The Winter Festival in Ulaanbaatar officially started on January 31, 2026. The festival is organized with the aim of developing thematic tourism, extending the tourist season, increasing the number of visitors to Ulaanbaatar during the winter period, and encouraging residents to engage in healthy and productive leisure activities.
Within the framework of the festival, emphasis is placed on the beauty of Mongolia's winter landscapes, its cultural traditions, heritage, national games, and customs, as well as the promotion of extreme winter sports and adventure tourism.
The festival is held for the 14th time and includes the following events and competitions:
International ice archery competitions, a traditional Mongolian sport
Ulaanbaatar Championship in "ice shooting with knuckles" ("Мөсний шагай")
Snowboarding championship in Ulaanbaatar
Paragliding championship in Ulaanbaatar (mountain parachuting)
Winter rugby championship in Ulaanbaatar
Alpine skiing championship in Ulaanbaatar
Curling championship in Ulaanbaatar
Amateur ice climbing competitions
Family relays and tug-of-war
"Big Tour" competitions (Winter Cup) for tourism sector students
The festival program also includes performances by traditional art masters, educational activities about the Bankhar dog breed, skiing and sledding, as well as demonstrations of falconry and parachuting.
According to MiddleAsianNews, more than 1,000 athletes from Ulaanbaatar and all 21 provinces of Mongolia, as well as over 50 athletes from abroad, including representatives from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and Russian regions such as Buryatia, Kalmykia, and Tuva, as well as athletes from Kazakhstan and the USA, are participating in the competitions.
The festival is organized in collaboration with the Ulaanbaatar Mayor's Office, the capital's tourism department, and Sky Resort, and will take place this weekend at the Sky Resort ski center.
