NAADAM FESTIVAL & NOMAD LIFE

DAY 1 (6 July) – ULAANBAATAR

Arrival in Ulaanbaatar. Transfer to hotel and take city tour depending on your arrival time. Visit Gandan monstastery for capturing the essence of Mongolian’s beliefs, traditions and religious life. You’ll also get a chance to take shots of view of sedentary nomadic dwelling districts. After that visit Sukhbaatar square, National History Museum, Bogd Khan Winter Palace and Zaisan Hill.

(overnight at hotel in UB – D)

DAY 2 (7 July) – MONGOL NOMAD – HUSTAI NATIONAL PARK

After breakfast drive out of Ulaanbaatar for visiting a Nomadic authentic cultural center for enjoying free captures of daily authentic traditional nomadic lifestyle with traditional dressed people making dairy products and taking care of livestock husbandry and so on. Further on drive for another hour to Hustai National Park where is home to the world’s last remaining population of wild horses, Prezewalski horse, which was successfully introduced to the preserve after having been extinct in the wild since 1960’s. Take a short game drive to see the Prezewalski horses late afternoon when the Prezewalski horses come down to springs for water for most of the time depending on weather conditions.

(overnight at ger camp in Hustai NP – B,L,D)

DAY 3 (8 July) – KHARKHORIN – ERDENEZUU MONASTERY

1. We will drive for around 2 hours to Kharkhorum which was the oldest capital city of Mongol Empire, started building by ChinggisKhaan in 13^th century. We will visit an impressive Kharakhorum archeological museum exhibits dozens of artifacts dating from 13^th and 14^th centuries which were recovered from ruin sites of the city. Proceed to visit Erdenezuu Monastery which is the earliest and most magnificent monastery complex in Mongolia, was built at the base of Kharkhorum city in late of 16^th century.

(overnight at ger camp in Kharkhorin – B,L,D)

DAY 4 (9 July) – LOCAL NAADAM FESTIVAL

The annual Local Naadam Festival will offer you to capture images of all the games including horse racing, wrestling, archery and ankle bone shooting as well as taking pictures of portraits nomads enjoying one of the largest lively festivals in of the country in colorful national costumes from close up.

(overnight at ger camp in Kharkhorin – B,L,D)

DAY 5 (10 July) – ULAANBAATAR

Drive back to UB for half day. Enjoy entertaining Deeltei Mongol festival (couples in traditional costumes) which award the most traditional, colorful and complete-dressed couple at the central square.

(overnight at hotel in UB – B,L,D)

DAY 6 (11 July) – STATE NAADAM FESTIVAL

Today Naadam is officially opened by the President of Mongolia. Soldiers on horseback, dressed in warrior regalia, ceremonially bring Chinggis Khan’s nine white horsetail banners from the parliament, where they are normally displayed  to the stadium. We will attend the impressive opening ceremony, after which the first round of wrestling will immediately follow. In most years 512 wrestlers from all over Mongolia compete, but in some years there are 1024!

There are no judges, no time limits and no weight limits. We may try and attend the archery competitions (if not done the previous day) and later make our way out to the steppe area on the fringes of the city, where the horse races take place. We visit the nomadic tented camps that have sprung up, and experience a concentrated version of nomadic Mongolia. Herdsmen have come with their horses and all provisions for the festivities, which of course include airag (koumiss; fermented mares milk) for the merry making. Stroll around the area and you are likely to be invited in somewhere. You may also try your luck at the finals of the horse races, but prior instructions are necessary, since the finishing line of a full horse race of several hundred, is a potentially hazardous environment.

(overnight at hotel in UB – B,L,D)

DAY 7 (12 July) – NOMAD FAMILY

Am. Take a day trip to a nomadic family in the country. You can even stay with them for a few days to experience real nomadic culture. The family herd horses, cattle, sheep and goats. There we have an opportunity to have sufficient time to understand, immerse in and photograph their way of life and traditions.

(overnight at hotel in UB – B,L,D)