The Nomads Day Festival

The Nomads Day Festival starts on the 17th of September - the most blessed day of the Mongolian nomads, in Gun-Galuut Nature Reserve of Mongolia. This real tourism event is one of the most exciting cultural festivals of Mongolia and is the only event that revives traditional Mongolian nomadic culture and contributes to this unique cultural heritage. Therefore, this annual event was approved by the Ministry of Road, Transport and Tourism of Mongolia as an official tourism event. This wonderful festival takes place at Steppe Nomads tourist camp in the land of the rare wildlife Gun-Galuut nature reserve in the Bayandelger sum of Tuv province. The Reserve is located 130 km from Ulaanbaatar in the south east.

 

The Nomads Day Festival Program

September 17

1. Opening ceremony of the Nomads Day Festival

As the Nomads Day Festival is an official tourism event of Mongolia, representatives from the Ministry of Road, Transport and Tourism of Mongolia, Governor Office of Tuv Province and Governor of Bayandelger sum as well as Selena Travel officials take part in the fantastic event. Represantatives give addresses and open the event. Domestic and international media delegates also take part to report the festival.

2. The Nomads Day is a competitive festival

The local nomads proudly demonstrate the major 10 customs of nomadic lifestyle to the visitors as a competition. Each group consists of 5 members: 2 men, 2 ladies and a child aged between 6-10. The tasks include loading gers on yak cart, camel or other means of nomadic transport, assembling the ger in the shortest time (Min 21 minutes), placing furnitures in the gers and make milky tea (Min 3 minutes) and treat the visitors with it, guys grabbing lasso from the ground while galloping at full speed on horseback, catching horses and taming them, kids competing with their mental capacities playing nomadic games and many more. The visitors truly enjoy this spectacular competition.

3. Metropolitan guys is a competition among tourists.

The visitors compete in groups and do different nomadic customs like disassembling a ger in the shortest time, making milky tea and many more. This competition leaves the tourists with a lifetime of beautiful memories providing them with the opportunity to experience the nomadic way of life and Mongolian culture by doing nomads’ everyday tasks themselves.

4. Melodies from the Steppes folklore

A competition among local Mongol nomads and their little children will be happy to present the wonders of Mongolian traditional folklore to the visitors. They compete in groups and each group is given 15 minutes and perform according to the confirmed tasks. The concert includes: the inspiring throat singing, beautiful traditional dances, traditional Mongolian long and short songs, the incredible contortionism, beautiful Mongolian and world classic music by traditional musical instruments like the Horse Head Fiddle, Harp, Flute and many more to enjoy.

September 18

1. Smiles of Mongolia Contest of beautiful rider couples.

This contest allows the tourists to see the beauty of the Mongol people, their extensive knowledge on their history, nomadic traditions and lifestyle, their marvelous traditional costume. Couples are required to be aged between 18-32 years of age. Each couple has to do several tasks like guys break ox T-bones with their hands, girls make small embroidery, both answer questions about Mongolian history, religion and culture. Also each couple has to ride the same colors of horses, similar color of costumes as a tradition and they collect 1/3 of their points for their physical appearance.

2. Shuvuun Saaral Mini Naadam Festival.

The nomads will be happy to share their most regarded celebration Naadam with the visitors. The visitors will witness the fantastic 3 games of Mongols so called Three Manly Games: Horse racing, Archery and Wrestling and admire their strength and skills. Horse racing: 6 year old horses will compete and the racing distance is 20km. 16 wrestlers and 6 male and 4 female archers will compete individually and in groups. Men shoot for 75m and ladies shoot for 60m each using 10 arrows.

3. Delicacies for Chinggis gala dinner - bon fire party.

Participants will enjoy the best of nomadic traditional cuisine enriched with some Western tastes. They have the opportunity to see the preparation of nomadic dishes while learning the Mongolian traditional celebrations and festivities. Various types of steppe beverages will make your evening more joyful!

September 19

Breakfast and next adventure...