What is Naadam?
Naadam's games go back centuries, to the gatherings of nomadic tribes and the armies of the Mongol Empire. The national festival opens on 11 July, the anniversary of the 1921 revolution.
Despite the old name, women compete in archery and girls ride in the horse races; only the wrestling is for men. UNESCO added Naadam to its list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2010.
When is Naadam? Dates for 2026 and 2027
2026
- 10–15 July 2026Naadam public holidays
- Saturday 11 July 2026Opening ceremony in Ulaanbaatar
2027
- 10–15 July 2027Naadam public holidays
- Sunday 11 July 2027Opening ceremony in Ulaanbaatar
The dates are set by law: public holidays from 10 to 15 July, with the opening ceremony on 11 July. The government sometimes adds extra days off (in 2025 the holiday ran until 17 July), and local naadams in the countryside keep their own dates through the summer.
How people celebrate
- Wrestling: a knock-out tournament of hundreds of wrestlers, where whoever touches the ground with anything but feet or hands loses.
- Horse races across the open steppe over distances of up to about 25 km, ridden by young jockeys.
- Archery, and the game of shooting knucklebones (shagai).
Good to know
- Tickets for the opening ceremony at the national stadium sell out; the horse races outside the city are free to watch.
- Smaller countryside naadams are more relaxed, and visitors are usually welcome.
- Try khuushuur, the fried mutton pastries sold everywhere during Naadam.