The biggest Mongolia festivals in 2027 are Tsagaan Sar, the Lunar New Year (around February 7), Naadam, the national games of wrestling, horse racing and archery (July 11-15), and the eagle festivals of the Altai: the Sagsai festival in September and the Golden Eagle Festival near Ölgii in early October. In between come winter festivals on frozen lakes and in the Gobi, Nauryz in the Kazakh west in March, and a string of local summer events. Below is a month-by-month calendar, with honest notes on which dates are fixed and which are not.
Key Takeaways
- Fixed dates are rare: Naadam (July 11-15) has fixed national dates, and Nauryz in the Kazakh west is held on March 22. Most other festivals are set by local organizers each year, often only a few months ahead.
- Tsagaan Sar 2027: The Lunar New Year starts around February 7, 2027, with the eve (Bituun) the night before. It is a family holiday, not a show for tourists.
- Naadam is in July: The national Naadam in Ulaanbaatar runs July 11-15. Smaller provincial and village Naadams happen around the same weeks and are often more intimate.
- Eagle festivals are in autumn: The Sagsai eagle festival is held in September and the Golden Eagle Festival near Ölgii in early October, usually on the first weekend.
- Plan around the festival, not on it: Domestic flights and ger camps fill up around Naadam and the eagle festivals, so book early and leave a buffer day.
Mongolia Festival Calendar 2027 at a Glance
Use this table as a planning tool. Where a date is marked “approx.”, it is based on the usual pattern of past years, not an official 2027 announcement. Confirm before you book flights.
| Month | Festival | Where | 2027 date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late Jan to early Mar | Thousand Camel Festival | Bulgan sum, Ömnögovi (Gobi) | Varies by year (approx.) |
| February | Tsagaan Sar (Lunar New Year) | Nationwide, at home | Around Feb 7-9 (eve Feb 6) |
| Early March | Khuvsgul Ice Festival | Khatgal, Lake Khuvsgul | Early March (approx.) |
| March | Nauryz (Kazakh New Year) | Bayan-Ölgii | March 22 (celebrations around 21-23) |
| July | Naadam | Ulaanbaatar and every province | July 11-15 |
| July-August | Local Naadams and yak festivals | Khangai and central provinces | Varies (approx.) |
| September | Sagsai Eagle Festival | Sagsai sum, Bayan-Ölgii | Mid-September (approx.) |
| Early October | Golden Eagle Festival | Near Ölgii, Bayan-Ölgii | First weekend of October (approx.) |
Two things stand out. First, the Altai in western Mongolia has two of the most distinctive events on this list, both in autumn. Second, Mongolia’s festivals cluster in winter and summer, so a single trip rarely covers more than one or two of them.
Winter Festivals: January to March
Winter is Mongolia’s quiet season for tourism, but it is when several of its most photogenic festivals happen. Expect temperatures well below -20°C, especially at night.
Tsagaan Sar
Tsagaan Sar, the “White Moon”, is the Mongolian Lunar New Year and the most important family holiday of the year. In 2027 the first day falls around February 7, with Bituun, the eve, on February 6. Families gather at the home of the eldest relative, greet each other with the zolgokh greeting, and eat buuz (steamed dumplings) by the hundred. Keep in mind that this is a home holiday rather than a public spectacle, and that most of Bayan-Ölgii celebrates Nauryz in March instead.
Khuvsgul Ice Festival
Held on the frozen surface of Lake Khuvsgul near Khatgal, usually in early March, the Ice Festival includes ice sculptures, horse-sledding, tug-of-war on the ice and skating races. It is a good fit with a winter visit to the Tsaatan reindeer herders in the north. For the lake itself, see our Khovsgol Lake guide.
Thousand Camel Festival
In the South Gobi, herders bring their Bactrian camels together for races, camel polo and a parade. Dates have moved between late January and early March in recent years, so check the current schedule. It pairs well with a winter trip to the Gobi Desert.
Nauryz in Bayan-Ölgii
In the Kazakh west, the spring equinox festival Nauryz on March 22 is the real new year. Families cook nauryz kozhe, a soup of seven ingredients, visit neighbors and hold horse games when the snow allows. If you are in the Altai in March, this is the festival you will see, not Tsagaan Sar.
Naadam 2027: July 11-15
Naadam is Mongolia’s national festival and the one most travelers plan around. Its official name refers to the “three games of men”: wrestling, horse racing and archery. It has been on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2010. The national holiday runs July 11-15 every year, and the main opening ceremony is held at the National Sports Stadium in Ulaanbaatar on July 11.
- Wrestling: hundreds of wrestlers in a knockout tournament, with no weight classes and no time limit.
- Horse racing: child jockeys race horses over 10 to 30 km across open steppe outside the city. Read more in our guide to Mongolian horse racing.
- Archery: men and women shoot at small leather targets on the ground. See our guide to Mongolian archery.
The Ulaanbaatar Naadam is big, crowded and expensive. Many travelers prefer a provincial or village Naadam, which happen in the same weeks but on dates set locally. In the far west, Bayan-Ölgii holds its own version with Kazakh games added; see Naadam in Bayan-Ölgii.
Practical point: flights, hotels and drivers in Ulaanbaatar are at their most expensive around July 11. If you are combining Naadam with a trek in the Altai, plan the trek either side of the holiday, because domestic flights to Ölgii are heavily booked that week.
August and Summer Festivals
After Naadam, summer brings a scatter of smaller events. Their dates change from year to year and many are only confirmed a few months ahead, so treat them as a bonus rather than a reason to fly in on a specific day.
- Danshig Naadam: a Buddhist festival with tsam mask dances and Naadam games, held near Ulaanbaatar, usually in early August.
- Yak festivals: local festivals in Arkhangai and the Khangai region, usually in July or August, with yak races, yak riding and dairy products.
- Local Naadams: many districts hold their Naadam later in summer, sometimes tied to an anniversary of the district.
August is also peak trekking season in the Altai. If your summer plans are built around the mountains rather than a festival, see our best time to visit Mongolia guide.
September and October: The Eagle Festivals
For many travelers, the eagle festivals of Bayan-Ölgii are the reason to visit Mongolia in autumn. Kazakh eagle hunters ride in from the mountains in their fox-fur coats with their golden eagles, and compete in calling the eagle to the arm, catching a fox lure and horseback games such as kokpar.
Sagsai Eagle Festival (September)
Held in Sagsai sum, about 25 km from Ölgii, usually in mid-September. It is smaller and more local than the Ölgii festival, with fewer visitors. Learn about the village in our Sagsai guide.
Golden Eagle Festival (early October)
The larger festival takes place at a festival ground outside Ölgii, traditionally on the first weekend of October. For 2027 that points to around October 2-3, but the organizers set the official date, so confirm before you book. Our Golden Eagle Festival 2027 guide explains the competitions, and Sagsai vs Golden Eagle Festival helps you choose between the two.
Our Golden Eagle Festival Tour 2027 runs from September 30 to October 7 and is built around the festival weekend, with time with an eagle hunter family before or after. Nights in early October already drop well below freezing, so read our eagle festival packing list.
Public Holidays That Affect Your Trip
Not every holiday is a festival, but several can affect opening hours and transport. Government offices, banks and many shops close on these days:
- New Year: January 1
- Tsagaan Sar: three days, around February 7-9 in 2027
- International Women’s Day: March 8
- Children’s Day: June 1
- Naadam: July 11-15
- Chinggis Khaan’s Birthday: on the first day of the first winter month of the lunar calendar, usually in November
- Independence Day: November 26 (with December 29, National Freedom and Independence Day)
During Tsagaan Sar and Naadam in particular, expect many shops, museums and offices in Ulaanbaatar to close for at least a day or two.
How to Plan a Trip Around a Mongolia Festival
- Pick one anchor festival. Naadam in July and the eagle festivals in autumn are far apart, both in time and in distance. Choose one and build the rest of the trip around it.
- Confirm the date before you buy flights. Apart from Naadam and Nauryz, most dates are announced locally and can move.
- Book early. Flights to Ölgii and ger camps near festival grounds fill up months ahead.
- Leave a buffer day. Weather can delay domestic flights, especially in October and in winter.
- Respect the hosts. Festivals are local events first. Ask before photographing people up close, and don’t walk onto competition grounds. See what not to do in Mongolia.
If you want a festival trip combined with trekking, homestays or a winter eagle hunt, our tailor-made tours can be built around the date. Contact Discover Altai and tell us which festival you have in mind.
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What are the main festivals in Mongolia in 2027?
The main ones are Tsagaan Sar (around February 7-9), Nauryz in Bayan-Ölgii (March 22), Naadam (July 11-15), the Sagsai Eagle Festival (mid-September) and the Golden Eagle Festival near Ölgii (early October). Winter also brings the Khuvsgul Ice Festival and the Thousand Camel Festival in the Gobi.
When is Naadam 2027?
Naadam is a fixed national holiday held July 11-15 every year. The opening ceremony in Ulaanbaatar is on July 11. Provincial and village Naadams take place around the same time on locally set dates.
When is the Golden Eagle Festival 2027?
It is traditionally held on the first weekend of October near Ölgii in Bayan-Ölgii, which points to around October 2-3, 2027. The organizers announce the official date, so confirm it before booking flights.
Is there a festival in Mongolia in September?
Yes. The Sagsai Eagle Festival in Bayan-Ölgii is usually held in mid-September. September is also a good month for trekking and autumn colors in the Altai.
Can tourists join Tsagaan Sar?
Tsagaan Sar is a family holiday celebrated at home, so there is no public festival to attend. Visitors can sometimes join a family through a homestay or a local guide, but the best approach is to be invited rather than to plan a trip around it.
What festival is celebrated in western Mongolia in spring?
Bayan-Ölgii, where most people are Kazakh, celebrates Nauryz on March 22, the Kazakh new year at the spring equinox.