Gegentala Grassland - The Cradle of Naadam Festival

Just in imagination the life on Gegentala Grassland will be appealing - throw yourselves under the blue sky and white cloud, overlook numerous sheep, ox and horses grazing on the vast grassland, listen to local Mongolian yelling happily on the horseback…”Leisure” and “Happiness” are the biggest gain when you pay visit to Gegentala Grassland.

When you are real on the grassland, there are a range of cultural purists and interesting activities waiting for you to experience. (a) When you first get off Gegentala Grassland, you'll experience traditional welcome ceremony - the hospitable Mongolians who are colorfully dressed would wait for you at the entrance gate by presenting you Haha and a silver cup of wine. (b) Taste some local favorites such as mutton, kumiss and other traditional cuisines at lunch or dinner. (c) Ride horse freely on the vast grassland and if you like, visit herdsmen's home and have a look at the local Mongolians real living conditions and experience their authentic life. (d) You won't miss the chance to watch the traditional Mongolian activities like archery, horse racing and Mongolian-style-wrestling performances. (e) When the sun goes down, catch the precious moment to enjoy the sunset and sunglow disappear from the horizon of Gegentala grassland. You'll get different feeling to see the sun falling down from the vast grassland. (f) At night, stay in traditional Mongolian yurts which is comfortable enough to accommodate. Join in the Bonfire party to sing and dance with enthusiastic Mongolians. (g) Try to get up early and get out your yurts to watch the beautiful sunrise over Grassland and see everything turning bright on the vast land.

Horse Racing

Horsing racing is the most exciting game at the Naadam, and anyone can apply to take part in the competition regardless of his or her age. But in most cases, riders are boys and girls who are 6-13 years old. It will be divided into several age groups: two, three, four and five-year-old horses, adult horses and stallions. The competitions are not held on special tracks, but across the steppe. The distance varies according the ages of the horses. It can be between 15 and 35 km. After the competitions end, awards will be given to the fastest ten horses, accompanied by songs about the horses.

Wrestling

Mongolian Wrestling, Bokh in Mongolian, is favored by Mongolian and is the must-do game during Naadam Festival. In history, Genghis Khan considered wrestling to be an important way to keep his army in good physical shape and combat ready and this game lasts today in Inner Mongolia. For the competition, there are on weight classes, age limits or time limits and any body part other than the feet touching the ground signals defeat. By watching the match, travelers could understand more about Inner Mongolia history and its people.

Archery

Archery on horseback is a traditional sports activity of the Mongols. All people could take part in the competition. Each participant shall get his or her own bow, 9 arrows and horse ready before the competition. The 9 arrows will be shot in three rounds. The archer who has shot the most arrows on targets will be the winner. When you attend the festival and watch the archery competition, you could know how skillful the Mongolian on the horseback is.

How to Transfer to/off Gegentala Grassland

Gegentala Grassland is located in Siwangzi Banner in Ulanqab City, linking with Erenhot in the north, Xilinhot in the east, Baotou City in the west and Hohhot in the south. It is about 128 kilometers from Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia, with 2.5 hours' drive. There is no direct bus from Hohhot to Gegentala and travelers should first take bus from Hohhot Bus Station to Siwangzi Banner first and then take local minibus or hire a car to Gegentala Grassland. For the inconvenient transportation, China Discovery suggests you to use our private car service with worry free transfer to visit Gegentala Grassland.