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Go Mongolia
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NOMADIC NAADAM & A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A NOMAD
Location: Terelj National Park, Mongolia
Duration: 3 Days / 2 Nights
Best Time to Visit: June – September
Tour Highlights
Nomadic Naadam Festival — Experience traditional Mongolian sports, music, and cultural performances in a local steppe setting.
A Day in Nomadic Life — Spend time with a nomadic family and take part in daily activities that reveal Mongolia’s herding traditions, hospitality, and way of life.
Historic Landmarks — Visit the Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex and the Tonyukuk Memorial Complex, two important sites connected to Mongolia’s history and heritage.
Horseback Riding in Terelj — Ride through the open valleys, hills, and mountain scenery of Terelj National Park.
Mongolian Culture & Traditions — Encounter Mongolia’s living traditions through music, history, local interaction, and the everyday rhythm of life on the steppe.
Itineraries
Day 1: Nomadic Naadam Festival in Terelj National Park
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• Depart from Ulaanbaatar and travel to Terelj National Park, one of Mongolia’s most scenic and accessible wilderness areas. Along the way, stop at Turtle Rock, a well-known natural formation in the Gorkhi River Valley, before visiting Ariyabal Meditation Temple, where a short walk leads to wide views over the surrounding mountains.
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• Arrive at Terelj Lodge for a traditional Mongolian lunch before taking part in the Nomadic Naadam Festival, a private cultural experience inspired by Mongolia’s most celebrated national festival. Guests will witness Mongolia’s traditional sports and performing arts in an intimate setting, including Mongolian wrestling, archery, horse racing, throat singing, morin khuur music, and contortion.
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• Naadam Traditions: Watch Mongolia’s “three manly games” — wrestling, archery, and horse racing — performed in the open landscapes of Terelj.
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• Hands-On Activities: Try archery and wrestling under the guidance of experienced local instructors.
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• Cultural Performance: Enjoy traditional music and performance, including Hoomii throat singing, morin khuur, and Mongolian contortion.
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• In the evening, return to Terelj Lodge for a traditional Mongolian dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2: A Day in the Life of a Nomad
- • After breakfast, transfer to a local nomadic family’s ger and experience the rhythm of daily life on the Mongolian steppe. Guests are welcomed with Mongolian milk tea and traditional dairy products before joining the family in hands-on activities that reflect the skills, customs, and seasonal work of nomadic life.
- • Nomadic Family Visit: Spend meaningful time with a local family and learn about Mongolian hospitality, household traditions, and daily routines.
- • Traditional Dairy Making: Help with milking cows, yaks, or goats, and learn how milk is processed into aaruul, butter, and airag.
- • Heritage Crafts: Take part in traditional skills such as felt-making, sewing deels, and preparing cowhide for rope, lasso, or horse gear.
- • Home-Cooked Lunch: Share a traditional Mongolian meal prepared by the host family.
- • Return to Terelj Lodge in the afternoon for dinner and a relaxed evening surrounded by the quiet landscapes of the national park.
Day 3: Horseback Riding in Terelj Valley – Chinggis Khaan Monument – Return to Ulaanbaatar
- • Begin the day with a half-day horseback riding excursion through Terelj Valley. Ride across open grassland, pass rocky hills and river valleys, and explore the area around Mergen Uul Mountain, one of the highest peaks in the region.
- • Horseback Riding in Terelj: Experience Mongolia’s equestrian culture while riding through one of the country’s most beautiful national parks.
- • Scenic Valley Landscapes: Visit Turtle Rock on horseback and take in the wide mountain and steppe views of Terelj Valley.
- • Return to Terelj Lodge for lunch and free time, with the option to join additional archery lessons led by professional instructors.
- • In the afternoon, depart for the Chinggis Khaan Monument, a 40-meter stainless steel equestrian statue and one of Mongolia’s most iconic modern landmarks. Guests can walk up to the viewing platform in the horse’s head, explore the museums inside the complex, and visit the souvenir shops.
- • Continue to the Tonyukuk Memorial Complex, an important 8th-century Turkic heritage site dedicated to the advisor Tonyukuk. Explore the ancient balbals, tombstones, and engraved stone platform that connect Mongolia’s landscape to the broader history of Central Asia.
- • Drive back to Ulaanbaatar, where the tour concludes.
Why Choose This Tour?
- • Authentic Mongolian Culture: Experience nomadic life through real family visits, traditional food, hands-on activities, and local hospitality.
- • Private Nomadic Naadam: Enjoy an intimate version of Mongolia’s most famous cultural festival, with traditional sports, music, and performances.
- • Terelj National Park Adventure: Explore one of Mongolia’s most scenic landscapes through horseback riding, cultural visits, and mountain views.
- • Hands-On Learning: Try archery, wrestling, dairy processing, felt-making, and other traditions that remain part of everyday nomadic life.
- • History Beyond the Steppe: Visit the Chinggis Khaan Monument and Tonyukuk Memorial Complex for a deeper understanding of Mongolia’s historic and cultural landscape.
- • This tour brings together Mongolia’s living nomadic culture, Naadam traditions, horseback riding, national park scenery, and historic landmarks in a short but deeply immersive journey. It is ideal for travelers who want more than sightseeing: a meaningful introduction to Mongolian life, landscape, and heritage.
What's in the package
What's Included:
- 24/7 In-country emergency support
- Detailed pre-departure summary & briefing
- Health & safety risk assessment
- All accommodation costs
- Full board meals for the entire trip
- All land transportation costs, airport pick-up & drop-off
- All activities listed in the itinerary
- English speaking local guides
What's Excluded:
- Mongolian Tourist visa.
- International flights.
- Meals not included in the itinerary and alcohol.
- Tips and gratuities.
- Expenses of a personal nature (e.g., mini bar, personal telecommunications, laundry, etc.).
- Any activities not included in the itinerary.