2014 Mongolia Countryside Naadam Festival Events


       



What to expect

Each aimag (province) will celebrate a 2 day local Naadam festival during July 2014.
These local events are aimed for the local communities, and are free of charge.

Tourists are welcome to join, but there are limited facilities for tourists.  
Almost no English is spoken, there are no road signs directing you to the exact location of the Naadam celebration fields, your driver will have to ask around.
The events take place in open fields within a short drive from the Aimag (province) capital city.

In contrast to the main spectacular and somewhat touristic events in Ulaanbaatar, 
the countryside events give you a much closer point of view, 
you get to mingle with the locals, 
and experience an authentic and traditional way of celebrating Naadam. 


Naadam showcases the 3 Sports of Mongolia - wrestling, horse racing, and archery. 

After the opening ceremony on the first day, 
you will enjoy 2 days of wrestling, multiple horse races, and an archery event. 
The Naadam horse race is 10-30 km long with dozens of local contestants. 

Local foods are sold or shared by locals. 
You will notice people consume large amounts of airag (fermented mare’s milk), 
huushur (fried bread stuffed with meat),  and aaruul (dried milk curds), 
these are as important to Naadam as watching the events. 

The competitions take place about 2-4 km out of the aimag capital city. 
Taxis (private vehicles) to the fields cost about 2,000-4,000 MNT. Walking and hitchhiking is an option.

Horse races in some cases are away from the main event fields, and might require another taxi ride.


updated on 27 June 2014 - Dates of province Naadam (Dates might change, check before going)

Mongolia Naadam 2014 aimag (province) celebration dates in the countryside. 

July 3-4     Khentii
July 5-6     Bayan-Olgii,
July 7-8     Govisumbar
July 9-10   Ovorkhangai, Arkhangai, Bulgan, Tov
July 10-11 Sukhbaatar, Darkhan-Uul, Selenge, 
                  Govi-altai, Dornogovi, Orkhon, Zavkhan,
July 11-12 Uvs, Omnogovi,  
July 25-26 Bayankhongor, Khovsgol,  Khovd, Dornod, Dundgovi

For better communication, and useful when asking directions - 
copy from the table below the Mongolian names of the Aimag and capital city you are heading to. 
SealProvincesNaadam
Dates

Population*


Capital
Arhangai.gifArkhangai
(Архангай)
July
9-10
Large  


Tsetserleg
(Цэцэрлэг)
Bayan Olgiy.gifBayan-Ölgii
(Баян-Өлгий)
July
5-6
Large 


Ölgii
(Өлгий)
Mn coa bayankhongor aymag.pngBayankhongor
(Баянхонгор)
July
25-26
Large 


Bayankhongor
(Баянхонгор)
Bulgan.gifBulgan
(Булган)
July
9-10
Medium 


Bulgan
(Булган)
Mn coa of darkhan aymag.svgDarkhan-Uul
(Дархан-Уул)
July
9-10-11
Large 


Darkhan
(Дархан)
Dornod.gifDornod
(Дорнод)
July
25-26
Large 

Choibalsan
(Чойбалсан)
Dornogov.gifDornogovi
(Дорноговь)
July
10-11
Large 


Sainshand
(Сайншанд)
Dundgov.gifDundgovi
(Дундговь)
July
25-26
Medium 


Mandalgovi
(Мандалговь)
Govsumber.gifGovi-Altai
(Говь-Алтай)
July
9-11
Medium  


Altai
(Алтай)
Hentiy.gifGovisümber
(Говьсүмбэр)
July
7-8
Small 


Choir
(Чойр)
Mn coa khovd aymag.pngKhentii
(Хэнтий)
July
2-3-4
Large 

Öndörkhaan
(Өндөрхаан)
Govaltai.gifKhovd
(Ховд)
July
25-26
Large 


Khovd
(Ховд)
Mn coa khuvsgul aymag.pngKhövsgöl
(Хөвсгөл)
July
25-26
Large 


Mörön
(Мөрөн)
Mn coa Ömnögovǐ.jpgÖmnögovi
(Өмнөговь)
July
11-12
Large 


Dalanzadgad
(Даланзадгад)
Mn coa erdenet.pngOrkhon
(Орхон)
July
9-10-11
Large 


Erdenet
(Эрдэнэт)
Mn coa uvurkhangay aymag.pngÖvörkhangai
(Өвөрхангай)
July
9-10
Large 

Arvaikheer
(Арвайхээр)
Selenge.gifSelenge
(Сэлэнгэ)
July
10-11
Large 


Sükhbaatar
(Сүхбаатар)
Mn coa sukhbaatar aymag.pngSükhbaatar
(Сүхбаатар)
July
10-11
Medium 

Baruun-Urt
(Баруун-Урт)
Tov.gifTöv
(Төв)
July
9-10-11
Large 


Zuunmod
(Зуунмод)
Uvs.gifUvs
(Увс)
July
11-12
Large 


Ulaangom
(Улаангом)
Zavchan.gifZavkhan
(Завхан)
July
10-11
Large 


Uliastai
(Улиастай)
Mn coa ulaanbaatar.pngUlaanbaatar
(Улаанбаатар)
July
11-13
1,400,000

National
Capital
* Population index (size of province by number of inhabitants)
Small:         up to 10,000  inhabitants 
Medium:     10,000 -   50,000 inhabitants 
Large:         50,000 - 100,000 inhabitants  



Celebrations in sums (districts)
Each aimag (province) is divided into several sums (districts).
Participating in a sum Naadam is a rewarding experience.
It is a small community event.

Following is a list of a few sum Naadam celebrations

Sums Naadam in Selenge aimag

July 4-5 Shaamar (Шаамар) sum
July 14-16 Tsagaannuur (Цагааннуур) sum
July 17-18 Tüshig  (Түшиг) sum
July 18-19 Yeröö (Ерөө) sum
July 18-20 Züünbüren (Зүүнбүрэн) sum
July 23-25 Baruunbüren (Баруунбүрэн) sum
August 1-2  Mandal (Мандал) sum



Additional countryside events:


Altargana - Buryat people festival Jul 18 – 21, 2014 Dadal (Khentii aimag)

A bi-annual festival of the Buryat (Buriad) ethnic people. 
This year the festival will take place in Dadal sum (district) of the Khenti aimag (province), 
the birth place of Chinggis Khan.  

The festival celebrates the culture traditions and history of the Buryat people. 
The festival events will include folk and contemporary songs, traditional costumes, fairy tales, poetry, 
wrestling, archery, beauty contests and more.

The name of the festival Altargana is derived from an extremely durable yellow color plant 
symbolizing a flower of eternity and thus the Buryat people. 
Other names of the plant are: Altan-Khargana, Solidago, Goldenrods.

The festival moves each time from city to city within the Buryat ethnic people region, in north Mongolia, southern Siberia, and north China. 


























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