Nordic Adventure Winter Sports Festival in Mongolia
In summary
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Sports
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Duration14 days
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LevelAll levels
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DestinationAsia / Mongolia
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AgeFrom 16 - 75 years
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CO₂-Emissions2281.17 kg CO2
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Type of stayIn a group
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Languages
French
English
In a few words
In the heart of the forested Selenge province, in the Tunkhel district, experience a unique winter sporting event at the gateway to the Siberian taiga. Between boreal forests and snow-covered steppes , this event offers an authentic immersion in the Mongolian winter, amidst stunningly beautiful, unspoiled landscapes.
Held under the auspices of the Mongolian Ministry of Culture and Sports , the competition showcases nine iconic disciplines : ice skating , snowboarding , snowshoeing , ice climbing , archery on frozen surfaces , and the spectacular ambling horse race , celebrating the traditional Mongolian gait of the joroo .
Open to everyone, regardless of skill level, this festival attracted over 500 participants from across the country in its very first edition. Whether you want to compete, learn the basics, or simply enjoy the atmosphere, everyone finds their place at this popular event.
More than a competition, it's a human, cultural, and sporting experience , punctuated by local conviviality. A rare opportunity to discover a vibrant and welcoming Mongolia, deeply connected to nature, even in the heart of winter.
The highlights
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Winter festival at the edge of the Siberian taiga
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9 ice and snow disciplines including horse racing joroo
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Accessible to all, festive and friendly atmosphere
Photos
Sport
Level
Hiking / Trekking
In figures
Hiking
- Average duration/day: 1h
- Average distance/day: 10 km
- Average daily elevation gain: 74 m
- Average daily descent: 20 m
Horseback riding
- Average duration/day: 5h
Nordic walking
- Average duration/day: 1h
Dog sledding ride
- Average duration/day: 1h
Management
Chadra has been accompanying French travelers on horseback for over 20 years. A nomad in the Khentii region, he knows every path, hill and river of this wild territory which he has been traversing since childhood.
A respected family man and a man of trust, Chadra stands out for his constant attention to the riders: he ensures everyone's safety, adapts the pace according to the levels, and makes sure that everyone has an authentic and serene experience.
With her gentle yet firm temperament, her mastery of the Mongolian horse and her deep connection with nature, Chadra embodies the nomadic soul.
Jombro is a Mongolian horse guide from the Khentii region, where he grew up surrounded by horses and the steppes. A member of the team for over 15 years, he is known for his gentle nature, his instincts for horses, and his deep respect for nature.
With a calm and attentive temperament, Jombro accompanies both novice and experienced riders with great patience. He knows how to reassure, guide, and share his passion for nomadic life and Mongolian traditions.
Always smiling and discreet, he ensures the group's harmony and makes sure that every moment spent on horseback is a safe, smooth, and memorable experience. An excellent herder and expert on remote trails, Jombro is an essential pillar of our treks.
Program
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Welcome and setup
- Transportation Minibus - 02h - 80km
- Accommodation Staying with a local resident
- Breakfast not included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
Upon arrival at Ulaanbaatar International Airport, you will be greeted by your local French-speaking guide. The transfer to your yurt camp or hotel takes you through the city, frozen in ice, where wisps of smoke gently rise above the rooftops. After a short rest, you'll set off for your first immersion in the capital: a visit to Gandan Monastery and Sukhbaatar Square. In the late afternoon, you'll attend a welcome briefing over a traditional dinner in a yurt heated by a wood-burning stove. The atmosphere is already one of discovery and sharing. Overnight in a yurt camp or hotel, subject to availability.
Day 1 -
First steps in the taiga
- Transportation Minibus - 06h - 200km
- Accommodation Staying with a local resident
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
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.
Day 2 -
Nomadic immersion and daily life in winter
- Transportation Minibus - 02h - 20kmper day
- Activity Hiking
- Duration of the activity 1h per day
- Distance 5 km
- Positive elevation gain 100 m
- Negative elevation 20 m
- Accommodation Staying with a local resident
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
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.
Days 3 to 4 -
Horseback riding in the snowy forest
- Transportation Minibus - 02h - 10kmper day
- Activity Horseback riding
- Duration of the activity 5h per day
- Accommodation Staying with a local resident
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
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.
Days 5 to 6 -
Meeting with a local shaman
- Accommodation Staying with a local resident
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
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.
Day 7 -
Winter sports festival in Tunkhel
- Transportation Minibus - 01h - 10kmper day
- Activity Nordic walking
- Duration of the activity 1h per day
- Activity Hiking
- Duration of the activity 1h per day
- Distance 5 km
- Positive elevation gain 100 m
- Negative elevation 20 m
- Accommodation Staying with a local resident
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- In a cultural approach
The festival is also an opportunity to meet artisans, listen to traditional songs, and local music.
Days 8 to 9 -
Return to the Terelj region
- Transportation Minibus - 05h - 250km
- Accommodation Staying with a local resident
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
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.
Day 10 -
Snowshoeing and sledding preparation
- Transportation Minibus - 02h - 20km
- Activity Hiking
- Duration of the activity 1h
- Distance 20 km
- Positive elevation gain 20 m
- Negative elevation 20 m
- Accommodation Staying with a local resident
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
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.
Day 11 -
Dog sledding adventure
- Transportation Minibus - 02h - 20km
- Activity Dog sledding ride
- Duration of the activity 1h
- Accommodation Staying with a local resident
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
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.
Day 12 -
Relaxation and shopping
- Accommodation Staying with a local resident
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
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.
Day 13 -
Departure
- Transportation Plane - 09h - 6800km
- Accommodation Staying with a local resident
- Breakfast included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner not included
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.
Day 14
Note
This is not a scripted tourist event, but a real immersion, experienced from the inside, respecting traditions, climate and host families.
Accommodation
Access
Go to the starting point
Price details
The price includes
- Remuneration of accompanying staff: driver, cook, French-speaking guide and equestrian guide
- Overnight stay with nomadic herders in a yurt (multiple guests)
- Accommodation in a yurt according to the program
- All meals are prepared by our cooks in the countryside as well as in small restaurants in town.
- Entrances to the Gandan Nature Park and Monastery in Ulanbator
- City transfers, vehicle with driver, and fuel
The price does not include
- Services not mentioned and not included in the program
- You must book your own international flight from Paris to Ulaanbaatar.
- Insurance policies concerning you
- Drinks other than tea and water
- Personal expenses
- Riding helmets, chaps and possibly sheepskins to protect your buttocks on the saddles, even if our saddles are adapted to Westerners.
- Last day of free time (show, museums and lunch)
Options
- Flex fare and insurance
Practical information
Specific formalities
Specifics
Before your departure, check with the embassy or consulate regarding the entry and stay requirements for your destination country. You can also find this information on the France Diplomatie website ( https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/dossiers-pays/ ).
In the case of flights with stopovers operated by different airlines, also check the entry requirements of the countries you are transiting through.
It is your responsibility to ensure you are in compliance, particularly regarding the validity of your identity documents (for example, some countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after your return) , visa requirements, necessary vaccinations, and health recommendations. And don't forget to consider any customs restrictions and other potential requirements of your destination or transit country.
ℹ️ Information may change up to the departure date, remember to regularly check official websites.
Equipment
Equipment provided on site
A 5cm foam mattress
A blanket to cover you
Camping equipment: two-person tent
Cutlery, plates, bowls, forks etc.
Equipment to bring
– Valid passport. (Pay attention to the expiry date of your passport)
– plane ticket
– no mandatory vaccinations
– a minimum of €80 for your expenses on site, and more if you plan to shop in Ulaanbaatar –
Please allow approximately €60 for a tip for the Mongolian team (drivers, cooks, guide-interpreter, horse guides).
– local culinary specialties to share with our hosts, for a Franco-Mongolian aperitif on Day 4 (wine,
aperitifs, olives, tapenade, pesto, eggplant caviar, savory biscuits, crackers, peanuts…)
– small gifts to give to nomads (warm clothes you no longer wear, rolling tobacco, rolling papers)
cigarettes, body moisturizer, perfumes, school supplies…)
– small inflatable pillow, for sleeping and also for sitting on during journeys on the slopes – down sleeping bag
warm (+5°C to 0°C)
– silk sleeping bag liner
– basic pharmacy (antiseptic, bandages, arnica, tea tree essential oil, grape seed extract)
Grapefruit, powdered clay, earplugs…)
– mosquito and insect repellent cream or spray
– high protection sunscreen and after-sun
– lip balm
– biodegradable hygiene products (plant-based soaps and shampoos, etc.)
– floral water mist or spray (to refresh oneself)
– Refreshing washcloths (waterless): https://www.togi-sante.com/gants-aqua-total- hygiene-pour-
washing without water during travel - pharmaouest-29512.html, No polluting and unrecycled wipes on site
– paper tissues
– 1 roll of toilet paper (for use in the steppes)
– knife (not in the cabin), lighter (for burning toilet paper in nature), thread and needle
– rubbish bags (to isolate your personal belongings)
– flashlight
– small bottle or water bottle
– binoculars
- camera
– spare batteries
– external battery for mobile phones (avoid solar charging, which takes 4 days to
load)
– fleece jacket
– rain gear, windbreaker
Clothing to bring
For riders
Head
– A riding helmet: it is strongly recommended and often mandatory for our riders, no
mandatory for other travelers. Manufacturers (GPA, HKM, LAS Helmets, Lamicell, Troxel,
Equithème…) now offer ventilated, sturdy and lightweight riding helmets that are comfortable under
all latitudes. There are also protective covers to put under your hat (Ranch &
Rider, Lexington Safety Products) or western helmet hats (Troxel).
– Cap or hat for sun protection (essential)
– A bandana, scarf, or shemagh to protect the neck or face from dust and sun – A
pair of high protection sunglasses
– A hat or a balaclava
Bust
– Thermal underwear (short or long-sleeved T-shirts).
– Cotton T-shirts + long-sleeved shirts (for sun protection) or T-shirts made of other materials
quick-drying techniques.
– 1 lightweight fleece or equivalent
18– 1 warm fleece or equivalent + 1 spare fleece
– 1 warm Gore-Tex type jacket (waterproof and breathable)
Legs
– 2 pairs of riding breeches or long leather chaps (for riders). – 1 spare pair of breeches
(hiking or jeans or equivalent)
– 1 pair of Gore-Tex type trousers (waterproof and breathable)
– 1 pair of tights or equivalent for nighttime use
– 1 swimsuit might be useful (swimming in lakes, washing in rivers) – Cotton underwear
or in non-irritating synthetic material
Feet and Hands
– 1 pair of lightweight walking shoes with chaps or boots with mini-chaps specifically designed for
horseback riding
– 1 pair of waterproof shoes or boots (very useful in case of rain and also in the morning at camp,
(often abundant dew)
– 1 pair of sneakers or equivalent lightweight shoes for the evening
– Several pairs of thick socks
– 1 pair of gloves to protect against sun, cold and chafing
Little tips for horseback riding (for riders)
– Soothing cream very useful for the corners of your intimate area irritated by long hours in the saddle.
– Nothing on your back, everything in your jacket or a fanny pack: lip balm, sunscreen, passport,
small camera or mini camera (waterproof), cords, glasses… more accessible than the cast irons.
Backpacks are not allowed while riding.
Riders 1.90m and taller will appreciate a pair of adjustable stirrup leathers (local saddle stirrup leathers are
adjustable but sometimes limited in length)
Sleep
– Warm sleeping bag with a comfort rating of -5°C minimum, ideally -8°C or -10°C. We recommend
also to line it with a silk or fleece sleeping bag liner.
You can rent a sleeping bag on site for 25 euros for a 2-week stay. This amount is to
Payment is due directly to the yurt camp upon arrival. Please take care of our equipment.
Tents and sleeping bags etc. Thank you very much.
The Chimegmaa team
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