MONGOLIA & THE NAADAM FESTIVAL

OVERVIEW

Mongolia is a land of sweeping scale and deep contrasts, from its boundless steppes and the expanses of the Gobi Desert to the legacy of the vast Mongol Empire, traditional crafts and the vitality of its contemporary cultural scene. After modern independence from China and Russia, Mongolia today has a compelling cultural landscape, as the traditions of Buddhism and Islam are expressed in novel contemporary art and an enduring nomadic heritage is celebrated as a core part of the national psyche.

Limelight Arts Travel’s cultural journey to Mongolia offers a rich introduction, including the exuberant Naadam Festival – the nation’s most important annual celebration – and its “Three Manly Games” of wrestling, archery, and horse racing. Against this festive backdrop, we explore Mongolia’s great cultural institutions in Ulaanbaatar, with visits to the National Museum of Mongolia and the Genghis Khan National Museum to understand the creation of the world’s largest contiguous land empire under a remarkable thirteenth-century leader. In the capital’s fine arts collections and contemporary galleries, we also trace the influences of Buddhism, Islam, Shamanism, and globalisation on modern Mongolian artistic expression.

Moving out into the countryside, we encounter Mongolia’s striking natural beauty: the rolling grasslands of the steppe, dramatic canyons of the Gobi and famed “Flaming Cliffs”, site of groundbreaking dinosaur discoveries. Here, Mongolia’s nomadic communities maintain a profound connection to the land, herding their animals across seasonal pastures, crafting felt for their ger (yurt) by hand, and preserving unique cultural practices such as throat singing.

Our participation in the Naadam Festival serves as a fitting culmination to the tour, exemplifying the history, tradition, and modern identity of this emerging cultural destination. The itinerary is enhanced by the experience of tour leader Dr Nick Gordon, a historian and director of Limelight Arts Travel.