and nutritious dairy products including “aaruul” dried curds, “byaslag” Mongolian cheese. You can talk with nomad people and get more familiar with their nature loved unique lifestyle. You will be staying overnight in ger camp. BLD
14 July Day 4 Travel to Kharakhorum
We will be travelling next to Kharakhorum for 100kms. Visit famous Erdene Zuu (Hundred Treasures) monastery, built on the ruins of Kharakhorum city in 1586 by the order of Abtai Sain Khan the descendant of Chinggis Khan. It was the first Buddhist center in Mongolia. Surrounding the monastery there is a wall with 108 white stupas, of which 25 are on each side and 2 at every corner of the wall. Each stupa was erected in commemoration of a particular event, related in the inscription on each one. The three temples inside the wall represent the three stages of the Buddha’s life: childhood, adolescence, and an adulthood. You will be staying overnight in ger camp. BLD
15 July Day 5 Travel to Khognokhaan & camel riding
We will be travelling to Khognokhaan Natural Reserve. The area is protected since 1997 and covers 46900ha of beautiful granite mountain of Paleozoic age. You will ride a Camel for 2 hours. It’s optional to visit Erdenekhamba a local Buddhist temple. You will be staying overnight in a ger camp. BLD
16 July Day 6 Ulaanbaatar
Travel back to Ulaanbaatar for 280kms. Upon arrival in Ulaanbaatar city the driver will transfer you to your hotel. End of the service. BL
- Date of departure 2018 (ex in Ulaanbaatar):
MNF1 11Jul
Included: All activities described in the itinerary, Ger camp stay (4 nights) in countryside, English speaking guide service, entrance fees to Protected Areas and sightseeing cost, all transfers by 4WD Japanese minivan in the city and countryside. Meals of breakfast, lunch and dinner as mentioned per day itinerary.
Excluded: International transportation to and from Mongolia, hotel stay in Ulaanbaatar, travel insurance, mineral (bottled) water and alcoholic drinks, tips and gratuities, laundry and items of a personal nature.
Note:
- We are happy to arrange your hotel and transfers in Ulaanbaatar, private car transportation to our destinations at discounted rate.
- International and domestic flight and train tickets would be arranged due to the clients’ requests and wishes with our pleasures.
- City sightseeing tours are offered as optional.
• Private departures are available on request.