Ice sumo wrestling, camel races and golden eagles: Explorer.Company highlights Mongolia’s winter festival season

Ice sumo wrestling, camel races and golden eagles: Explorer.Company highlights Mongolia’s winter festival season

ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA, October 30, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Ulaanbaatar, October 30, 2026 - While summer brings lush grasslands and sprawling sunshine, winter offers an entirely distinct adventure across the steppe. Frozen waterways host lively gatherings, two-humped camels sprint through snow-dusted sands, and tourist crowds vanish completely. For travelers who prefer cold-weather festivities over crowded city sights, Explorer.Company organizes tailored expeditions that showcase the finest late-season winter events.

Four late-season gatherings across the steppe
Lake Khövsgöl Ice Festival
Adjacent to Khatgal village, freezing temperatures transform the northern waters into a massive venue for winter sports. The gathering features horse sled racing, ice skating competitions, and traditional shagai games set against snow-capped peaks. Local shamans and Dukha reindeer herders participate throughout the celebrations. The Northern Mongolia Loop expedition can be scheduled to align with these festivities.

Thousand Camel Festival in the Gobi
Established in 1997 in Umnugobi Province to encourage conservation and breeding of the endangered two-humped Bactrian camel, this event highlights cultural heritage across snow-dusted desert dunes. Herders compete in camel races, parades, and traditional skill contests. Travelers can join these celebrations via the Gobi Sands itinerary.

Golden Eagle Festival
Kazakh falconers gather in Bayan-Ölgii Province for the late-winter gathering. Competitors are evaluated on traditional attire, horsemanship, and hunting precision as trained golden eagles target fox furs pulled across snowcovered terrain. The custom is experienced firsthand on the Eagle Hunters & Empires route.

Tsagaan Sar (Lunar New Year)
Mongolia's traditional spring holiday centers on family reunions, ancestral respects, and ceremonial feasts. Visiting during this period offers an authentic glimpse into local customs and hospitality.

Planning your expedition
February and March provide ideal conditions, combining clear skies with consecutive event dates. Navigating regional routes requires capable four-wheel-drive vehicles and flexible travel schedules to accommodate winter weather. Explorer.Company offers the Winter Wonderland package, along with custom itineraries tailored to specific event schedules.

Traveling in comfort
Every Explorer.Company trip includes a Toyota Land Cruiser (up to four travelers), camping equipment, airport transfers, and routes and navigation prepared by local experts. A dedicated remote travel assistant handles activities, routes and accommodation. Travelers can pick a guided tour with a chauffeur, a guided self-drive, or a fully organized self-drive, and stay in private gers, with nomadic families or in simple or premium accommodation.

Getting there from North America
Travelers from Boston, New York, Washington, Chicago, San Francisco and other North American cities reach Mongolia with one connection, typically through Seoul (Korean Air, MIAT Mongolian Airlines), Tokyo (Japan Airlines, MIAT) or Istanbul (Turkish Airlines). Flights land at Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Ulaanbaatar, where Explorer.Company meets guests for the transfer.

Sophia J. Smith
Explorer.Company Mongolia
+976 9000 7008
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Mongolia offroad in winter