Mongolian Naadam is a three-day festival celebrating Mongolian tradition with games, parades and celebrations. The highlights are the ‘three manly games’ of wrestling, archery and horse racing.
Naadam is a truly amazing spectacle not to be missed.
512 wrestlers come together to fight in the stadium for the prestigious title of “State Titan”. Both the “Titan” himself and the trainers have the opportunity to choose partners during the first few rounds, thus reducing the number of less experienced wrestlers early on and creating more excitement for the final matches on the second day. The rules are very simple: the wrestling area is unrestricted, there are no weight-classes and the one who touches the ground with any part of the body, other than their feet, has lost. The winner continues to the next round. The loser has to pass under the wings (arms) of the proud winner as he conducts his eagle dance in celebration. The wrestlers wear tight pants and a small vest which covers the arms & shoulders but not the chest. The unique wrestling top was brought in, according to legend, to prevent women entering the competition after a woman managed to enter the competition and win!
It has been said that Mongols are almost born with archery skills, once an integral part of nomadic lifestyle. From childhood such qualities such as excellent eyesight, judging of distance, patience and strength are nourished to develop a good archer. Mongolian bows are very tightly strung, so that it requires a great deal of strength to use them. Several teams of 5-7 archers compete, with each attempting to hit 33 leather cylinders from a distance of 75 meters, in a true test of skill.
Welcome to our very clean, convenient and cozy Meg’s Guesthouse with friendly staff. We are perfectly located centrally within the city area, with a variety of attractions moments from our doorstep. Your two nights’ accommodation will be in our bunk beds in the guesthouse.
Tour departure times can be flexible, however, 8 am on the morning of departure is recommended. The driver and guide can pick you up from the airport, train station, or your accommodation to suit your requirements.
Most of the meals on this tour are included in the tour price. All included meals will be prepared from fresh local produce. The majority of the shopping for food will be done before the trip departs, and fresh goods, such as meats, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, will be bought en-route during the trip from supermarkets, local shops and markets. Breakfasts will generally consist of breads and cereals, if time allows a warm breakfast may be prepared. Many lunches will be provided en-route and will be light meals such as sandwiches and/or salads or local restaurants. All evening meals will be freshly-prepared hot meals, and will consist of a variety of continental and local dishes. Our GUIDE will organize the meal preparation and lead the way here. Vegetarian meals and other dietary requirements can be catered for but need to be specified prior to arrival.
Summer months in Mongolia are from early June to mid September. Although the Mongolian summers are hot and dry with occasional rain, the temperature can fluctuate as much 14-20 degrees centigrade between day and night. So be prepared for all weather conditions.
Sleeping bag (we can provide sleeping bag, if your luggage is full), sleeping bag liner, sunscreen, a hat, long underwear, shorts, comfortable footwear, lip balm, sanitary hand wipes, sunglasses, prescription medications (if needed), rain gear, flashlight.
