Camel Festival

Date: 2nd and 3rd of Feb
Venue: Dalanzadgad,  South Gobi

Ten Thousand Camel festival, annually held in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia on 2nd and 3rd of Feb, is one of the most famous winter festivals in the world. This festival was first initiated in 1997 by the locals of Umnugobi (South Gobi) province to protect the 2-humped Bactrian camel species, increase the population of them, honor camel herders, pass the rich Mongolian camel breeding heritage to the next generation and to promote winter tourism in Mongolia. It is a celebration of the way of life in the harsh Gobi and a chance for the local herders to come together as a community at what can be quite an isolating time of year. 
It’s an entertaining 2-day of event that features various contests including camel races, camel polo competitions even a camel beauty pageant. Nomads from far and near wear their best deels /Mongolian traditional outfits/ and ride their best camels to attend the festival as it’s their pride and a big celebration for them.  This extraordinary festival allows travelers a unique opportunity to learn more about camels and interact with their nomadic herders. During the festive period, you will have a great opportunity to see local people dressed in traditional clothes (deels, fur hats) and enjoy to photograph the traditional colorful costumes.