Lunar New Year-Tsagaan Sar
Feb 24-26 2020, Location- every corner of Mongolia
Tsagaan Sar is a family festival, which is celebrated on the first day of the Lunar new year to put some cheer in the endless winter months and mark the beginning of spring. This could be any date from late January to early March depending on Lunar calendar. The celebration happens over several days, with feasting on the night of the new moon. Everyone dresses in their best clothes to visit family members. Throughout the ages the festival has been celebrated in the traditional way - family ties are renewed and in particular it is a time to honor the elderly. As a sign of respect the younder adults greet their elders in a certain way, with a special arm-hold embrace, which symbolises both support and esteem. The gesture is accompanied by the exchange of a ceremonial pale blue or white silk scarf. Gifts are usually given and received with both hands.
Ice festival of Mongolia
March 2-3 , 2020, Location- Khovsgol Lake
Journey to Ice Festival on Khovsgol Lake, Northern Mongolia has become one of the main Mongolian winter tour ideas to both foreigners and local people. At this exciting event, you can enjoy and explore Mongolian nomadic culture, traditions, customs, uncommon performance of shaman Shaman rituals, folk music and dance show, lifestyle exploration of reindeer herders, Tsaatan people along with artistic ice sculptures and natural beauty.
Spring Golden Eagle Festival
March 4-5, 2020, Location- Chinggis Khaanii Khuree Complex
The Golden Eagle Festival is organized two times a year officially in March in the capital city of Mongolia and in October in the Western region of the country. If you travel to Mongolia in March, you can discover and feel the taste of Spring Golden Eagle Festival near Ulaanbaatar.
Thousand Camel Festival
March 6-7, 2020, Location- Bulgan town, Umnugovi province
The festival was first initiated in 1997 by locals of Umnugovi /south gobi/ province to celebrate Mongolian camels and protect the species and pass the rich Mongolian camel breeding heritage to the next generation. The highlights of two day festival will start with Camel Prada, which is open to any visitors who wish to attend and continue -The best Camel couple, Mongolian traditional knuckle-bone competition, Camel Polo, local theatre cultural performances, Camel race and interesting young camel race.
Silver Reeds Festival 2020
March 7-8, 2020, Location- Khar-Us lake, Khovd province
Silver Reeds Festival takes place once a two year event and this year 8th festival will be brilliant opportunity to explore various ethnic groups with distinct traditional dwelling, lifestyle and traditions of literature and music and more. The province, Khovd which is located 1580km from Ulaanbaatar, is distinguished by its multi-cultural population and the aimag is home of more than 17 nationalities and ethnicities. In the festival, you will be able to discover numbers of competitions such as a marathon, ice shooting, dance and camel race, best couple on camelback, best traditional costumes competitions, skating marathon on the lake and other ice games.
Nauryz (Spring /New Life) Festival
March 21-24, 2020, Location- Kazakh ethnic minorities throughout Mongolia
It is a New Year celebration for the Mongolian Kazakhs, many of whom live in the Bayan Ulgii province. Kazakhs call the month of March 'Nauryz' – this is the time of renewed life which comes with the spring. This holiday is full of the tradition of ethnic group Kazakhs and its rituals and customs. There are many mystical traditions of this minor ethnic group related to this celebration such as food, clothing and many more.
Winter Festival of Altai Nomads
March , 2020, Buhun-Uul, Ulgii soum
With aims to boost winter tourism and to promote culture of Kazakh ethnic people, Winter festival of Altai Nomads will be another winter attraction of Mongolia if you are planning to visit in March. The two day event includes various interesting activities connected with Eagle Hunting tradition such as Shakiru and Shirga, Tenge-ilu –coin grabbing competition, Kyz Huar game show, Khukhbar competition.
Ulaanbaatar Marathon
May , 2020, Location – Ulaanbaatar
Are you an active runner? If yes, this marathon is for you! Brilliant opportunity to run the streets of the capital along with hundreds of locals and visitors. Named after capital Ulaanbaatar- International Marathon, which takes place on the third Saturday of every May, is the one of the interesting events for both experienced and inexperienced runners of citizens and visitors. The marathon starts from Sukhbaatar and finishes back in there.
Yak Festival
May, 2020 , Khankhongor soum, Umnu-govi province
Mongolia has the second highest yak population in the world after China –Umnugobi province celebrates Mongolian Yak Festival every year. Mongolian Yak has many uses in nomadic daily life and its wool is used for making clothes. During the festive fun, yak-related activities include yak wrangling, yak rodeo, yak cheese-tasting, as well as the main event, a yak race across the gobi region.
Nomadic Naadam
June 6, June 16, June 27, Mongol nomadic camp (55km from Ulaanbaatar to the west)
This is mini version of Mongolian famed Naadam festival organized by Mongol Nomadic camp. The festival begins with Mongolian long song and traditional horse-head fiddle /Morin Khuur/ performance. There you can enjoy and experience legendary *Three Manly Games* of Mongols including Wrestling, Horse riding and Archery. You will have golden chance to see and photograph these games, traditional concerts and local participants as much as up closely to you. You can take short trip to explore this Nomadic Naadam and have unforgettable memory of Mongols tradition within one day travel.
Annual Crane Festival
June , 2020, Location- Binder soum, Khentii province
The annual Festival of Crane will be held June 7 on Shore of Tsagaan Lake, Binder soum of Khentii province. There are 15 species of cranes around the world and six of them are in Mongolia. The festival aims to introduce white-naped crane which is on the endangered animals’ list. There you can see traditional three manly sports, a tour of observing crane and shows of introducing nomadic life in this special festival. This festival gives you great bird watching and observing memories while your travel in the homeland of legendary Chinggis Khan.
Wind of Steppes - Moto music festival
June, 2020, Location- Chonjin Boldog
This festival is quite unique festival connected with motorcycle riders with all types of motorcycles such as Chopper and more. The festival aims to show Moto sports of Mongolia, its development and exchange experiences with other foreign country’s participants. The festival will be held in Chonjin Boldog where Chinggis Khan equestrian Statue, there will be music festival in the evening out there. If you want to enjoy Mongolian Moto sport and modern music while in your travel in Mongolia, you should participate this festival in June.
The ceremony of Gongor Bumba
June , 2020, Location- Amarbaysgalant monastery, Selenge province
The celebration of Gongor Bumba in Amarbaysgalant monastery is one of the most important holidays for Mongolian Buddhists. This yearly event is organized to make offerings for Gongor( White Buddha), a protective deity who abolishes difficulties and makes people abundant in property and food. This largest of the religious rituals will take place on June and religious worshippers, followers and lamas believe that Gongor ingot ceremony brings plenty of wealth and gather once a year at Amarbayasgalant monastery. The amarbaysgalant monastery is one of the must-see attractions of both religious and historical destinations if you make a trip to Mongolia.
Hunnu music festival
June 29-30, 2020, Location- Tsonjin Boldog, Chinggis Khan Equestrian Statue
Named after, one of Mongolian powerful empire and also one of world’s 7 biggest civilization, Hunnu festival is organized on purpose of introducing local tourism and modern Mongolia through all genre’s of electronic ,hip hop and dance music of Mongolia and worldwide. The festival is hold in Chinggis Khaan statue complex each year.
Play time festival
July 3-5, 2020, Location- Gachuurt village, 30 km from Ulaanbaatar
It is the biggest outdoor Mongolian live music festival including Rock, Metal, Indie musicians of all kinds of live music bands around the country and overseas. The play time festival usually holds in mid of July in near of UB city, Gachuurt. You can enjoy and feel upcoming brand new live music of modern Mongolia and World together with young generations of Mongolia.
Tsaatan festival
July, 2020, Location- lake Khovsgol, Northern Mongolia
Tsaatan reindeer herders in northern region of the country all gathers from the depth of Taiga and throws their rare-special Tsaatan festival in the beginning of July. Mysterious life and culture of Tsaatan reindeer herders have been chosen as top travel destination of Mongolia by their oldest religious ritual- Shamanism and ever-changed beauty of deep-Taiga wilderness and stunning fresh water- Khovgsol Lake. It is so worth to travel and experience many unexpected adventures and customs at same time.
National Costume festival Mongolia
July 10, 2020, Location- Chinggis square, Ulaanbaatar city
Day before Naadam festival, you can see different types and patterns of national costume of all ethnic group of Mongolia together in National Costume festival. It consists of Mongolian costume national runway, cultural performance, a contest of best-dressed couple in Mongolian national costume, a contest of best-dressed foreigner in Mongolian national costume, a contest of public dance and the best dancing couple and closing ceremony-Award ceremony.
National Naadam festival
11-13 July, 2020, Location- Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Top travel attraction throughout the whole year is definitely Naadam festival. It will be never forgotten experience of nomadic life, discovery of adventure and culture of Mongolian people through Naadam festival. Naadam is the most widely watched festival among Mongols, and is believed to have existed for centuries in one fashion or another. It has its origin in the activities, such as military parades and sporting competitions such as archery, horse riding and wrestling, that followed the celebration of various occasions, including weddings or spiritual gatherings. It later served as a way to train soldiers for battle, and was also connected to Mongols' nomadic lifestyle.
Yak Festival
July, 2020, Location- Orkhon Valley, central Mongolia
Annual yak festival in Orkhon Valley is one of most important festivals in central reign of the country where there has one of highest concentration of yaks throughout globe. Culture and tradition of nomadic herders in Khangai Mountain are so strong and yak is one of their distinctive from other regions of the country. The festival is quite uncommon only based on activities of Khangai Mountain yaks including yak racing, yak showing, wild stallion, yak riding and milking. Orkhon Valley is also one of must travel destinations of Mongolia, where has numerous natural and historical important sites in Mongolian history.
Nomadic Culture festival
July, 2020, Location- Ulaagchnii Khar Lake, Zavkhan province, western Mongolia
Nomadic Culture festival is becoming one of best and unique festivals in western region of Mongolia. The festival brings back ancient nomadic life, style, tradition, customs and unique culture to the modern time by introducing herder’s way of life, displaying and showing their rituals through the festival.
Danshig Naadam religious festival
Aug or Sept, 2020, Location – Khui Doloon Khudag
The biggest Mongolian religious festival called Danshig Naadam which its first was held in 1639 for enthroning 1st Bogd Jebtsundamba Khutukhtu. After re-celebrating since 2015, Danshig Naadam religious festival offers variety of cultural performances including traditional folk dance and song, performance of contortion; wrestling, archery, knuckle-bone shooting and religious competitions.
Orkhon Valley Horse Festival
August 7, 2020, Location – Tsaidam bag, Khashaat soum, Arkhangai province
There are many horse related festival throughout Mongolia, but this festival is so unique because of the location Orkhon Valley-listed in historical sites of UNESCO. This festival will be good choice for those who want to experience land of horse, riding and challenging competitions among men and capability and beauty of Mongolian horses.You can experience many cultural rituals and contests all related with horse and horsemen activities including lassoing horse, grabbing a lasso pole from land while riding horse, horse bucking, race of foal horses.
Sagsai Eagle Festival
Sept 18-19, 2020, Location- Sagsai village, Bayan-Ulgii province
From 2020, We, Amar Travel Mongolia will organize our own Sagsai Eagle Festival annually on September 18-19, in Sagsai soum, western Mongolia.
We are inviting you join our private or joining group /photographic or amateurs all possible/ expedition to the Sagsai Eagle Festival by Amar Travel Mongolia.
Spirit- Horseback Archery Tournament
Sept ,2020, Location- Ulaanbaatar Horseracing center
Mongolian Open Horseback Archery tournament with no limit on number of archers and anticipating around 100 participants from Mongolia, UK, Sweden, Finland, Malaysai, USA and South Africa. Also horseback event will include Hungarian, Korean, Kazakh and Mongolian styles. It is brilliant chance to eyewithness Legendary horseback archery and martial arts in the land of Chinggis Khan.
Golden Eagle Festival
October 3-4, 2020, Location - Bugat village, Bayan-Ulgii province
The Golden Eagle Festival starts with its parades and competitions for costuming and hunting techniques. This festival has been celebrated since 2000 and now attracts many travelers and photographers. Each year the number of eagle hunters participating the festival is increasing which makes the festival more colorful and spectacular. The eagles chase fox skins dragged by their owners on horseback. Points are given for their speed and gripping ability. In 2 days you will capture plenty of portraits and competition photos, names Kokbar, Kizkhuar etc.
Steppe Winter Horses
November, 2020, Location- Khentii province
Mongolia is the land of horses and Mongolia horse related festivals have its own specific tradition and colors especially, winter horse festival- TaliinTumen Aduu in eastern region. You can see legendary Chinggis Khan’s powerful horses and its good stamina through Mongolian horse training skills as taming, lassoing, picking up pegs from ground while on horseback.
