Nordic Adventure Winter Sports Festival in Mongolia

After a hot breakfast, we depart for the Tunkhel region in the Selenge province (approximately a 5-hour drive). The road winds through striking winter landscapes: snow-covered hills, larch forests, and rivers frozen solid. Along the way, we stop for a traditional nomadic lunch at a typical roadside inn. Upon arrival in the Tunkhel Valley, you are welcomed by a herding family with whom you will spend the next few days. We settle into the family yurts. In the evening, around the campfire, we share stories with our hosts about their winter way of life.

Today, you'll live like a taiga dweller. You'll participate in daily tasks: chopping wood, drawing frozen water from the river, and feeding the herds of yaks and horses. You'll learn to make Mongolian flatbreads cooked on the stove. Time will also be dedicated to making fermented milk and preparing salted milk tea. At the end of the day, you'll take a walk in the surrounding forests to observe animal tracks (deer, wolves, hares). Spend the night in the yurt, warmed by the fire and the stories of the elders.

After a hearty breakfast, set off on a horseback trek in the Tunkhel hills. Mongolian horses are well-suited to winter conditions and progress slowly but surely through the deep snow. You'll ride through pristine nature where silence reigns supreme. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the forest. In the afternoon, visit a small Buddhist hermitage nestled in the mountains. Return to the yurt for a hot dinner and a peaceful night by the stove.

This morning, you'll meet a local shaman, guardian of ancient rituals passed down through generations. You'll witness a purification ceremony with drums and chants, designed to harmonize the group's energies. He'll explain the connections between nature, spirits, and health in Mongolian cosmology. The afternoon is free for writing, walking, or simply contemplation. In the evening, you'll gather under the stars, where the constellations shine brightly in the icy sky.

For the second year, the village of Tunkhel in the Selenge region is hosting a spectacular winter festival, bringing together more than 530 athletes from several Mongolian provinces, including Ulaanbaatar, Arkhangai, Khövsgöl, Orkhon, and Darkhan-Uul. The event also attracts over 2,000 spectators who come to enjoy the fresh taiga air and experience a festive weekend combining winter sports, culture, and camaraderie.

1. As visitors:

French travelers can attend the festival as part of a tailor-made winter tour in Mongolia. You will be welcomed by a nomadic family in the Tunkhel region, accommodated in a heated yurt, and accompanied by a French-speaking guide. There, you can experience the local atmosphere, watch the competitions (skating, skiing, ice archery, snowshoeing, or horseback riding), and sample Mongolian culinary specialties prepared for the occasion.

1. As participants in the activities:

If you wish, you can register for all the events open to the public: snowshoeing, short ski runs, or fun activities like traditional sledding or boot races. The local organizers are friendly and welcoming to foreigners, especially if you are there as part of a planned trip.

1. In a cultural approach

The festival is also an opportunity to meet artisans, listen to traditional songs, and local music.

You'll continue your journey south to Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, east of Ulaanbaatar (approximately a 6-hour drive). This park is famous for its unusual rock formations and snow-covered forests. You'll settle into a yurt camp. In the late afternoon, you can hike to the "Stone Turtle" and optionally climb to a hermitage on the cliff. Overnight in a heated yurt with a view of the valley.

In the morning, a snowshoe hike through the coniferous forests of Terelj Park. In the afternoon, a meeting with the mushers who raise their dogs specifically for winter expeditions. A safety briefing, practical tips, and a dog sledding session on flat terrain. A convivial dinner at the camp. Overnight in a yurt.

A full day of Nordic adventure! You'll embark on a dogsled expedition through the valleys and forests around Terelj. Each participant can drive their own team or be pulled along. The powerful and disciplined dogs will carry you in magical silence along the snowy trails. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the heart of nature. Return at the end of the day, cheeks rosy from the cold and hearts filled with wonder. Festive dinner and farewell ceremony.

Return to Ulaanbaatar in the morning. Check into your hotel. Free afternoon for last-minute shopping: cashmere, handcrafted souvenirs, books, semi-precious stones. In the late afternoon, enjoy a short concert of traditional music (throat singing, morin khuur). Farewell dinner at a good local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

Transfer to the airport according to your flight schedule. You leave with unforgettable images of icy landscapes, warm faces, and ancestral traditions shared with respect and authenticity.