What You Should Know Before Visiting Mongolia During the Naadam Festival

Naadam, also called the “Three Manly Games Festival,” is an ancient Mongolian celebration that is still observed today. As noted in The Secret History of the Mongols from the 13th century, the festival originally took place in the month of Khuran, which corresponds to July. Today, and since the People’s Revolution, Naadam is celebrated nationwide every year from July 11 to 13. During this festival, there are horse races, wrestling competitions, and archery, along with traditional artistic activities highlighting Mongolian arts, folklore, knowledge, and handicrafts.

Wrestling: Wrestling in Mongolia takes on a unique form. A total of 512 wrestlers, selected from all regions, compete on a vast field, demonstrating great skill and agility. Since ancient times, physical strength has been highly respected among the Mongols, and young children begin practicing wrestling as they grow up.

Archery: Archery is undoubtedly one of the main aspects of Mongolian military history. In the 13th century, every household had an archer and a morin khuur (horsehead fiddle). Both men and women practiced this skill. Historians agree that Genghis Khan’s army owed much of its success to the warriors’ skill with bow and arrow and the strength of their horses. The warriors were capable of hitting targets while riding a galloping horse. Archery is one of the three so-called “manly games.”

Horse Racing: In general, there are 2,400 horses divided into 6 age categories, each with more than 400 horses, and they race for only two days. Depending on their age, a horse runs between 20 and 30 km. Horse races in Mongolia are unique in the world! It is fascinating for visitors to see between 100 and 500 horses running at the same time. Trainers select a horse to train throughout the four seasons of the year, and one month before the Naadam festival, the horses are carefully tended to and fed daily with grass and water.