Everything you need to know before you go — from the opening ceremony to the children on horseback

• There is a moment at Naadam — usually somewhere between watching a five-year-old jockey disappear over the horizon on horseback and hearing 20,000 Mongolians fall completely silent before a wrestling match — when you realise this is not a performance. This is a civilisation remembering itself.

Naadam is the most important national celebration in Mongolia. Held every year from 11 to 13 July, it marks the anniversary of the 1921 revolution and brings together the three sports that have defined Mongolian nomadic life for over 800 years: wrestling, horse racing, and archery. UNESCO recognised it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, but Mongolians do not need a UNESCO stamp to tell them what it means. They have always known.

For visitors, Naadam is one of the most extraordinary events on Earth. Not because it is spectacular — though it is — but because it is real. This is not a festival that was invented for tourists. Foreigners are welcome, but the festival would happen with or without them. That authenticity is rare, and it is felt immediately.

A Festival 800 Years in the Making

The origins of Naadam stretch back to the time of the Hunnu Empire around 209 BC, though the festival took its modern shape after Genghis Khan united the Mongolian tribes in 1206. In those early centuries, it was not a celebration — it was training. Warriors competed in the three sports to sharpen the skills that had helped the Mongol Empire become the largest contiguous land empire in human history. The best wrestlers, the fastest horses, and the most accurate archers were not just admired — they determined the fate of battles.

Over the centuries, Naadam absorbed Buddhist ceremonies, royal court traditions, and eventually Soviet-era politics. Each layer is still visible if you know where to look. The opening ceremony includes the Ceremony of Nine White Banners — a tradition that dates back to Genghis Khan, revived in the 1990s after Mongolia’s return to democracy. Each banner is made from the tail hair of a thousand stallions from each of the country’s provinces, symbolising power and sovereignty.

“Every Mongolian family hopes their son will become a famous wrestler. Every child in the countryside is in the saddle by the age of three. This is not nostalgia — it is identity.”

Wrestling: No Weight Classes, No Limits

Mongolian wrestling is considered the most prestigious of the three Naadam sports. The competition is single-elimination and there are no weight classes — meaning a smaller, more agile wrestler can take on and defeat a much larger opponent through superior technique alone.

Each match begins with a ritual dance meant to resemble a flying eagle, symbolising bravery and strength. Wrestlers wear the traditional “zodog” — a tight open-fronted vest — and “shuudag” shorts. The costume has barely changed in eight centuries. A total of 512 or 1,024 wrestlers meet in a single-elimination tournament that can last nine or ten rounds, sometimes running as late as 10 or 11 PM on the final night.

Horse Racing: Children on the Steppe

There is a local saying that Mongolia is a nation born on horseback. Every child who grows up in the countryside learns to ride at age three, and most of the jockeys in the Naadam horse races are under ten. This is not recklessness — it is a deliberate choice rooted in physics. Lighter riders allow the horse’s full ability to show.

Mongolian horse racing is not a short sprint. Races cover 15 to 30 kilometres of open steppe, with the distance determined by the age category of the horse. Two-year-old horses race 16 km; seven-year-olds race 27 km. Before the races, the young jockeys sing a “Giingo” — a mantra to Khayankhyarvaa, the god of horses. There is also an ancient belief that touching the dust and sweat of a racing horse as it passes can change your luck.

Archery: Women Compete Too

Archery contests during Naadam are open to male, female, and child archers across three categories: Khalkh, Buriad, and Uriankhai. Each uses different bows and shooting distances, testing strength, vision, and concentration in different ways.

Archers use traditional Mongolian composite bows made of sinew, wood, and horn, aiming at rows of leather ring targets called “surs” placed on the ground at varying distances. Team members chant encouragement in melodic tones, and each successful shot is met with traditional praise songs. The visual of archers in full colourful deel — the traditional Mongolian robe — drawing back their bows against an open sky is one of the defining images of Naadam.

Beyond the Three Sports

Naadam is not only a sporting event. Oral traditions, performing arts, national cuisine, craftsmanship, and cultural forms such as long song, Khöömei overtone singing, Bie biyelgee dance, and Morin Khuur fiddle playing all feature prominently during the festival. If you only watch the sports, you are seeing perhaps half of what Naadam actually is.

The festival begins with an elaborate introduction ceremony featuring dancers, athletes, horse riders, and musicians. There is also a traditional costume festival called Deeltei Mongol, a horse-headed fiddle festival called Morin Khuur, and nightly performances of Uchirtai Gurvan Tolgoi — a traditional Mongolian opera.

The food is an essential part of the experience. Traditional khuushuur — deep-fried meat pastries — are served around the stadium, alongside airag, fermented mare’s milk, which is the customary Naadam drink. Airag is an acquired taste. It is slightly fizzy, mildly sour, and gently alcoholic. Try it at least once. It is part of the day.

Practical Guide: How to Experience Naadam Well

• ✓Book 4–6 months in advance. July is the single busiest month in Mongolia’s tourism calendar. Flights from Europe fill early. Ger camps and guesthouses near the festival venue sell out fast. This is not an exaggeration.
• ✓Get tickets for the opening ceremony. The 11 July opening ceremony at the National Sports Stadium is the emotional heart of the festival. Without a ticket, you will be watching from outside. It is worth planning around.
• ✓Go to the horse race finish line. Not the start — the finish, at Khui Doloon Khudag, around 30 km west of Ulaanbaatar. Watching a child jockey cross the line after 27 km of steppe is one of the most moving things you will see in Mongolia.
• ✓Do not skip the wrestling finals. They run late — sometimes past 10 PM. The atmosphere is extraordinary. Bring layers; evenings get cold even in July.
• ✓Eat khuushuur from the stalls. The meat-filled fried pastries sold around the stadium are delicious and very much part of the day. Follow where the locals are queuing.
• ✓Try airag. Fermented mare’s milk is the traditional Naadam drink. It will be offered to you. Accepting it is a gesture of respect to your host.
• ✓Wear layers. July days can reach 25°C but drop sharply in the evening, especially in the open steppe. Dress in layers you can add and remove throughout the day.
• ✓Combine with a wider Mongolia trip. Naadam is three days. Mongolia is a lifetime. Use the festival as your entry point into a longer expedition — the country rewards those who stay.