Photographers Lounge: What is the Naadam Festival in Mongolia

Photographers Lounge: What is the Naadam Festival in Mongolia: Naadam is a traditional type of festival in Mongolia. The festival is also locally termed "eriin gurvan naadam" (эрийн гурван наадам) "the ...

Nomads' day festival

A cultural revival on Mongolian steppes

Every year on 17-18 of September, symbolising the most auspicious days of the lunar calendar, nomads on Mongolian steppes celebrate Nomads’ Day festival enjoying their world renowned Naadam Three Manly Games – archery, wrestling and horse racing, lots of music and dances, ancient traditions and various competitions in beautiful Gun-Galuut nature reserve, just 2 hour drive from Ulaanbaatar. For two days the steppes come alive with sounds, colourful costumes and joy of nomads just before the long and harsh winter starts. 

The Nomads’ Day festival has become a local cultural festival which is waited for all year by locals and visitors alike from a small tourist event, organised to revive Mongolian traditional nomadic culture, within a few years. The festival attracts approximately 300 locals and 50-60 foreign visitors each year. Selena Travel, a Mongolia based inbound travel company, started the festival within their community-based, responsible tourism initiatives on Mongolian steppes in 2005 in cooperation with the local community. In 2009, Selena Travel received international recognition for initiating and supporting the Nomads’ Day festival when it was awarded the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards in the category of Best for Cultural Conservation.

The blissful festival follows a program that gives foreign visitors a wonderful opportunity to discover traditional Mongolian nomadic culture, lifestyle and traditions and meet true nomads and experience their unparalleled hospitality without any hassles and hustles. On the first day of the festival two major events held – competition among local nomad groups consisting of 2 men, 2 women and a child aged 6 to 12. Their competitions include thrilling activities from moving traditions: assembling and disassembling a ger, loading camel and yak carts; horse culture: catching and taming horses, horsemen picking lassos up on horseback at full speed gallop; women’s daily routine: milking cattle, making ropes from sheep wool; and children’s mental challenges of traditional games. A fun and competitive contest among tourists takes place too. Late in the afternoon nomads compete with their artistic talents singing, dancing and performing national arts. Sometimes, even a local girl or two might perform contortion. On second day, nomads compete with traditional Mongolian sports: archery, horse racing and wrestling, and young couples challenge their beauty and intelligence at Beauties of the Steppes contest. All winners of competitions and visitors are invited to Delicacies for Genghis gala dinner presenting the best of steppe delicacies at the end of the festival.           

Organisers’ team is made of Selena Travel staff and local community members and they bend backwards to ensure the festival organization runs smoothly. According to a survey conducted, the Nomads’ Day organisers cater two types of tourists during the 2 day event. Generally, those from the USA and Europe want to taste the adventures that mark nomadic life, while Asian tourists tend to want to relax and seek comfort. Laurent and Lisa, saddle makers from USA had planned to spend a month in Mongolia. Lisa said, "We loved Mongolian clothes, they are so comfortable, beautiful and we can put things in the Ovor, which is similar to a pocket. We are enjoying our time at the Nomads’ Day festival and Mongolia greatly, and already planning to return next year!” Ann, Phillip, Sarah and Steve from Australia said, “We had a wonderful time during the Nomads Day Festival. Most importantly, everything was real not touristic! We were made to feel very welcome. We had the most wonderful holiday that we will never forget”.  

The Nomads’ Day festival was beyond our expectation. We had no idea what to expect, and seeing the gers erected, the kids horse race, the various ceremonies and especially the children’s music and dance performance was worth the trip alone to Mongolia – and we thank you for the experience. David Friedman, USA

The Nomads’ Day festival is an event definitely not to be missed!

Boxing: British captain exits

Reuters) - Mongolian light-welterweight Munkh-Erdene Uranchimeg produced a ferocious display to down British captain Thomas Stalker in the best fight of the London Games, a big casualty on a tricky Wednesday for the top seeds.

Uranchimeg claimed a 23-22 victory against the 28-year-old Stalker over an action packed nine minutes between the top two fighters in the world rankings.

The 30-year-old Mongolian, competing in his third Olympics, was energetic and clinical over the three rounds and perhaps should have won by a bigger margin, as he picked off Stalker with a number of clean rights in the third as the Briton tired.

The quarter-final victory brought a chorus of boos in the ExCel arena from the home crowd, who were quiet throughout the contest and were out cheered by a pocket of Mongolian fans.
"My soul is full of emotion. I have been n the Olympics three times now - Athens, Beijing and now London. It has been my long-standing dream to get a medal, which I have now achived," Uranchime told reporters after guaranteeing a bronze. 

The narrow defeat was too much to take a Stalker, who threw his towel over his head and stormed our of the arena. 

The British boxing captain appealed the decision to world governing body AIBA, who said they would review the bout.

"Yeah (he's inconsolable), he's not even speaking at the moment," Stalker's corner Dave Alloway told reporters.

"To be one bout away and lose by one point, to lose it by such a close decision is the bit he's finding hard to believe, It's one punch, one shot, one scoring blow," he added. 

"He's devastated because he obviously wanted to get himself a medal at his home - based Olympics but it wasn't to be."

Ukrainian light-welterweight Denys Berinchyk, sporting one of the oddest haircuts in the boxing tournament, was dancing a jig in the ring after the second seed beat Australian Jeffrey Horn to set up a clash with Uranchimeg.

"It's going to be harder to flight with the Mongolian (than Stalker), but we will see," Berinchyk said before discussing the eye-catching mostly shaved style with a lengthy piece of hair left on top.  

"The hairstyle is a traditional Ukrainian hairstyle called chub, and it was traditionally worn by Kazaki people from the south of Ukraine, who are known as good fighters."

Source from: Reuters

Mongolia – the Land of Marvels

If you are seeking a break in a land of peace and marvels, Mongolia is the right place for you. Mongolia is the country of an inimitable nomadic culture, untouched wild & exquisite nature, absorbing adventures and cordial nomads.   

Cradle of Great History: History of the Mongol nomads started over 2000 years ago with the Hun – the first nomadic state in the Central Asia. The world knows the Hun by Attila. From Hun (209 BC) till the 13^th century, 8 nomadic states from both Mongol and Turkic origin inhabited current Mongolia's territory In the beginning of the 13^th century, Temujin, prince of Hamag Mongol tribe, founded Mongol Empire by uniting the 32 nomadic tribes, and started to conquer the world. He was later named “Chinggis” or 

Erdene - Zuu Monastery source from Selena Travel

Genghis Khan. He and his successors founded the mankind’s largest empire “Great Mongol” that reached from India to Russia and from Arabia to Korea. In the ancient capital of Great Mongol Empire Karakorum you will see many remains from the period. During the 16^th century Mongolia was converted in to Buddhism and famous Erdene Zuu monastery was built. Erdene Zuu is still an active monastery with lamas chanting and domestic and international prayers visiting. The Mongols were invaded by Manchu empire of Hamnigan origin in the 18^th century and got its independence back in 1921 led by the last king of Mongolia. His winter palace now shows his and the lives of the Mongolian aristocrats, religious authorities of the early 20^th century. After 70 years of communist regime Mongolia became a democratic country in 1990 and opened its door to the world.

Virgin Nature & Rare Wildlife: This post communist country has a huge territory that is 3 times size of France. The Mongols have beautiful traditions to conserving the nature and as its results, Mongolia is today’s least touched land. Situated in the high plateau of Central Asia, Mongolian terrain mainly consists of Siberian taiga, famous Gobi desert, Altai Mountains and Central Asian steppes. Over 4000m high Altai Mountains tower the western part of the country. The taiga – picturesque Huvsgul mountains dominate the northern 

Mongolia with the pristine lake Huvsgul. Darkhad valley in stunning Huvsgul is famous for sport fishers with its huge Taimen! Central part of made of forested mountains, mountain steppes and is a perfect place for hiking & horse treks. The magical Gobi, its magnificent steppes are in the southern Mongolia. Genghis Khan’s birthplace Khentii Mountains border with the Great endless steppes in the east. You will admire Mongolian photogenic countryside while traveling through this loveable country!

Mongolia is rich in wildlife and you will see rare species of animals, birds that cannot be seen elsewhere. You have the opportunities of photographing endangered Asia wild ass, Argali sheep, Snow leopard, White Naped Crane, Snowcock, Saiga Antelope, Wild camel, wild horse Takhi, the Gobi bear, thousands of gazelles and many more.

Wonderful People & Unique Culture: The Mongols are world widely known for their fantastic arts, the 2 stringed “Morin Khuur” – Horse Headed Fiddle, “Hoomii” – throat singing, “Contortionism” – Elastic girls, Long songs, Traditional dance, Mongol painting and so on. The Buddhist and Shamanist influences in Mongol art make it more wonderful.  Mongolia is one of the biggest religious centers in the world with a great 

many features of both Buddhism and ancient shamanism. Today Buddhism and shamanism exist together in Mongolia as the Mongols practice both of them. During the time of the Great Khans Tibetan Yellow Sect form of Buddhism gained influence in Mongolia. Genghis Khan, leader of the biggest empire ever was well-known for his religious tolerance, having Nestorian Christians, Moslems, Maniche’s and shamans within his realm.

The nomads could find the pastoral animal husbandry that perfectly suits Mongolian ever changing 4 seasons, sharp continental climate. The Mongols live peaceful close to the nature, conserving it, keeping their distinctive lifestyle and unique culture. Mongolian nomads with real smiles on their faces are the most hospitable people that one ever meets. Mongolia has a dozen ethnic groups and each has its own dialect, costumes and traditions. The Kazakh people inhabiting the Altai mountains are the only Muslims in the country and they differ from the others by their culture, religion, language, renowned Hunter Eagles and beautiful embroideries. Also the Tsaatan people keeping reindeers, living in huts in the taiga, are still practicing shamanism and have a very unusual lifestyle. 

Gun-Galuut nature reserve

Fantastic Gün-Galuut Nature Reserve was founded to conserve the globally threatened species and their habitat, while developing sustainable, environmentally friendly tourism in this remote area. The species include the IUCN listed White Naped Crane, Hooded Crane, White Crane, Swan Goose and Argali Wild Sheep and many other species listed in the national red book.

The Reserve is mainly hilly open steppes along the beautiful river Kherlen. Here you can hike, ride horses/camels/yaks, visit real nomadic families and learn their lifestyle, kayak or fish on the River Kherlen, sail on the lake Ikh-Gun. The Reserve is an ideal place for bird watching and Argali wild sheep viewing. Gun-Galuut is not very far from Ulaanbaatar, only 130km in the south east. This is the only place where you will really feel the ultimate Mongolian experience. Amazing Gun-Galuut Nature Reserve is a destination, definitely not to be missed! For more info please visit Gun-Galuut nature reserve