Camel Festival Tour (4 days)
What to expect
Watch the Camel Races
If you like, you can even bet on the camels that are in the race.
Take Many Pictures
This festival has many things you will want to photograph so remember your camera.
Watch Camel Competitions
There are many different camel competitions during this festival which are fun to watch.
Learn About Bactrian Camels
You can learn about the Bactrian camels and their herders while on the tour.
Watch Camel Competitions
There are many different camel competitions during this festival which are fun to watch.
- Come see the famous double hump Bactrian camel.
- Take part in the Bactrian Camel Races which are held in the amazing Gobi Dessert.
- Enjoy the traditional dances, costume sessions and more during this amazing festival.
- See some amazing sites in the area and also catch some dinosaur bones.
- Get to know more about the lifestyle of the nomadic camel herders and how they live their lives.
- Shared accommodation at Ger camp
- Private transfers
- English speaking guide
- All meals as listed
- All entrance fee
- Camel ride
- Personal expenses
- Optional activities
- Camera fee for museum & monastery
- Travel Insurance www.WorldNomads.com
Overview
One of our most popular festivals is the Bactrian Camel Festival. This takes place in the Gobi Desert and gives you a rare opportunity to interact with the Bactrian camels. You will learn firsthand about these beautiful animals at the festival, which is organized by the camel herders in March. This exciting and fun event includes traditional music, costume competitions, dancing, and camel racing.
After the festivities end, travelers are able to ride the camels and visit some of the Gobi Desert’s unique sights. This includes dinosaur bones. This is a great opportunity to help you learn about nomad camel herders and their loved ones.
The price per person will depend on the size of the group as shown below.
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I joined Discover Mongolia to fulfill a lifelong wish to see and experience the Gobi desert. I made the absolutely right decision!
Mir was our tour guide, she was organized, informative, and personable. Tamba, Ambra and Dalai were skilled mechanics and drivers. Very quickly during the trip, we all became friends. In fact, I'll be visiting a few friends I've just made in the Philippines!
Thank you Mir and team for an unforgettable experience in beautiful Mongolia!
We Discovered Mongolia - fantastic 14 day trip!! Four of us (all female) experienced the Discover Mongolia 14 day tour with 'Discover Mongolia'. We arrived home last week exhilarated, exhausted and smiling from ear to ear!
The trip was a journey of a lifetime and our fantastic guide, Oyuna and driver, Nandia, made sure it exceeded all expectations. We spent a day in Ulaanbaatar with Hishi, who made sense of the complicated history of Mongolia and its independence for us as well as taking us to a super restaurant before our trip. We flew south, near the border with China, to the Gobi desert where we met our guide and driver and then drove, mostly off road, through the desert and then north through the beautiful steppes and mountains and on to Lake Huvsgul in the north near the Russian border.
It was a huge journey, worth every second Wow - what a way to discover the landscapes, people, religion, culture and even learn some of the language (very slowly, day by day from our patient driver!). We explored Bhuddist monasteries, rode camels and horses, trekked through Eagle Valley, soaked in hot springs, climbed to the edge of a volcano, climbed the highest sand dune (tough but worth every moment sitting on the edge at the top), and the highlight was meeting several nomadic families in their own gers. We felt truly priviledged to meet Nandia's Uncle and be treated as guests, to understand their way of life through the seasons and share in a truly delicious Mongolian BBQ.
Itinerary
In the morning, meet in Ulaanbaatar (08:00 AM) Drive to Dalanzadgad, Umnugobi province. Visit the local market.
Relax in a local hotel. (L+D)
The Camel festival begins in Bulgan soum with a “parade” of camel riders. Competitions of the day include “Best-looking couple on camel-back”, most adorable male and female camels as well as a camel polo which takes place in the central square. There’s also an exhibition of paintings by local children who participate in the drawing contest called “Camel - My Friend”.
Overnight in a local ger. (B+L+D)
The competition begins with the race of mature camels followed by the two-year-old camel race. For your own enjoyment, you may make a bid for the camel you like. The first three camels in the each group are awarded with gold, silver and bronze medals. In the afternoon, one of the most awaited competitions begins. This is called “Camel Relay”; a competition consisted of catching, taming, training and finally loading a camel with an actual Ger. After lunch drive to Yolyn Am Canyon (also called Lammergeier Valley) - This area is located in the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park that encompasses the "Three Beauties" peaks and the most easterly points of the Altai Mountains.
There are several groups with 5 members, each of whom execute different roles. The closing ceremony takes place late in the afternoon when the winners will be presented with their trophies.
Overnight in local Ger camp. (B+L+D)
Drive back to Ulaanbaatar. Lunch in Middle Gobi. Continue on the road to Ulaanbaatar.
Arrive and end of the tour. (B+L)
Good to know
- Guide:
An English speaking Mongolian guide will accompany the group at all times. The guide will be a native Mongolian person with great local knowledge who can deal with any requests and ensure that your holiday to become one of the most unforgettable experiences of your life.
- The best time to make this trip
May to September is the best season, with the peak season in July for the Naadam Festival. July and August are also the wettest months of the year but be assured, our climate is such that you will still have many sunny days at this time. The best time to visit the Gobi is June or September.
- Accommodation:
We believe that comfortable, welcoming accommodation is vital to the enjoyment of your trip. You will be staying in a standard 3-4 star hotel in Ulaanbaatar and a tourist ger camp (traditional dwelling) with currency (220V), shower and other useful services (2 to 4 people per ger) in the countryside. All accommodation offered by Discover Mongolia is personally checked by our staff to ensure high standards.
- Meals:
In Ulaanbaatar, you will be dining at fine European and Asian cuisine restaurants. Mutton, beef, rice, and noodles form the basis of the Mongolian diet, so your meals will be based around this. However, the trail rations may include vegetables, eggs, peanut butter, cheese and sometimes yak! On some days there will be lunchboxes from tourist camps. It is good food and our experience has been that guests are happy with this arrangement. Please let us know in advance if you are a vegetarian. Alcohol is not provided on the trip but tourists are free to bring their own.
- Transport:
Discover Mongolia use the highest level, latest model, air-conditioned private vans or 4WD vehicles for the maximum comfort on your touring days. A day's drive in the countryside will be approx 200-250km.
- Personal things to bring with you:
Warm thin layers of clothing are the best such as bring a waterproof jacket, and a hat and headscarf to protect you from the sun and winds. Don't forget insect repellent, sun cream, lip-gloss, water purifying tablets and first aid kit (medicine for headache, cold, diarrhea, runny nose; bandages; any medicine prescribed for you ). All your camera equipment.
