Mongolia And The Silk Road Explorer

We begin our adventure in Ulaanbaatar and join your Tour Leader and fellow travellers on Day 1 at 4:00pm for your Welcome Meeting. On the first evening we are treated to a wonderful show of traditional arts, music and song, including the unforgettable ‘throat-singing’ as a welcome to Mongolia. Mongolia’s political, commercial and cultural capital since 1649, today much of the modern city of Ulaanbaatar is dominated by Soviet architecture from the 20th century, but traditional culture is still alive and well amongst the city’s population.

Let the festivities commence! It is time to make our way with the crowds to the National Sports Stadium for the spectacular Opening Ceremony. Imagine the fanfare of an Olympic opening ceremony, the national pride of Independence Day and the athletic spectacle of the Commonwealth Games all rolled into one. Taking our place for the procession, we see not only athletes, but monks, officials and local celebrities – it seems that everyone makes their way here. The procession presents a magnificent sight with hundreds of horses with riders dressed in colourful national costumes on parade. The first rounds of wrestling and archery begin.

Horseracing is the focus on the second day of the festival, out of town on the steppe we go. These races are the domain of the younger children, who compete for the title ‘Tumnii Ekh’ (‘Leader of Ten Thousand’). Join the crowds, who are often as entertaining as the competitors themselves, in cheering the winners and serenading the losers in song!