heymongolia
Naadam & traditional sports

Local naadams in the countryside

Village and provincial naadams with the same wrestling, archery and horse racing, on a smaller and friendlier scale.

Besides the national festival in Ulaanbaatar, almost every province and district (soum) holds its own naadam in July. They're small, informal and very local: families arrive on horseback and motorbikes, wrestlers compete on open ground, and visitors can stand right at the finish line of the horse races.

Dates vary by place and are often set only a few weeks ahead, so ask a local tour company which ones fall on your route.

  • When: Usually in July, around the national Naadam
  • Where: Provincial and district centres across Mongolia
  • Region: Several regions

Tips

  • Ask your guide or driver about naadams along your route
  • Dates are announced late, so keep your plans flexible

Tours for Local naadams in the countryside

  • Beauty of Mongolia Tour and Local Naadam Festival (13 days · Several regions · Discover Mongolia · from $2,477)
    A 13-day July tour timed for the local Naadam in Kharkhorin, continuing south through Ongi and the South Gobi before flying back to Ulaanbaatar.
  • Discover Mongolia Tour and Local Naadam Kharkhorin (16 days · Central Mongolia · Discover Mongolia · from $3,082)
    A 16-day July tour joining the Kharkhorin local Naadam with the South Gobi, central lakes and hot springs, and Khuvsgul Lake, using two domestic flights.
  • Classic Mongolia – Naadam Festival (11 days · Several regions · Nomadic Expeditions · from $9,850)
    An 11-day July group tour combining the Naadam festival in Ulaanbaatar with Terelj National Park and the Gobi, including camel trekking and a nomad family visit.
  • From the Altai Mountains to the Gobi Desert featuring The Naadam Festival (12 days · Altai & the west · Nomadic Expeditions · from $10,990)
    A 12-day trip flying from Ulaanbaatar to the Altai for Kazakh eagle falconry and a local Naadam, then to the southern Gobi for camel trekking and desert sights.
  • Ulaanbaatar Naadam Festival (4 days · Ulaanbaatar · Nomadic Journeys · from $1,100)
    A short hotel-based package in Ulaanbaatar for the July Naadam festival, with the opening ceremony at the stadium plus countryside Naadam archery, wrestling and horse racing.
  • Naadam Explorer | Small Group Tour | 13 Days (13 days · Several regions · Eternal Landscapes Mongolia · from $3,420)
    A 13-day small-group trip in late June and July covering the Gobi and central Mongolia by 4x4 van, ending at the state Naadam festival in Ulaanbaatar.
  • Naadam Trek (10 days · Several regions · Horse Trek Mongolia · from $4,800)
    A 10-day July horse trek through Terelj National Park and nearby country, with a local mini Naadam, a 13th-century village museum, a family stay, and the Chinggis Khan statue.
  • 8-Day Mongolia Gobi Desert & Naadam Festival Tour with Domestic Flights (8 days · Gobi Desert · Guru Travel Mongolia (Tour2Mongolia) · from $2,700)
    An 8-day July group tour pairing a flight to the Gobi for dunes, cliffs and canyons with the Naadam opening, wrestling, archery and horse racing in Ulaanbaatar.

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