Tausend Kamele Festival 2025 in Mongolei

Die größte Winterveranstaltung findet direkt auf der gefrorenen Ebene des Hovsgolsees statt und bietet das einzigartige Spektakel von tausend Renn Kamelen, bekannt als Gobi's Baktrian Kamele – eine extrem seltene Art. Diese Kamele sind besonders hübsch im Winter, da ihr Fell besonders dick und prächtig wird, so dass sie leicht brutal kalte Nächte ertragen können. Abgesehen von den Kamelrennen, bietet das Festival andere Unterhaltung einschließlich Polo-Wettbewerbe und Folklore-Aufführungen Hervorhebung der traditionellen mongolischen Musik und Tanz. Die Fröhlichkeiten werden jährlich während etwa 10 Tagen Ende Februar bis Anfang März gehalten.

The Thousand Camel Festival begins with a colorful camel parade. Highlights of the festival include the "Camel Polo" competition, where teams of five camel-riding players compete using a ball with an 8-centimeter diameter and mallets measuring 130 to 140 centimeters. Camel races are another major attraction, featuring three categories based on age: a full-grown camel race, a three-year-old camel race, and a two-year-old camel race. The festival also offers traditional cultural performances and unique opportunities to experience the nomadic lifestyle of the Gobi Desert firsthand.

In past years, the festival was held at the beginning of March. However, due to the warming effects of climate change, the dates were moved up by one month. It is now regularly held each year from February 1 to 3.

The festival takes place on the outskirts of Dalanzadgad, a small town in Mongolia's South Gobi (Umnugobi) Province. It is located approximately 422 miles (680 kilometers) from Ulaanbaatar, making it a relatively short journey by Mongolian standards.

The Thousand Camel Festival began in 1997 as a winter event designed to showcase the rich cultural heritage and daily life of Mongolia's camel-herding communities. In 2016, the festival gained international recognition when it set a Guinness World Record for the largest camel race, featuring 1,108 camels and jockeys completing a 15-kilometer course.

The festival was created to protect and promote the population of the two-humped Bactrian camel, a vital part of Mongolia's nomadic traditions. Thanks to these efforts, the population of Bactrian camels has grown significantly, rising from 192,000 to 460,000, while also increasing their economic value to local communities.