Start here · Essential guide
Mongolian Festivals and Traditions
A plain-language overview of Mongolia's main celebrations, from Naadam and Tsagaan Sar to sacred cairn rites, music and winter events, with advice on checking dates.
People and Culture
Festivals and Traditions
Naadam, the Lunar New Year, music, art and spiritual life.
Blue Silk Scarves and the Khadag Gift
Learn what the khadag ceremonial scarf is, what its blue, white and other colors are said to mean, and how it is traditionally offered and received.
Naadam Festival Explained
What the Naadam festival is, why wrestling, archery and horse racing matter in Mongolia, and what to expect in summer, without fixed dates.
Shamanism and Spiritual Life in Mongolia
An introduction to Mongolian shamanism, sky worship, sacred ovoo cairns and mountains, and how older beliefs sit alongside Buddhism in modern life.
Throat Singing and Mongolian Music
A guide to throat singing, the long song and the horse-head fiddle, explaining how these traditional Mongolian music forms sound and where visitors may hear them.
Tsagaan Sar: The Lunar New Year
How Mongolians celebrate Tsagaan Sar, the lunar new year, with family visits, formal greetings and festive foods, and why the date changes each year.
Related topics
More in people and culture
Nomadic Culture Herding life, the ger and the customs of the steppe. History and Heritage From early steppe peoples to the Mongol Empire and modern Mongolia. Food and Drink Traditional dishes, dairy, tea and meals as guests. Traditional Crafts and Arts Handmade objects, music, clothing and artistic traditions. Steppe Peoples and Dynasties Peoples, states and turning points before and after the Mongol Empire. Language and Everyday Life How people speak, live, work and celebrate day to day. Traditional Sports and Games Wrestling, archery, horse racing and the games families play.