Celebrate Naadam, the Festival of the Three Manly Sports. Explore the best of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's cosmopolitan capital, and enjoy the stunning natural beauty of Terelj and Hustai National Parks.
Arrive at Chinggis Khaan International Airport just outside Ulaanbaatar and travel into the heart of Mongolia’s cosmopolitan capital. Settle into the five-star Novotel Ulaanbaatar, one of the nation’s top-rated hotels. In the city, enjoy a welcome dinner with your tour leader and fellow travelers. (D)
Wednesday, July 7Terelj National Park
Travel east to Terelj National Park, a mixed area of steppe, forest and dramatic rock formations. Weather permitting, mount one of Mongolia’s famed horses and explore the area on horseback. Spend the night at a ger camp in Terelj. (B,L,D)
Thursday, July 8The Steppe
Visit the towering 131-foot tall Genghis Khan Statue, built in 2006 for the 800th anniversary of the Mongol Empire. Travel west onto the vast Mongolian steppe, reaching the beautifully decorated Mongol Nomadic Ger Camp, your ger camp home for the next two nights. (B,L,D)
Friday, July 9Wild Horses
Take a day trip to Hustai National Park, home to the world’s last wild horses. See Przewalski’s horses, formerly extinct from the wild, but reintroduced to Hustai in the 1990s through an international conservation effort. Back at Mongol Nomadic, join the family that runs the resort in a demonstration of steppe nomadic traditions, sharing games, food and music. (B,L,D)
Saturday, July 10Naadam Festival: Horse Racing
Begin celebrating the annual Naadam Festival with a visit to nearby Hui Doloon Hudag for a Naadam horse race, featuring children racing bareback across the steppe on Mongolia’s legendary steeds. Return to Ulaanbaatar. In the city, attend a performance of folk music, dance and throat singing by the renowned Tumen Ekh Ensemble. (B,L,D)
Sunday, July 11Naadam Festival: Wrestling and Archery
Naadam, the annual festival of the Three Manly Sports: wrestling, archery and horse racing, officially begins with the pageantry, music and dancing of the Naadam opening ceremony at Ulaanbaatar’s Naadam Stadium. After watching the ceremony, take in the wrestling, archery and anklebone shooting tournaments. Enjoy a final city evening and farewell dinner with your fellow travelers. (B,L,D)
