Naadam Festival

When it is

Naadam (那达慕, Nà Dá Mù — from the Mongolian for 'games' or 'entertainment') is celebrated in Inner Mongolia primarily in July and early August. The date is not fixed to a single day; different banners (administrative units) hold their own Naadam at different times across the summer. The largest Inner Mongolian Naadam takes place near Hohhot and Hulunbuir. In Mongolia proper, Naadam falls on 11–13 July; the Inner Mongolian version is adjacent to this tradition.

The three games

Naadam centres on the Three Manly Games (男儿三艺, nán er sān yì) of Mongolian culture:

• Mongolian wrestling (博克, bókè): no weight categories; the first wrestler to touch the ground with anything above the knee loses. Competitors wear ornamental leather jackets (jodgur) and short trousers. Championship bouts are decisive and fast.
• Horse racing: not a jockey sport — children aged 5–13 are the riders. Races cover 10–40 km of open steppe depending on the horse's age class. The horses, not the riders, are celebrated.
• Archery: traditional Mongolian horn bows, standing and mounted. Women compete separately in their own division; women's archery at Naadam predates the integration by centuries.

Cultural context

Naadam has its origins in military training ceremonies under Genghis Khan, when fitness and martial skills were tested annually. The contemporary festival adds music, dance, throat-singing performances (呼麦, hūméi), traditional clothing (deel, the Mongolian robe), and large-scale feasting on mutton and airag (fermented mare's milk). It is listed by UNESCO as an element of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Where to see it

• Hulunbuir (Inner Mongolia): the most photogenic steppe setting; Hulunbuir's summer Naadam includes nomadic family camps open to visitors.
• Hohhot area: the administrative capital's Naadam is larger but more urban.
• Xilinhot: the Silver Grassland Naadam — one of the most traditional events.

Travel impact

Flights and accommodation in Hohhot and Hulunbuir fill up quickly in July. Book at least 4–6 weeks ahead. Guided group tours from Beijing to Inner Mongolia Naadam run throughout July and operate successfully.