You may think that Mongolian winter is extremely cold and harsh, but wait...
Mongolia is not the coldest place on earth. Mongolian winter has its own beauty and specialty, offers you thrilling events to see and unique cultural activities to enjoy or attend. There are several ice and snow festivals /events are held in Mongolia/ during the winter time. Here are the top winter festivals which takes place in the various regions of Mongolia.
Also you may ask that how cold is Mongolian winter? Things to do in winter in Mongolia? What to see in winter Mongolia? Or need to know about winter travel tips and advice. So we included the answers to these questions in this article.
Enjoy your reading and get your needed information and don’t forget to share with your friends who are interested in Mongolian Winter Trips.
Prepared by Ayan travel.
Tsagaan Sar - Lunar New Year
Location: Throughout the country
Dates: 16 February, 2018
Accommodation: Local Hosts and Hotel in Ulaanbaatar
Mongolian Tsagaan Sar, the lunar new years the main celebration of Mongolians. Very traditional and cultural festival, one of the official public holidays of Mongolia, is held annually in the end of winter, according to the Lunisolar calendar. Every family celebrates the festival throughout the country. This year, Mongolian Tsagaan Sar will be held on 16th of February, 2018, the year of Dog as animal zodiac cycle.
What is Tsagaan Sar?
Mongolians have been living as nomadic way of life for thousands of years on Eurasian great steppe. Depending on their lifestyle their culture and tradition has became so unique. They had to look for the better pasture to feed the animals and migrate several times a year throughout the country. They had not enough time to spend and meet their relatives regularly. It might be the reason of celebrate this uncommon holiday.
The main purpose of this festival is to greet, to meet each other, to know that how their life is going on, how is the pasture of the other regions etc…And finally they were celebrating their happiness to see each other as their well living, to respect older ones, to love younger ones and it may seems to be a family holiday. It contains long time traditions, customs, beliefs, heritages, respect and love. So warm and nice celebration of the human.
How do Mongolians celebrate The Tsagaan Sar?
There are several countries celebrate Mongolian Tsagaan sar Festival, including Russian Buryats, and inner Mongolians. For modern Mongolians, The half of Mongolians live in the capital city, civilization has been infected their nomadic tradition. But, they have kept their traditional heritages well in this modern world.
Recommended tour: Lunar New Year or Tsagaan sar-2018 Tour / 7 Days
3. Silver Reeds Winter Festival
Location: Khovd province, western Mongolia
Dates: 23-24 February, 2018
Accommodation: Local Hotel
Ice Festival at Khovsgol Lake
Location: Lake Khovsgol, Northern Mongolia
Dates: 2-3 March, 2018
Accommodation: Tourist Ger Camp
What a wonderful and amazing nature, the frozen world… Since 2002, an attractive and a challenging ice and snow festival has been held in every March on the frozen lake Khovsgol in northern part of Mongolia, organized by local tourism community.
What is going on around the Ice Festival at Khovsgol Lake?
Local communities garter on the lake for the winter ice festival, there are several winter and cultural activities hold such as ice skating, horse sleighing race, ice sumo and traditional winter games and competitions. Nomadic reindeer herders and shamans show off their cultural performances, such as arts, music and shaman rituals.
It has been developing year by year, international visitors come to the festival to capture scenic images and experience winter Mongolia and nomadic culture. It is worth to visit there.
Recommended tour: Winter Festivals-2018 tour
5. Thousand Camel Festival in the Gobi
Location: Omnogobi province
Dates: 6-8 March, 2018
Accommodation: Local guest house
Are you wondering and imagining about the Gobi desert in the winter, golden sands covered by white snow…Mongolian Gobi is not only famous for its beauty, camels, nomads, dinosaur findings but also it has been known as its winter scene. You can experience Mongolian Gobi in winter too. Thousand Camel Festival has been organizing for 20 years, by local camel herding communities under the purpose of protecting two humped Bactrian camels and increase income and productivity of local nomads through tourism.
So colorful, uncommon event, attracts foreign and local travelers and culture lovers and has already been to famous winter festival in the world.
Why Mongolians celebrate this festival?
"Camel Festival," is already one of the most famous winter festivals in the world organized by a local non-governmental organization working to protect and preserve the Bactrian camel population, which has been steadily declining over the past twelve years. Umnugovi /South Gobi/ province leads Mongolia and the world by Bactrian camel population.
To celebrate Mongolian camels and protect the species and pass the rich Mongolian camel breeding heritage to the next generation. Nomads from far and near wore their best traditional costume and ridden their best camels to attend the festival.
“Mongolian Camel-999” festival, Mongolia breaks Guinnes World Record, having organized the race of the largest number of camels. Total of 1,108 camels came to the finish line out of 1,115 registered to the race. The race was just over 15 km long with the fastest finishing in 35 min 12 sec and the whole race completed in 1 hr 8 min. The previous record for the largest camel race belonged to Inner Mongolia, China, where 555 camels raced in 5000 meters in 2011.
What to see and do at the Thousand Camel festival?
The Thousand Camel Festival starts with camel parade. During the festival, local camel herders compete in a race, camel polo tournaments, beauty contests are organized. It is not only the event of competition also, Mongolian musicians and dancers show off folk performances. One of the highlights of the festival is a female camel gave birth to a little colt on the grounds of this festival, which incident cheered the viewers, who took this as a good omen representing great increase in the camel population.
You will also explore nomadic lifestyle and prehistoric sights on the trip to this festival and support the local community and helping the raise of Bactrian camels when you attend this event.
Recommended tour: Winter Festivals-2018 tour
You may think that Mongolian winter is extremely cold and harsh, but wait...
Mongolia is not the coldest place on earth. Mongolian winter has its own beauty and specialty, offers you thrilling events to see and unique cultural activities to enjoy or attend. There are several ice and snow festivals /events are held in Mongolia/ during the winter time. Here are the top winter festivals which takes place in the various regions of Mongolia.
Also you may ask that how cold is Mongolian winter? Things to do in winter in Mongolia? What to see in winter Mongolia? Or need to know about winter travel tips and advice. So we included the answers to these questions in this article.
Enjoy your reading and get your needed information and don’t forget to share with your friends who are interested in Mongolian Winter Trips.
Prepared by Ayan travel.
Tsagaan Sar - Lunar New Year
Location: Throughout the country
Dates: 16 February, 2018
Accommodation: Local Hosts and Hotel in Ulaanbaatar
Mongolian Tsagaan Sar, the lunar new years the main celebration of Mongolians. Very traditional and cultural festival, one of the official public holidays of Mongolia, is held annually in the end of winter, according to the Lunisolar calendar. Every family celebrates the festival throughout the country. This year, Mongolian Tsagaan Sar will be held on 16th of February, 2018, the year of Dog as animal zodiac cycle.
What is Tsagaan Sar?
Mongolians have been living as nomadic way of life for thousands of years on Eurasian great steppe. Depending on their lifestyle their culture and tradition has became so unique. They had to look for the better pasture to feed the animals and migrate several times a year throughout the country. They had not enough time to spend and meet their relatives regularly. It might be the reason of celebrate this uncommon holiday.
The main purpose of this festival is to greet, to meet each other, to know that how their life is going on, how is the pasture of the other regions etc…And finally they were celebrating their happiness to see each other as their well living, to respect older ones, to love younger ones and it may seems to be a family holiday. It contains long time traditions, customs, beliefs, heritages, respect and love. So warm and nice celebration of the human.
How do Mongolians celebrate The Tsagaan Sar?
There are several countries celebrate Mongolian Tsagaan sar Festival, including Russian Buryats, and inner Mongolians. For modern Mongolians, The half of Mongolians live in the capital city, civilization has been infected their nomadic tradition. But, they have kept their traditional heritages well in this modern world.
Recommended tour: Lunar New Year or Tsagaan sar-2018 Tour / 7 Days
3. Silver Reeds Winter Festival
Location: Khovd province, western Mongolia
Dates: 23-24 February, 2018
Accommodation: Local Hotel
Ice Festival at Khovsgol Lake
Location: Lake Khovsgol, Northern Mongolia
Dates: 2-3 March, 2018
Accommodation: Tourist Ger Camp
What a wonderful and amazing nature, the frozen world… Since 2002, an attractive and a challenging ice and snow festival has been held in every March on the frozen lake Khovsgol in northern part of Mongolia, organized by local tourism community.
What is going on around the Ice Festival at Khovsgol Lake?
Local communities garter on the lake for the winter ice festival, there are several winter and cultural activities hold such as ice skating, horse sleighing race, ice sumo and traditional winter games and competitions. Nomadic reindeer herders and shamans show off their cultural performances, such as arts, music and shaman rituals.
It has been developing year by year, international visitors come to the festival to capture scenic images and experience winter Mongolia and nomadic culture. It is worth to visit there.
Recommended tour: Winter Festivals-2018 tour
5. Thousand Camel Festival in the Gobi
Location: Omnogobi province
Dates: 6-8 March, 2018
Accommodation: Local guest house
Are you wondering and imagining about the Gobi desert in the winter, golden sands covered by white snow…Mongolian Gobi is not only famous for its beauty, camels, nomads, dinosaur findings but also it has been known as its winter scene. You can experience Mongolian Gobi in winter too. Thousand Camel Festival has been organizing for 20 years, by local camel herding communities under the purpose of protecting two humped Bactrian camels and increase income and productivity of local nomads through tourism.
So colorful, uncommon event, attracts foreign and local travelers and culture lovers and has already been to famous winter festival in the world.
Why Mongolians celebrate this festival?
"Camel Festival," is already one of the most famous winter festivals in the world organized by a local non-governmental organization working to protect and preserve the Bactrian camel population, which has been steadily declining over the past twelve years. Umnugovi /South Gobi/ province leads Mongolia and the world by Bactrian camel population.
To celebrate Mongolian camels and protect the species and pass the rich Mongolian camel breeding heritage to the next generation. Nomads from far and near wore their best traditional costume and ridden their best camels to attend the festival.
“Mongolian Camel-999” festival, Mongolia breaks Guinnes World Record, having organized the race of the largest number of camels. Total of 1,108 camels came to the finish line out of 1,115 registered to the race. The race was just over 15 km long with the fastest finishing in 35 min 12 sec and the whole race completed in 1 hr 8 min. The previous record for the largest camel race belonged to Inner Mongolia, China, where 555 camels raced in 5000 meters in 2011.
What to see and do at the Thousand Camel festival?
The Thousand Camel Festival starts with camel parade. During the festival, local camel herders compete in a race, camel polo tournaments, beauty contests are organized. It is not only the event of competition also, Mongolian musicians and dancers show off folk performances. One of the highlights of the festival is a female camel gave birth to a little colt on the grounds of this festival, which incident cheered the viewers, who took this as a good omen representing great increase in the camel population.
You will also explore nomadic lifestyle and prehistoric sights on the trip to this festival and support the local community and helping the raise of Bactrian camels when you attend this event.
Recommended tour: Winter Festivals-2018 tour