Sports and leisure activities Mongolia

Budget & Tips

If you want to do sport without spending a cent in Mongolia, the best plan is to go hiking. The country abounds in national parks and nature reserves, some of which are located just outside Ulaanbaatar. No need to go far!

Many outdoor activities can be organized at low cost: horseback riding, canoeing on the country's lakes and rivers, fishing, climbing in the mountains... It would be a shame not to take advantage of Mongolia's grandiose landscapes and natural treasures. The country is especially renowned for horse riding, and its steppes lend themselves well to the practice of this discipline. It's not difficult to find tours and guides, or to hire horses by the hour or day in tourist areas.

In winter, snowshoe trekking is particularly popular. There is only one ski resort in the country.

What's very local

Traditional sports featured during the Naadam festival include Mongolian wrestling, archery and horse racing.

Wrestling is practiced in stadiums throughout the country, and competitions can be seen during the Naadam, both in Ulaanbaatar and in small rural towns. As with all wrestling in the world, the aim is to wrestle the opponent to the ground, but there is no weight division. If the back, hind leg or knee touches the ground, the match is won! If neither wrestler goes down, the fight ends after three hours. Take advantage of your stay to go and see a match, it's an unforgettable cultural experience and very local!

Archery is also one of Mongolia's three manly games. For several decades now, this Naadam event has been open to women, who stand 60 m from the target and can shoot 20 arrows, as opposed to 75 m and 40 arrows for men.

Riding is practised by almost all Mongolians, who learn to ride at an early age. Some of the horse races organized during Naadam see very young children competing, the youngest being around 5 years old.

Your documents please

In principle, you won't need any documents to organize activities, but some national parks do require special fishing permits. To enter the parks and reserves of certain cross-border regions and take advantage of the hiking trails, you will also need a special permit, which you can pick up in the capital city ofaimag or in Ulaanbaatar before departure.

To be booked

In high season, it is easy to find agencies that organize tours or excursions to join, even at the last minute. Traveling independently is easy, especially in summer, and renting horses or a kayak at the last minute is always possible. However, if you want to organize a customized tour with planned activities in the countryside, it is best to start early and plan ahead, as drivers and guides can be overworked in the middle of the tourist season to get you to the parks you are interested in.

Main events

The month of August is particularly rich in sporting events. The Gobi March, reputed to be the world's toughest foot race, takes place in the Gobi Desert. The Sunrise to Sunset marathon is organized around Lake Khövsgöl, in the sublime landscapes offered by Mongolia's "blue pearl". As for the Mongolia Bike Challenge, it's an annual bicycle race whose route changes every year.