Naadam is not a festival in the way other countries do festivals. Naadam is Mongolia. Every July 11-13, the entire country shuts down. Offices close. Families return to the countryside. The three games, wrestling, archery, and horse racing, unfold in parallel across the country, with the biggest stage in Ulaanbaatar.
Wrestling, Bökh
No weight classes. No time limit. 512 men enter, one khan leaves. Matches can last 30 seconds or 90 minutes. The loser touches knee, elbow, or torso to the ground. The winner performs the eagle dance (devekh) to honour the mountains.
Archery, Sur Kharvaa
Four disciplines across national and local naadams. Men shoot from 75 metres, women from 65. The targets are small leather pucks stacked in a wall. Judges stand BESIDE the target line and sing to guide the arrows in.
Horse Racing, Mörni Uralduun
Not a racetrack. A cross-country run across the steppe, 15 to 30 kilometres depending on age class. Jockeys are children, ages 5 to 13. Horses are two to seven years old. The winning horse becomes a national treasure.
Where to Sit in Ulaanbaatar
Central Stadium for the wrestling opening ceremony and finals. Khui Doloon Khudag, 40 km west of UB, for the horse racing finish line. Buyant-Ukhaa for archery. We hold seats in all three. VIP access includes shade, which in July matters more than you expect.
The Countryside Option
Tov, Orkhon, Bayan-Ölgii, every aimag (province) runs its own naadam. Smaller crowds. Closer to the horses. Real. We recommend first-timers spend July 10 in UB for the opening and travel to a countryside naadam July 12-13.
