Khövsgöl Ice Festival
Held each winter on the frozen shores of Khövsgöl Nuur, the Khövsgöl Ice Festival is a celebration shaped by community, season, and place. Taking place in early March close to the lakeside village of Khatgal, the festival brings together local herders, families, and visitors for shared festivities on the ice. As well as a set programme of events, the festival offers a glimpse into winter life in northern Mongolia and the rhythms that continue to shape it. For those willing to embrace the cold, it’s a rewarding way to experience Khövsgöl beyond the summer months.
Quick Facts
Location: Khatgal, Khövsgöl Nuur National Park, northern Mongolia
Dates: On or around 3–4 March each year (dates may vary slightly)
Setting: Frozen Lake Khövsgöl (Dalai Ej – “Mother Sea”)
Getting There: Overland from Mörön; Khatgal is connected by asphalt road
Highlights: Ice sumo, tug-of-war, ice sculpting, ice driving rally, skating, live music, shamanist ceremonies
Who Attends: Local communities, regional visitors, and international travellers
Focus: Community celebration, winter culture, and off-season tourism
Best For: Travellers interested in winter landscapes, and local life
All images below were taken at the Khövsgöl Ice Festival by EL guest Kairi Aun.
Table of Contents
Setting the Scene: Khövsgöl Nuur
The Khövsgöl Ice Festival takes place each year on or around March 3rd–4th in northern Mongolia, at the edge of one of the country’s most celebrated landscapes.
Khövsgöl is shorthand for Khövsgöl Nuur National Park, located in Khövsgöl Province. At its heart lies the 136km-long lake itself. Many tour companies refer to it as the “Blue Pearl of Mongolia,” but Mongolians know it as Dalai Ej — Mother Sea, a name that carries far greater meaning. The lake is the younger sister of Lake Baikal in Siberia, both formed as part of the same rift system. On a clear day, you can stand on the frozen shoreline and see the snow-covered Sayan Mountains, which form the border with Siberia. The highest point in the Khovsgol watershed is Munkh Saridag (3,491m), rising from these mountains.
At the southern tip of the lake lies Khatgal, a small lakeside settlement where Khövsgöl Nuur drains into the Egiin Gol river. Now connected to Mörön by a relatively new asphalt road, Khatgal is often passed through rather than lingered in. During the Ice Festival, however, the village comes alive, revealing a warmth and energy that makes it a pleasure to experience.
A festival shaped by community
The Khövsgöl Ice Festival is held in Khatgal to encourage tourism beyond the short summer season and to highlight the region’s distinctive winter culture. The festival is characterised by strong local participation and draws both Mongolian visitors and international travellers. Locals arrive in force, often dressed in their finest winter dels, bringing an enthusiasm that defines the atmosphere. This feels less like a performance for visitors and more like a celebration organised by and for the community itself.
“The opportunities to meet local people were very important in getting to know about Mongolia.”
Go with the flow
This is not a festival governed by a strict timetable. While there are organised competitions and activities across the two days, the Ice Festival is better understood as a gathering — a chance for connection, exchange, and shared enjoyment. It reflects local collaboration and the desire to build a resilient future for the region and its herding communities.
So, leave your watch behind. Dress warmly. Use the EL van as a place to thaw out when needed. Spend time talking, watching, and joining in. Events typically include ice sumo, tug-of-war, ice sculpting, ice driving rallies, and skating, alongside shamanist ceremonies and live music.
The Darkhad and winter life on the lake
The Darkhad are an ethnic group of predominantly nomadic herders with their own cultural identity and dialect, distinct from the majority Khalkh Mongols. Their summer pastures lie in the grasslands of the Darkhad Valley, while many families migrate through the Khoridol Saridag Mountains to winter camps near Khovsgol Nuur.
In winter, frozen Khövsgöl Lake becomes a vital travel route, with horse-drawn sleighs gliding across the ice. This seasonal rhythm is central to life here — and one reason why we also offer our Khövsgöl Horse Sleigh Expedition, timed to finish at the Ice Festival. Travelling by sleigh across the frozen lake is a quietly powerful experience, shaped by weather, landscape, and tradition.
“Love the slower travel philosophy that gave us more time to experience the amazing landscapes.”
Why we travel by road
Some itineraries combine the Khövsgöl Ice Festival with domestic flights, and we can do so as well on our tailor made Domestic flights carry higher emissions per kilometre, largely due to take-off and landing. For this reason — and many others — we travel to and from Khovsgol by road.
Flying removes context. You miss the transitions, the distances, the everyday lives between destinations. Overland travel slows the pace and allows space for understanding — of landscape, weather, settlements, and the quieter places rarely mentioned in guidebooks. In winter, these journeys take on their own beauty, and travelling through them becomes part of the experience itself.
“Everything was a revelation. The scenery of Mongolia is stunning and driving through it was so enjoyable.”
Join Us In Khatgal
If this resonates, you’re welcome to join the Eternal Landscapes team as we celebrate alongside the Khatgal community on our Khövsgöl Ice Festival small-group winter trip. You can also explore our wider range of Mongolian winter journeys including our tailor made version of this experience ‘Journey To The Tsaatan.’
There are many companies offering trips to Mongolia, so why choose EL? We’ll leave the final words with our guest Yi-Hsin:
“I’ve been trying to travel in ways that give back to local communities, rather than funnelling money to overseas owners while paying locals a minimum wage. I’ve also travelled with companies where it’s clear the person answering your questions has never been to the country. I really like that EL is small, and that the people running it are deeply connected to what’s happening on the ground.”
