Soum Naadam (District Festival)

Please schedule your arrival for this day. Our national tour guides will meet you at the airport or train station and transfer you to your hotel for check-in. If your arrival time allows, please join your tour guide for a welcome dinner, during which a brief introduction to the trip will be presented.

Visit a herder family in Bayan-Onjuul soum of Tuv province and settle into your yurt. This family will be your host and companion during the soum Naadam. Together with them, you will help prepare the racehorses, including young horses and child jockeys, for the Naadam race. Dinner with the host family.

From this day forward, become part of the Mongolian horse culture. Act as a horse assistant or even as the owner and help prepare and tether the racehorses. Since the horse racing fields are far, many days of preparation are required. On this day, the final sprint practice (known as “usergee”) will take place.

Assess how well your racehorses are prepared and continue training. Since the day of the Naadam race is approaching, work together with the family and children to finalize a preparation plan.

This is the final day of horse training. Ensure thorough practice and training. How well your trained horses perform today will greatly impact their chances of winning in the upcoming Naadam race.

Head to the soum Naadam grounds. You will camp alongside nomadic families who have travelled from afar to celebrate Naadam. On this day, visitors will prepare the racehorses by setting up tether lines and allowing them to rest before the next day’s race. You will spend the night guarding the horses and adjusting their diet throughout the night. Feeding the horse properly tonight could lead to a win tomorrow. This historic and thrilling night will be spent alongside an experienced horse trainer.

The soum Naadam begins in the morning with the stallion (adult male horse) race. This will be a highlight of your journey as you gather with local residents and nomads at the main Naadam stadium to witness the opening ceremony. You will have the opportunity to see the three main events of the festival: wrestling, horse racing, and archery. From entertainment tents to traditional food gers (yurts), you will experience how rural nomadic Mongolians celebrate this historical festival. While watching wrestling, the adult horse races will also take place. On this day, races for three age categories of horses will be held.

This will be the final day of the Naadam.
You will find out how your racehorses placed in the competitions. If your trained horse ranks in the top five, you will witness the horse being praised and titled. If selected, your horse will be honored in front of the central Naadam pavilion.
After all activities conclude, return from the Naadam grounds back to the host family’s home.

Begin your journey to Baga Gazriin Chuluu, a location known for its unique rock formations. Spend a memorable day with the children and families you’ve shared the past few days with. In the afternoon, explore the area. Lunch included.

After breakfast, visit the ruins of the Sum Khukh Burd temple. Continue to Tsagaan Suvarga, a striking white limestone cliff formation that resembles a stupa. Lunch along the way. Dinner and overnight stay in a traditional yurt camp.

Today, enjoy a city tour in Ulaanbaatar. Visit the Chinggis Khaan Museum and attend a performance of traditional Mongolian arts.