- Mongolia Quest's Newsletter
- Posts
- Explore Mongolia's Festive Gems in 2024
Explore Mongolia's Festive Gems in 2024
Mongolia Quest
February 18, 2024
🇲🇳 Unveiling Mongolia's Cultural Treasures: The Naadam and Golden Eagle Festivals
Mongolia, with its rich history and vibrant culture, hosts two of the most captivating festivals in the world: the Naadam and the Golden Eagle Festival. These events offer travelers a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the country's traditions, witness thrilling competitions, and experience the warmth of Mongolian hospitality.
🏇 Naadam Festival: Celebrating Mongolian Heritage
Naadam, meaning "games," is an annual festival held from July 11th to 15th, celebrating Mongolia's independence and nomadic heritage. Dating back to the time of the Xiongnu Dynasty in the 1st-2nd century BC, Naadam has evolved into a vibrant celebration of Mongolian culture and athleticism.
Originally serving as military training exercises, Naadam has evolved into a cherished celebration of Mongolia's history and identity. In Mongolia, with its scarce population and nomadic ways, where individual herders live far apart from each other it was important to come together from time to time for training. That is why the Naadam often referred to as 3 manly sports: horse racing, archery and wrestling. As time passed it became a way to celebrate important events and not necessarily the same men were participating in all three sports.
The festival's highlight is the thrilling competitions in three traditional Mongolian sports: wrestling, horse racing, and archery. While men showcase their skills in wrestling and horse racing, archery is a sport where men and women compete together, demonstrating precision and accuracy side by side. Fame and honor are prized over material rewards, with participants donning traditional attire and competing fiercely for three days.
Beyond the sports, Naadam offers a rich tapestry of cultural experiences, including vibrant parades, traditional music and dance performances, and culinary delights. Visitors can indulge in "khuushuur," deep-fried dough filled with savory meat, and sample "airag," fermented mare's milk, while immersing themselves in the festival's colorful atmosphere.
🦅 Golden Eagle Festival: A Spectacle of Tradition
The Golden Eagle Festival is a highlight of Mongolia's cultural calendar, taking place annually during the first week of October in the remote province of Bayan-Ulgii. Home to Kazakh nomads who have trained Golden Eagles for generations, this event showcases the unique bond between hunter and bird. Over two days, Kazakh competitors demonstrate their eagles' hunting prowess, engaging in activities such as kukbar (horseback tug of war), archery, and horse racing. The festival also features the traditional adornment of eagles in colorful "eagle costumes," adding to the vibrant atmosphere. The president of Mongolia Quest, Badral Yondon was one of the founding members when the Golden Eagle Festival was established in the year 2000.
Visitors to the Golden Eagle Festival witness awe-inspiring displays of eagle flights, as the majestic birds swoop down from the mountains to their handlers' outstretched arms. Beyond the competitions, the festival offers insights into Kazakh culture through music, dance performances, and culinary delights. Travelers can enjoy hearty dishes like "besbarmak," hand-made noodles with meat, and sample local specialties such as "airag," fermented mare's milk, immersing themselves in the rich traditions of the Kazakh nomads.
🧳 Planning Your Journey
Both the Naadam and the Golden Eagle Festival offer travelers a unique opportunity to experience Mongolia's rich cultural heritage and traditional way of life. At Mongolia Quest, we offer tours that not only allow you to witness each festival but also provide additional experiences and opportunities that enrich your travel program.
Naadam Festival of Mongolia
Dates: July 6-16, 2024
Trip highlights:
🌄 Explore Lake Hovsgol, the mid-western Mongolia and Gobi desert; 🧑🤝🧑 Visit ethnic Mongolians along the way; 🥾 Enjoy hiking in the mountains and the desert, in search of cultural heritage and wildlife; | 🏞️ Explore the national parks of Mongolia; 🏹 Attend the Naadam Festival upclose and personal; 🤼 Experience and share Mongolia’s most popular holiday. |
A Horse Song
Dates: July 2-14, 2024
Trip highlights:
🏹 Experience Mongolia amidst of its most popular festival, the Naadam games; 🐎 Enjoy riding horses and camels along with young Mongolian nomads; 🏇 Visit horse trainers’ camps and explore how horses are trained; | 🏞️ Explore some of Mongolia’s most beautiful countries including the magnificent; Lake Hovsgol and the legendary Gobi Desert; 🧑🤝🧑 Make a life-long friend and expand your horizons. |
From Gobi to Golden Eagle Festival
Dates: Sep 27-Oct 06, 2024
Trip highlights:
🏜️ Travel south to Mongolia’s Gobi Deserts and photograph its the largest sand dunes, Hongoryn Els, at sunrise and sun set; 🏔️ Travel to western Mongolia & participate in the annual Golden Eagle Festival; 👨👩👦 Visit traditional nomadic families and enjoy close-up photo sessions with their family; | 🦅 Observe the games as eagles compete with their skill and speed for two days; 📸 Enjoy meeting local kazakh hunters with their eagles and enjoy private photo sessions; 🤝Enjoy private meeting opportunities with well known Mongolian artists and community leaders to learn more about Mongolia’s life and culture. |
The Eagle Festival of Altay soum
Dates: Sep 1-14, 2024
Trip highlights:
🏜️ Travel north to the Dark Blue Pearl of Mongolia, the magnificent Lake Hovsgol; 🏔️ Travel to western Mongolia & participate in the annual Golden Eagle Festival; 👨👩👦 Visit traditional nomadic families and enjoy close-up photo sessions with their family; | 🦅 Observe the games as eagles compete with their skill and speed for two days; 📸 Enjoy meeting local kazakh hunters with their eagles and enjoy private photo sessions; 🤝Enjoy private meeting opportunities with community leaders to learn more about Mongolia’s life and culture. |
🖐️ Why travel with us?
We have following principles with the goal in our mind to develop sustainable, responsible and eco tourism in Mongolia and beyond.
♻️ Reducing Plastic Use: We are committed to minimizing plastic bottle usage through our "Refill and Reuse" initiative, encouraging travelers to bring their reusable cups or thermoses. Additionally, we are dedicated to providing a plastic-free experience by avoiding the use of disposable items.
🐆Responsible Wildlife Interaction: During our wildlife safari trips, we prioritize respectful wildlife interaction by educating our travelers about responsible wildlife viewing practices.
🤝Community Engagement and Giving Back: We maintain strong connections with local communities, collaborate closely with National Parks, park rangers, and Conservation Organizations, and source locally-made products to decorate our glamping sites and gers.
📚️Educational Initiatives: Our commitment to education extends to supporting children's eco clubs, organizing expert lectures, and arranging summer vacation excursions for young minds.
🇲🇳 Conservation of Cultural Heritage and Tradition: We are dedicated to preserving Mongolia's unique traditions and culture through collaborations with NGOs and councils such as the Arts Council of Mongolia, Administrative Office of the Governor of Umnugobi aimag, Mongol Ecology Center, Mongolian Institute of Paleontology, and The Golden Eagle Hunters Association.
✍️ Our recommended references:
Embrace the spirit of adventure and discovery as you embark on a journey to uncover the cultural treasures of Mongolia at the Naadam and Golden Eagle Festivals with us!
📣 PS: Use MQ2FEST code to enjoy 5% discount on booking our The Naadam Festival of Mongolia, A Horse Song, and From Gobi to the Golden Eagle Festival tours!