“Tsagaan Sar” celebration is the Lunar New Year for the Mongols according to their centuries old lunar astrology. The Mongols celebrate Tsagaan Sar for passing the harsh winter in good health and is considered as the beginning of spring.
Moreover the Tsagaan Sar is a big family celebration as everyone visits their elders to greet and wish well for the coming year. They also exchange gifts and there’s a lot of festive food (delicious meat dumplings!) and drinks, of course.
In the city the first 3 days of Tsagaan Sar is a holiday, though it extends as long as 15 days for nomads in the countryside, and after Day 15 the new year is no longer new, and everyone stops visits and festivities and goes back to the normal, ever busy lifestyle.
This year the first day of Tsagaan Sar occurs on Feb 27th and the first three days of Tsagaan Sar (Feb 27-Mar 1) is non-working public holiday nationwide.
So don’t just hibernate at home during Tsagaan Sar – come out and celebrate this beautiful age-old celebration and experience the Mongol culture, hospitality and traditions.
Mongolian Secret History camp organises an annual event during the Tsagaan Sar to give expats and visitors alike the opportunity to experience this beautiful celebration just like locals. The program they sent to us is below:
Feb 26, 2017 LUNAR NEW YEAR EVE
- Arrive at the Mongolian Secret History tourist complex
- Tea and Coffee
- Take a guided trip around the complex including the following:
-A visit to our ger library to learn about Mongolian nomadic culture along with its heritage, art and literature.
-Walk to a nearby shrine with a statue dedicated to an ancient Mongolian shaman called “Tev Tenger”, to learn about the fascinating customs of ancient shamanism. While at the statue you will be served traditional Mongolian drinks and afterwards enjoy some sledging back down the hill to the camp. - Lunch
- Traditional music concert
- Mongolian traditional dress show
- Visit herder’s family to take part in preparing traditional food and enjoy local culture on “Lunar New year’s Eve”
- Dinner
- Learn traditional knucklebone games such as:
-“Colored turtle” (sheep or goat knuckle bones arranged into turtle shape)
-“Horse racing” (win the race with your knucklebones)
-“Knuckle bone catch” (test your speed and skill in this exciting game)
-“Knuckle bone flicking” (show off your aim by flicking knuckle bones)
“Tsagaan Sar” celebration is the Lunar New Year for the Mongols according to their centuries old lunar astrology. The Mongols celebrate Tsagaan Sar for passing the harsh winter in good health and is considered as the beginning of spring.
Moreover the Tsagaan Sar is a big family celebration as everyone visits their elders to greet and wish well for the coming year. They also exchange gifts and there’s a lot of festive food (delicious meat dumplings!) and drinks, of course.
In the city the first 3 days of Tsagaan Sar is a holiday, though it extends as long as 15 days for nomads in the countryside, and after Day 15 the new year is no longer new, and everyone stops visits and festivities and goes back to the normal, ever busy lifestyle.
This year the first day of Tsagaan Sar occurs on Feb 27th and the first three days of Tsagaan Sar (Feb 27-Mar 1) is non-working public holiday nationwide.
So don’t just hibernate at home during Tsagaan Sar – come out and celebrate this beautiful age-old celebration and experience the Mongol culture, hospitality and traditions.
Mongolian Secret History camp organises an annual event during the Tsagaan Sar to give expats and visitors alike the opportunity to experience this beautiful celebration just like locals. The program they sent to us is below:
Feb 26, 2017 LUNAR NEW YEAR EVE
- Arrive at the Mongolian Secret History tourist complex
- Tea and Coffee
- Take a guided trip around the complex including the following:
-A visit to our ger library to learn about Mongolian nomadic culture along with its heritage, art and literature.
-Walk to a nearby shrine with a statue dedicated to an ancient Mongolian shaman called “Tev Tenger”, to learn about the fascinating customs of ancient shamanism. While at the statue you will be served traditional Mongolian drinks and afterwards enjoy some sledging back down the hill to the camp. - Lunch
- Traditional music concert
- Mongolian traditional dress show
- Visit herder’s family to take part in preparing traditional food and enjoy local culture on “Lunar New year’s Eve”
- Dinner
- Learn traditional knucklebone games such as:
-“Colored turtle” (sheep or goat knuckle bones arranged into turtle shape)
-“Horse racing” (win the race with your knucklebones)
-“Knuckle bone catch” (test your speed and skill in this exciting game)
-“Knuckle bone flicking” (show off your aim by flicking knuckle bones)