Festival · July
Naadam Festival: Dates, Tickets and How to Experience It
Short answer
Naadam is Mongolia's national festival of wrestling, horse racing and archery, held from 11 July in Ulaanbaatar (11–13 July in 2026) with the opening ceremony at the National Sports Stadium. Local Naadams in the countryside — smaller, less crowded and often more memorable — take place on different dates through July. Hotels, flights and good drivers book up early for this period.
Key facts
- National Naadam
- Ulaanbaatar, from 11 July each year (2026: 11–13 July)
- Three games
- Wrestling (bökh), horse racing, archery — plus anklebone shooting
- Horse racing
- At Khui Doloon Khudag, outside the city; child jockeys, long-distance races
- Tickets
- Needed for the stadium opening ceremony; sell fast
Naadam (“games”) is Mongolia’s biggest celebration: the “three manly games” of wrestling, horse racing and archery, rooted in centuries of tradition and inscribed on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Women compete in archery, and girls as well as boys ride in the horse races.
The national Naadam in Ulaanbaatar
- Opening ceremony at the National Sports Stadium on 11 July: parade, music, the Nine White Banners, then the start of the wrestling.
- Wrestling continues over the following days in the stadium — a knockout tournament of hundreds of wrestlers.
- Archery at the archery ground next to the stadium.
- Horse racing at Khui Doloon Khudag, an open plain outside the city: races over long distances by age class of horse, ridden by child jockeys.
Local Naadams
Every province and many districts (soums) hold their own Naadam, usually a single day of wrestling, a horse race and sometimes archery. Dates vary by place and year. If you’re travelling the countryside in July, a good local driver or guide can often find one along your route.
Planning tips
- Book early. Ulaanbaatar hotels, domestic flights and the best drivers and guides are in demand in July.
- Stadium tickets sell fast; prices vary by seat. Some operators can help.
- Horse racing involves early starts, dust and crowds; go with a driver who knows the parking and the finish area.
- Combine the opening ceremony with a few days in Terelj or a Central Mongolia loop.
Questions travelers ask
When is Naadam?
The national Naadam opens on 11 July in Ulaanbaatar. In 2026 the main events ran 11–13 July. Local Naadams in provinces and districts are held on their own dates, often in the weeks around the national festival.
Do I need tickets for Naadam?
For the opening ceremony inside the National Sports Stadium, yes, and they sell quickly. The horse racing at Khui Doloon Khudag and much of the surrounding atmosphere don't need stadium tickets.
Is a local Naadam better than the national one?
Different. The national Naadam has the spectacle and the best wrestlers; a local Naadam is intimate — you can stand close to the wrestlers and finish line among local families. Many travelers combine the opening ceremony in Ulaanbaatar with a local Naadam in the countryside.
Is July a bad time to visit because of Naadam?
Not bad — just busy. Prices and demand are higher in Ulaanbaatar around the festival, and the city partly empties as people head to the countryside. Plan earlier than you otherwise would.
Sources and further reading
We link sources for facts that matter (prices, entry rules, dates, distances). Third-party prices are what those sources published, not quotes from us.
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