Festival de los Mil Camellos 2025 en Mongolia

El mayor evento de invierno tiene lugar justo en el piso congelado del lago Hovsgol ofreciendo el espectáculo único de mil camellos de carreras, conocidos como los camellos bacterianos de Gobi – una especie extremadamente rara. Estos camellos son particularmente bonitos durante el invierno, ya que su piel se vuelve especialmente gruesa y espléndida para que puedan soportar fácilmente noches brutalmente frías. Además de las carreras de camellos, el festival cuenta con otras actividades de entretenimiento, como concursos de polo y actuaciones folclóricas destacando la música tradicional mongol y el baile. Las alegrías se celebran anualmente durante unos 10 días a finales de febrero a principios de marzo.

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.